There’s a reason this charming two-storey home has a predicted 400-year-plus lifespan. Its builders, Victorian Designer Homes, have taken a leaf out of the Europeans’ design book in its construction methods and techniques. Virtually everything in this stand-out 158sqm home – from the Porotherm clay block cladding, clay roof tiles and exterior bricks to the tripleglazed windows and even the kitchen – has been imported from Europe. As well as its robust nature and attractive, country-cottage facade, the house is almost completely soundproof, thanks to the insulated clay block walls, a concrete mid-floor and concrete staircase, plus triple-glazed joinery. Solid plaster over the clay block walls combined with brick layers on the exterior are suggestive of quaint English village life.

European styling continues with lime finish solid plaster throughout the interior. Given this incredible level of insulation, the home has very little requirement for heating. Cosy evenings are also achievable outdoors. The spacious living and kitchen area rendered in crisp white, leads through sliding doors to a sheltered alfresco area with an outdoor fireplace. With three bedrooms, two bathrooms, loft storage as well as recycled water tank and a single attached garage, this clever example of European style offers plenty of room for Kiwi families.