Trends New Zealand Volume 35 No 5 | Page 17

Interior designer Kirsty Davis says the large sunken lounge is a feature within the open-plan living area. “This was achieved by dropping the fireplace into place, then designing panels around it for a seamless look,” she says. “On the other side of the front-of-home entertaining zone, the generous kitchen is the hub of the large, open environment.” Playing a similar, softening role to the wood battens, concealed lighting features throughout the home. For example, the corridor linking the bedrooms and living space includes a raised concrete floor panel, with a negative detail housing a warm strip light. Plus, strategic garden and outdoor lighting accentuates the dramatic façade. While the tilt-panel design sets the cool, luxury aesthetic, it’s the sheltered site that allows for serene outdoor entertaining. “The mature trees on the site give the illusion this house has been here for years,” says Ball. “The home’s elevation provides for beautiful views of the land around it, while a preformed concrete tilt-slab fence provides privacy from the road.” Above: The kitchen is the hub of the home both in terms of entertaining and family life. So, the owners wanted a generous island with space for casual seating. In response, Freeman and Ball designed the large, 6m-long central island with a mitred waterfall benchtop at one end and a gravity-defying 1.2m-long cantilever at the other – making it a feature and an informal dining space. In reality, the long, floating bench is underpinned by a steel supporting structure. To the right of the kitchen is the glass-walled corridor that runs right down the side of the home, accessing the four bedrooms and double-car garage. search | save | share at