It’s always a sign of superior skill when builders transform a home within an existing footprint. Here they were tasked with modernising and improving flow within this stone-clad home — and the results speak for themselves. The team has produced an exemplar of understated luxury, with relaxed beachy vibes. The owners’ brief was to modernise and reconfigure the ground floor to make it open plan. The once-dark, tucked-away kitchen is now a sleek, sunny wood-toned star of the new communal space. There’s nothing that interrupts the flow, not the beautiful handlefree cabinets or the long bank of cupboards. Not even the splashback — a topographical map of Christchurch.

More evidence of the class and craftsmanship can be seen in the adjoining dining space with its timber window seat and built-in shelving. In fact, high-end features, such as pivot and invisible doors, are hallmarks of the 177sqm three-bedroom house. The living space benefits from wide picture windows and, at the far end, bifold timber doors, which open to a luxurious north-facing outdoor room with timber decking, a louvre roof and spa pool. The main bedroom has an upgraded ensuite with tiled feature walls and opens directly into an outdoor room. The builders were responsible for design, planning, pricing, interior design and construction in this project. The result? A faultless reno that puts glow into the flow.