Warm Wood Finishes Sandwich the White Interiors of a Coastal Home in New Zealand

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Project Details:

Location: Eastbourne, Wellington, New Zealand

Architect: Seear-Budd Ross / @seearbudross

Footprint: 3,444 square feet

Builder: RJC Building / @rjc_building_

Structural Engineer: Focus Engineering

Landscape Design: Xanthe White Design / @xanthewhitedesign

Interior Design: Seear-Budd Ross & Simon James

Flooring: VidaSpace / @vidaspace

Appliances: Fisher & Paykel / @fisherpaykel

Tapware: Plumbline / @plumblinenz

Windows: Fairview / @fairviewwindows

Photographer: Rory Gardiner / @arorygardiner

From the Architect: "The seamless exterior expression denotes little of the home’s sense of volume within—a feeling enhanced by the arrival sequence and its pavilion-style layout. Clad in New Zealand-grown Monterey cypress, a timber that omits a fragrant, spicy scent, the entry nook is a cave-like space. In contrast, the adjoining living pavilion, featuring an exposed vaulted ceiling in the same cypress, opens with a sense of overwhelming release. Here, generous views to the ocean draw the interiors outward and natural light is plentiful; it is lofty and dignified yet the feeling is understated and inviting.

"As well as the living pavilion, there is a two-story sleeping pavilion at the back of the site with a roof terrace capturing the evening sun. These two structures are separated by an internal courtyard with a glazed passageway running its length, connecting the front to the back. The front is deliberately exposed, with visible connection to the street and the harbor, whilst the courtyard and sleeping quarters are progressively more private in expression and experience."