MAUD - Markham Architecture + Urban Design

A stunning transformation. Natasha Markham of MAUD designed and supervised the modernisation of our uninspiring 1980s home. Instead of an ordinary, brick house with tired aluminium joinery opening onto a pool, we now have four sets of French doors providing access to what we are growing into a series of sunny, outdoor rooms. The single bathroom and separate toilet have been moved and transformed into a delightful, modern bathroom. A bedroom has morphed into a walk in wardrobe and ensuite on the corner of the house that receives the early morning sun. The kitchen, which looked rather like an add on from the exterior, is now a fabulous galley kitchen that has proven to be a delight to use. Several rooms had extensions added to the edge of the existing roof line (to keep costs within our budget) but each of these additions has served a worthwhile purpose – to create a tool storage and work bench in the garage, to extend the living and dining rooms, as well as increasing the size of two bedrooms. In order to give Natasha an idea of what we wanted in our home we collected many photos from Houzz into a gallery. From these pictures, Natasha has been able to provide a design that we love but could never have achieved ourselves. Her attention to detail has resulted in a sleek modern light filled house that opens onto private, usable outdoor spaces. Natasha had frequent meetings with us to collaborate on design solutions to which she then applied her artistry and innovation. Although our home still has a modest floor area, Natasha has created a sense of space. We now use the entire house instead of having some unused spaces. Natasha is clear over design principles and knows what works and what doesn’t work. She will not compromise on these design principles but worked through these issues with us clearly. Now we live in the house, we have found each of Natasha’s recommendations have proven to be the optimal solutions. We are most impressed with her ability to visualise how spaces will function. Natasha always met time deadlines and was highly effective in her communications with both us, as clients, and the builder who completed the work. She guided the house alterations through the building consent process without hitches. We are delighted to live in our almost new modern home which continues to look as though it belongs in our street. We thoroughly recommend Natasha. We do not believe we could have found a better architect to design our renovations.

MAUD designed my dream home. Natasha was a consummate professional: easy to work with, a clear vision, and committed to detail. Building a house can be a stressful experience, but Natasha made it seem effortless, helping with decision-making every step of the way.

Maud have been great to work with and come up with a really innovative and considered design for our renovation. Natasha had really good knowledge of Resource Consent requirements in a heritage zone so we had minimal issues with council. She has also been very hands on during the build process and helped us navigate our way through a myriad of decisions along the way. We are really pleased with our house we now have a beautifully designed, light filled family home, which has maximised every space - it has changed the way we live.