Personality trumps practicality in this fun and fantastically spacious, four-bedroom Whangamata home. The understated exterior, meanwhile, remains true to Coromandel’s pioneering heritage.

With its staggeringly high raked ceilings and absence of dividing lines, the open-plan living room could be more accurately described as a living hall. A plywood panel feature wall demands attention in the lounge, like a scrapbook come to life. Amidst the memories, the fireplace forms a warming gathering point to relax and reminisce. Moving through the dining area, set out beneath a central chandelier, the white-hot kitchen dominates the opposite wall. Ceiling-height glass shelving displays homewares, while a large oven caters to all manner of meals. Polished concrete floors tie the entire space together. Glass sliders provide multiple points of connection to alfresco decking. The large grounds offer keen gardeners a place to potter. The pergola is perfect for outdoor dining and relaxing with friends. All bedrooms open to the outdoors. Raked ceilings create a lovely sense of space in the guest quarters.