Summer spaces

During the pandemic, our decks and patios became essential connectors of people as we were compelled to shelter in place – with picnics

NEW ZEALANDERS ARE a nation of campers, trampers, fishers and hunters: we love being out in nature. Perhaps the only thing we embrace more is harnessing that feeling of freedom in our own backyard. When building with David Reid Homes, basic hard landscaping, such as decks and driveways, is included as part of the package – a requirement for a code compliance certificate.

When working with your architect or designer, discuss how the layout of the home will wrap around the alfresco living and vice versa so they weave together in a way that enhances how your family likes to relax and entertain. This done, remember to budget for other landscaping needs including plants (this cost can be significant). Often our homeowners choose to get their hands in the dirt to nurture a garden themselves but, if not, we can recommend a landscape designer to work with.

In our opinion, summer spaces shouldn’t be limited to the great outdoors: bring sun-blessed areas inside too and capture the lightness of being this season brings.

View finder

When a Kiwi/American family came across this picturesque section in Point Heyward, Dunedin (opposite) they snapped it up and who can blame them? They removed an existing old farmhouse on the property (actually, it was burnt down as part of a fire-training exercise) and built a new home which faces the harbour and has outdoor living on two sides.

While the sunken deck on the southern elevation does receive the full force of the weather, it’s worth it, because built-in seating captures a million-dollar vista down the peninsula towards the royal albatross colony at Taiaroa Head. A protected tree, sculpted by the wind, is a vertical focal point and huge boulders dug out of the site were used to bring a sense of the local to the landscaping. A water feature in the rockery alongside the benches adds a pleasant ambience to the serene scene.

A summer painting

Framing a landscape is a given when that tableau takes in a lake, wetlands and pastoral greenery, but this house in the Karaka Lakes subdivision in South Auckland, a contemporary combination of concrete tilt-panel, flat-tray profile cladding and Abodo timber, does it masterfully. Including custom-made joinery that is pushed into the apex of the roofline allows a full-height picture window that ushers in a sweep of sky too. It takes advantage of the gable form and turns this corner of the living room into a snapshot of summer. On days when the covered deck is still too exposed to be enjoyable, a built-in bench seat that stretches the length of the window becomes an ideal spot to take a load off. The feeling of a perfect summer is brought indoors, and the owners can enjoy watching the birdlife on the water whichever way the wind blows. F

LEFT A water feature within the rockery adds an aural aspect to the visual experience on this harbour-front deck in Dunedin. BELOW Custom-made glazing which stretches right up into the gable, allows the owners of this South Auckland home an incredible aspect over the wetlands enabling them to enjoy the outdoor scene even when the weather doesn’t play ball.

Sporting sorts

This impressive, pavilion-style property in Chartwell, Hamilton was initially built as a showhome. The section featured a gully to one side that dropped away steeply and, to take advantage of the natural drama, the alfresco entertaining area was designed to nestle down into it so that this outdoor ‘snug’ feels part of the land, rather than a structure sitting on top of it.

Steps that lead down from the main living area follow the natural ground contours and the gable extends six metres to provide the luxury of cover. The vision was to create the ultimate gathering haunt for friends to hunker down in and watch sporting events – sometimes for hours on end (Bathurst 1000 was mentioned). The area is furnished with a built-in TV and a centralised firepit to keep off the chill as the evenings draw in. Bench seating caters to a crowd and, after dark, LED lighting beneath the banquettes gives them the appearance of floating above the floor. Garapa was chosen for the decking because it’s a material that, unlike kwila, doesn’t bleed tannins and the underside of the gable is clad in cedar, bringing the warmth of more wood to the experience.

ABOVE When the big game is on, what better place to gather with many friends than this covered area in a Hamilton property that comes complete with an outdoor TV. Let the fun begin!

Escape to the everyday

An alpine environment is blessed with the ever-present mountains to focus on, but it does mean warmth and shelter are pushed to the top of the priority list. This Jack’s Point home features the classic Central Otago palette of knotty cedar and schist, with gabled forms to mimic the peaks. An outdoor living space, slotted between the two pavilions of the dwelling, is well protected from the elements on three sides. The owners chose composite decking for its low-maintenance qualities and an operable louvred roof can be closed off when it rains – or snows. This has allowed them to furnish the space as a genuine outdoor room with a modular sofa, a rug to make it more homely and even art: one of the owner’s own designs, inspired by a Māori kite, laser-cut from steel and allowed to weather and rust. The magnificent backdrop of the Remarkables is ever present and griselina hedges pop against the cladding oiled in Wood-X ‘Foundry’. F

BELOW Mountains are magnificent to look at but they do tend to put a crisp chill in the air: this well-appointed outdoor room in Queenstown has all the comforts of an indoor living zone.

Splash happy

For some a dream home would not be complete without a pool. The owners of this Westmere, Auckland property have three daughters who range in age from tweens to teens. Come Labour Weekend, the covers come off and the pool is at the heart of the action.

Designing for a pool is a never an afterthought: it’s to your benefit to include it with the house plans so there is only a single submission to council. Depending on the layout of the site, putting the pool in first can be the canny option.

When it comes to pool design, there is a plethora of considerations: how will it be used; what engineering is required; will it be heated; will it use natural or salt water – and what colour will it be?

Then there are regulations galore to adhere to; it’s definitely territory for the design experts. In a rural backyard on a flat site, the options will be extensive, but if you’re building in suburbia, like these owners did, things can get tricky with how far away a pool can be located from the boundary. There are also other hidden constraints (such as stormwater drains that run beneath the ground). Finally, fencing can make or break the aesthetic. An experienced designer will locate the pool in an area to minimise the impact of fencing, using tricks like disguising it behind greenery or incorporating weirs and stone walls that meld in with the architecture but comply with the rules.

In this example, the pool is a minimalist geometric slash of blue inserted in kwila decking and backed by a travertine wall with glass fencing that allows the backdrop of bush to create a lush, resort-like feel.

ABOVE If you have your heart set on a pool, be prepared to navigate the myriad regulations that come with the territory. Getting the experts involved and talking to each other from the get-go is a good idea. In Westmere, Auckland this minimalist pool is at the heart of family life.

Take your Meds

Classical elegance and sharp-lined modernism combine in this home in Beachlands, Auckland which boasts a VIP view over the harbour. Although the lines of the house are contemporary and sharp, and the owners have a centralised outdoor room with a built-in barbecue and bar to retreat to, this east-facing courtyard that runs off the master bedroom gives them a secluded, private place to enjoy morning coffee. Using gravel lends a Mediterranean flavour which the owners have enhanced with potted dwarf citrus and bistro-style metal furniture. Gravel courtyards are fairly low maintenance if you keep on top of things. Weed regularly, rake the stones every now and then and remove any leaves that fall onto the surface. You will probably need to refresh the gravel every two to four years. Gravel is also better for the environment than, say, concrete since it is a porous surface allowing water to permeate into the ground and preventing runoff for better stormwater management. P

BELOW Transport yourself to France or Italy with a gravel courtyard and citrus in pots. The owners of this home in Beachlands, Auckland also have a wonderful view of the sea.