Bach to the future

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It’s hard to imagine, but this sumptuous beach house was once a bach that looked more exhausted than tired. The 1990s home has been totally transformed, and few traces of the original dwelling remain. What has endured — and been amplified by the forward-facing design — is the outlook over the Pacific and waves rolling in. Belco Homes, the team behind the metamorphosis, worked alongside the owners to meld a Kiwi coastal aesthetic with European comfort and style. The clients wanted a house that sat lightly on its coastal land, but one that also ran a little wild inside. Think hand-picked Italian tiles in organic shades, antique Swiss lighting and, on the kitchen island, blackened brass panels. The vertical stair risers have industrial-style chequer plate and float alongside an illuminated brick feature wall. The three-bedroom, three-bathroom home easing down a slope demanded top-drawer craftsmanship to deliver the likes of customised flashings, clad corners and weatherboards fixed with hidden screws. Inside, curtain tracks were individually recessed into the angled ceiling. Sea spray-resistant aluminium roofing and durable timber cladding give the house staying power both as an oasis for family and as a lock-up-and-leave retreat for two.

NATIONAL AWARDS WON

Top 100

REGIONAL AWARDS WON

Regional Supreme House of the Year

Regional Category Winner

Regional Gold

REGION & CATEGORY:

Bay of Plenty & Central Plateau
Renovation over $1.5 million