Trends New Zealand Trends Volume 32 No 5A New Zealand | Page 10

Five-star escape
Adding an entire floor to a terrace house provided
space for this resort-style master suite with
a freestanding bath and bamboo screen

Space is often at a premium in a terrace
house, but the owners of this Colonial
Revival-style house found the perfect
solution – they built an extra floor on top.
Architect Douglas Rixey says the new
addition was part of an extensive wholehouse remodel that has created a very
contemporary interior.
“The house was completely gutted and
rebuilt to suit the owners’ requirements,
which included a light and airy master
suite on the new top floor. The owners
wanted the entire floor to be open plan

search | save | share at

with virtually no walls. Because a terrace
house only has windows at the front and
rear, we introduced a series of skylights to
ensure the interior would be flooded with
natural light.”
The master bathroom was designed
in conjunction with Julia Walter of Boffi
Georgetown, who says the suite has a
resort-style ambience. The high-end effect
is reinforced by the wide opening between
the bedroom and bathroom, together with
the freestanding Iceland tub and a large
wet-area shower with pebble wall.

“Even though this is the only suite
on the floor, a little privacy was required
to screen the bath area from the stairs,”
Walter says. “So the architect added an
electric glass screen with bamboo trunks
– the glass turns smoky at the touch of a
button. The Boffi bath filler also features
the latest technology with a simplified
lever operation to make the water hotter.”
A cantilevered vanity in walnut wood
veneer continues the contemporary
theme. Matching sinks are integrated into
the white Corian top and all plumbing is