Buchanan residence

The existing living spaces push out to incorporate the old deck space, then a new steel structure cantilevers out over the access below to create the outdoor living space.

The exposure of the house required this outdoor space to be fully operable to change as the conditions charge. Cedar and glass bi-folds outside of the barriers, operable roof, gas fire, sound system and LED lighting ensure this outdoor space can extend the internal spaces to the exterior in any weather.

The stairwell is flooded with light via skylight, which then emits light to southern bedrooms via high level internal glazing. Internal surfaces are high quality incorporating travertine, marble, granite, natural timber veneers and wool blend carpets. With the client’s love of boats, we added some quirky details, such as porthole entry door and stainless wire rigged barriers so he could reminisce.

The external colour scheme was required to deliver on many levels. It needed to be respectful of the surrounding lake setting and landscape when viewed from the lake. Up close, it was to offer a rich diversity of colour and texture and, unlike most properties, also needed to be presentable when viewed from above as the driveway descends on the house above the roof-line.

Our solution was to mix the cladding types, and offer a variable palette of colour. This patchwork of natural plastered veneer, horizontal corrugated metal, vertical cedar shiplap, and titan panels, breaks and defines blocks of walls.

The client’s dislike of blue led to green and brown cues taken from the surrounding lake-scape for the feature cladding near the entry. We joked the mint green colour matched the lake algae bloom horror of the recent past.

The roof has been purposefully picked out in a light colour for two reasons. From the lake, the roof is barely visible, therefore not a dominating feature. Approached from above the roof is read against the lake which is mostly reflective of the sky and clouds, thus a light coloured roof was chosen.

The colour and material solution has proven to be quite successful, while maintaining a high degree of originality.

Colours used: Resene Inside Back, Resene Maxwell Smart, Resene Panzano, Resene Spirulina, Resene Bone White.

Products used: Resene decorative paints.

Architectural Specifier: Darryl Church Architecture
Building Contractor: Builders By Design
Colour Selection: Darryl Church
Interior Designer: Peter Reynolds
Painting Contractor: Steve Todd & CBD Painters
Photographer: Tracey Robinson
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2010

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