When the clients bought the house, it was a collection of mismatched forms on the outside, with awkward proportioned rooms on the inside. Everything was tired and dated, and the house was cold and dark. A major renovation with a new entry joining internal garaging to the body of the house, brought light, warmth and cohesion to the house. The clients bought this property for their retirement; coming from the dry Outback of Australia, the lush pastoral landscape near Matakana is a refreshing change, and the house is designed to complement their semi-rural green idyll.

The natural finishes of timber and terracotta bring warmth to a cool neutral palette. Together these provide a backdrop to the clients’ eclectic art and furniture collections.