A Sun-Drenched Dream Home
Our client approached us to replace their earthquake-damaged house with the home of their dreams. They wanted to make the most of the landscape around them, so it’s no surprise that we took advantage of the gorgeous views across the river to the Historic Riccarton House and Riccarton bush by designing a new two-level family home.
The site was a dream, split between breathtaking southern views on sloping banks toward the Avon River and northern landscapes that provided privacy for indoor-outdoor living. The views pass throughout the home, making it feel like you’re connected to the landscape at all times.
Connection is always an important trait to any family home design, so it was imperative that the kitchen was spacious enough to accommodate their needs. It’s tied in seamlessly with the living and dining room, great for every-day togetherness as well as entertaining when guests come over.
During the day, the space is drenched in natural light and transforms perfectly in the night by opening up the connecting doors to transition the fun to outside.
The backyard has a great lawn for the kids to run and play, while taking advantage of the gorgeous views.
The use of darker stained timber and a lighter polished concrete makes the outside of the home stand out and complement the landscape just as much as the warmth of the inside does.
While the views were amazing, linking the entrance to the home was more challenging. The narrow street front provided its own challenge, and the home opens up substantially at the rear to much more open-plan spaces. This meant we needed to reflect this wealth of space at the start of the home as well, so high ceilings and roof windows were the way to go, bringing in natural light from corner to corner to make the space feel warming, inviting and appear bigger.
What do you think? Check out more images from this project here: https://aoarchitecture.co.nz/project/girvan-home/
Comments (4)
Melissa Pace
Emily Lancuba
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