Showhomes > Designed for the Modern Family

Designed for the Modern Family

Composite cladding accents the contemporary style and clean lines of this coastal family home.

The way Kiwi families live has changed considerably over the past three or four decades. With adult children staying at home for a lot longer, many families now need a house with additional space and the flexibility to cater to the requirements of different family members.

This spacious, contemporary family home in a new subdivision in New Plymouth was designed and built by Signature Homes to fulfill exactly those needs. Geoff Mockett, owner and general manager of the Signature Homes Taranaki, says the home is a heavily modified version of the Ruapehu floorplan from the Masonry Collection.

"We've redesigned it so that it suits the flat, elevated site, and added a fifth bedroom, which could also be a study. We wanted to build a home that catered for a large family," says Geoff. "The aim was to be able to create different outdoor living areas to capture the sun and create privacy."

The result is an H-shape floorplan with two wings joined by a central space containing the entry and living areas. The raking roof lines set the home apart from the ubiquitous monopitch designs, while the angles and sharp lines of the exterior provide strong visual interest. A small courtyard at the back of the house opens onto the back lawn, while a large paved area opening off the kitchen, down the side of the house, features a concrete fireplace and is ideal for alfresco dining and entertaining.

The house is situated in a subdivision about 400m from the sea, so durable, hard-wearing building products were a must. And James Hardie cladding was the obvious choice because it provided the necessary durability while offering the stylish, contemporary look required. To enhance the clean, square lines of the design, Titan® Façade Panel painted a warm grey was used extensively and accented with white Linea™ Weatherboard.

"With the coastal environment, we needed durable products, but we also wanted a modern styling that would make a real design statement," says Geoff. "James Hardie products let us achieve both these aims. These are strong architectural products. We used a combination of Titan Façade Panel and Linea Weatherboard to achieve the right look. The flat paneling of the Titan is softened by accents of Linea with mitred corners for really clean lines."

Signature Homes Taranaki uses James Hardie products on around 35% of the homes it builds, and Geoff has been using James Hardie products for the last 23 years, since he began his apprenticeship.

Inside, the home has a number of appealing features. While the bedrooms and living areas are carpeted, the entrance, bathrooms and kitchen have floors of polished concrete cut into large tiles. A skylight brings light into the entry and the high raked ceilings – the stud ranges from a minimum of 2.7m right up to 4.2m – give the interior a feeling of spaciousness, which is enhanced by the predominantly white palette.

The large, light-filled kitchen has a simple, clean look thanks to the all-white colour scheme and extensive glazing. A skylight above the island bench provides additional light, and a butler's pantry keeps any meal-preparation mess out of site.

Visit this Signature Homes showhome at:
3 Dolphin Parade, Bell Block, New Plymouth
Open daily 12pm - 4pm
For enquiries, phone 06 755 4161