This house was designed within a new residential subdivision in Omokoroa. A square site of 400m² and a tight budget presented challenges which required some alternative design solutions. Designed to accommodate a family of five, design emphasis was placed on creating a large, multifunctional family zone on the ground floor. The house is in a basic L-shape configuration which allows for a northfacing lawn. This lets the house recede from the street rather than dominating the section - a rare commodity in new, smaller subdivisions which are now becoming the norm. The upper floor is a total kid zone. With three active boys to accommodate, the entire upper floor is essentially a loft with three bedrooms, a separate bathroom and a wide hallway-breakout space. The loft has been employed due to the requirement for the space but onerous planning restrictions meant that a full two-story house would have meant a total non-compliant solution. Centre-pivot open roof windows provide awesome airflow and light through the entire loft space. This home has a smart but relaxed appearance: geometric forms clad in concrete bricks, board and batten cladding and bandsawn larch weatherboards. It’s compact but spacious and is warm, light filled and homely. This is a new take on modern, suburban living that is a point of difference within a Greenfield subdivision that is otherwise filled with standard volume homes. The loft space frees up the building footprint to be smaller, which creates advantages in the form of improved energy efficiency and creating more usable land on the site. These aspects have been reflected in the recently updated housing CV’s which has this property valued significantly higher then the neighbouring properties all with the same sized sections.

Sleek and stylish with a beautiful Canadian cedar ceiling.

The existing apartment is a contemporary build which didn’t require any major changes to the structural layout. However, in order to feel more warm and inviting, the space needed to be uplifted with new flooring, painting, furniture, joinery and the addition of more personal features. Within the existing footprint, thoughtful furniture planning was required in the main living area to create defined spaces that flow and connect well to each other.

This iconic apartment building is in the heart of Wellington, with original features and natural light in abundance. We conceived a simple design that was of the era but not too fussy, and joinery to house their extensive library. The colour palette is not shy and compliments the mid century aesthetic.

These homeowners came to us to renovate a number of areas of their home. In their formal powder bath they wanted a sophisticated polished room that was elegant and custom in design. The formal powder was designed around stunning marble and gold wall tile with a custom starburst layout coming from behind the center of the birds nest round brass mirror. A white floating quartz countertop houses a vessel bowl sink and vessel bowl height faucet in polished nickel, wood panel and molding’s were painted black with a gold leaf detail which carried over to the ceiling for the WOW.

These floor to ceiling book shelves double as a storage and an eye- capturing focal point that surrounds the head board, making the bed in this master bedroom, the center of attention. Learn more about Chris Ebert, the Normandy Remodeling Designer who created this space, and other projects that Chris has created: https://www.normandyremodeling.com/team/christopher-ebert Photo Credit: Normandy Remodeling

Bespoke wooden circular table and bench built in to retaining wall with cantilevered metal steps.

Welcome to the Guest Room Refresh project! This recent project was undertaken for a client who wanted to transform their new construction home's guest room into a cozy and inviting space for visitors. With a focus on maximizing space and creating a focal point with an accent wall, this project showcases innovative solutions for small rooms with tall ceilings.

The Clients brief was to take a tired 90's style bathroom and give it some bizazz. While we have not been able to travel the last couple of years the client wanted this space to remind her or places she had been and cherished.

This little laundry room uses hidden tricks to modernize and maximize limited space. The main wall features bumped out upper cabinets above the washing machine for increased storage and easy access. Next to the cabinets are open shelves that allow space for the air vent on the back wall. This fan was faux painted to match the cabinets - blending in so well you wouldn’t even know it’s there! Between the cabinetry and blue fantasy marble countertop sits a luxuriously tiled backsplash. This beautiful backsplash hides the door to necessary valves, its outline barely visible while allowing easy access. Making the room brighter are light, textured walls, under cabinet, and updated lighting. Though you can’t see it in the photos, one more trick was used: the door was changed to smaller french doors, so when open, they are not in the middle of the room. Door backs are covered in the same wallpaper as the rest of the room - making the doors look like part of the room, and increasing available space.

Kat Alves-Photography

An unused area of lawn has been repurposed as a meditation garden. The meandering path of limestone step stones weaves through a birch grove. The matrix planting of carex grasses is interspersed with flowering natives throughout the season. Fall is spectacular with the blooming of aromatic asters.

This compact, urban backyard was in desperate need of privacy. We created a series of outdoor rooms, privacy screens, and lush plantings all with an Asian-inspired design sense. Elements include a covered outdoor lounge room, sun decks, rock gardens, shade garden, evergreen plant screens, and raised boardwalk to connect the various outdoor spaces. The finished space feels like a true backyard oasis.

Photo by Molly Winters

Penny Round Tile