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“Sometimes you find the conceptual design process a useful tool to aid with defining the true future needs,” says Boyd Chamberlain, who was initially commissioned by Martin and Michelle to evaluate their existing dwelling.

When Boyd received the call from Martin and Michelle a few months later to say they had purchased land in Prebbleton, the opportunity presented itself to revisit the brief, and this time, to start from scratch.

With two fast-growing teenagers, the couple was looking for a home with more space and an ability to entertain family and friends for many years to come. Their brief was detailed yet straightforward all the same: four bedrooms, an open plan kitchen leading to dining and living areas with connection to the outdoors.

“It was also important for us to have two separate living spaces,” says Michelle. “One to entertain our noisy teenage boys and one that we now call the whiskey room – a place where we can retreat. We don’t drink whiskey, but it has that traditional feel to the space that we love.”

Boyd and the homeowners explored the options of single storey and two storeys and settled on an elegant, sophisticated, two-storey design that embodies all the family’s needs and wants for their home.

“We prefer the more traditional design rather than the modern interpretations,” says Martin. “And Boyd was able to visualise our dream home very easily.”

Although the home is bigger than the couple intended, they were instantly delighted with Boyd’s interpretations and concept drawings.

Early in the design process, Boyd recommended and encouraged Martin and Michelle to adopt some energyefficient methods and materials for construction. These included an insulated slab and foundation edge, larger wall stud framing than the standard requirement and higher levels of insulation in all the walls, ceiling and roof cavities.

“This has made for an incredibly warm, energyefficient home,” says Boyd. “It also fits with our values and ideologies as an architectural design practice.”

Being a family home, low maintenance and durability were also big considerations when deciding on the materials of the build. “Aesthetically, the use of a wider cedar weatherboard profile and facing was used to maintain proportion and scale with the overall height of the build,” says Boyd. “And the simple lines this created gave the building an overall more sophisticated look for the scale of the building.”

Boyd prides himself on the extremely high-quality architectural documentation that he produces for every build he designs. This then serves the builder and homeowner well, so that everyone can smoothly and efficiently construct their dream home.

The team at Radius Building has been crafting homes since 2006, and company director and project manager Richard Fantham has worked together with Boyd on several previous projects. It was Boyd who recommended Richard to Martin and Michelle, as their builder.

P 021 222 9994 E richard@radiusbuilding.co.nz

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On the initial meeting with Richard from Radius, the homeowners knew straight away that he would be the man for the job. “Richard, Garry the foreman, and all the team were brilliant from start to finish,” says Michelle, highlighting that even despite a Covid-19 lockdown, Richard was working through pricing and liaising with them to move the project forwards.

“There was a great deal of uncertainty at the start of this build, given the timing with the pandemic,” says Richard. “We didn’t know what was happening with the economy or the building industry, and I knew this wasn’t going to be a standard house build.”

But despite this uncertainty, Richard provided a steady head and clear thinking. “We wished we’d had Richard involved in the process sooner,” says Martin. “He provided some great ideas and adaptations, which were important to us, given the financial expense of building a home of this scale.”

“Richard also pre-empted any challenges before they arose,” says Michelle. “And we never got any surprises, as we had already discussed the details long before doing anything.” AWARD-WINNING JOINERY Advanced Joinery designed, manufactured and installed all the internal joinery in the home.

CLASSIC KITCHEN A timeless look has been achieved with this beautiful benchtop by Shane Boyd Granite Benchtops. EXTERIOR EXCELLENCE Stratco provided and installed the roofing and the stunning louvres at this home.

This collaboration and teamwork shines through between all parties involved in this build, and as a result, the build process was smooth and relatively stress-free. Any fine-tuning of the small details on site is always very client-specific. “Garry was my ‘go-to’ man,” says Michelle. “If we did need to make a decision quickly, I would ask Garry and rely on his expertise.”

There are so many beautiful aspects of this home. A favourite for Michelle is the breakfast nook in the kitchen, which provides her and the whole family a sunny sanctuary for having breakfast, away from the centre of the home. “I also love the stairs,” she says, highlighting the quality, detail and care that has gone into designing and building them.

From a building perspective, there are numerous favourites worth highlighting. Richard loves the cedar weatherboards, oiled dark. “I have a love of all things carpentry,” says Richard. Indeed, the timber adds a timelessness to this home, but it’s one of many great works of craftsmanship. “There are so many great things to see in this home: the detailing in the ceilings, the Stoporen panels finished with Stoveneer Wood Plaster finish, the feature window, the balcony…,” says Richard. “It’s a magnificent home. Boyd really nailed it!”

Richard’s passion for building really shines through, and his joy of working with clients like Martin and Michelle is a testament to his strong relationship building and his genuine desire to build a home that

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