Showhomes > Beautiful Boatshed

Beautiful Boatshed

Have you ever found yourself looking through magazines full of beautiful homes and wished that you could transport yourself there to sit on that deck, look at that view, or sleep in that bed – even for a single night?

Here's a place where you can do just that. Located on a headland on Waiheke Island,‘The Boatshed' is a luxury holiday retreat, designed to celebrate the authentic Kiwi ‘bach' or holiday home.

“What I had in mind was just a vague idea at first. I loved the fact that the baches and holiday houses in New Zealand were an eclectic mixture of styles ranging from tiny 1930s cottages to ‘70s and ‘80s baches, ” says owner, David Scott. “It's very kiwi, very unstructured and unfinished and I like that authenticity.”

Despite the fact that the concept of exclusive lodge-style accommodation was virtually non-existent in New Zealand at that time, David knew he wanted to build a very special place where people could come and stay.

David took time to develop his idea, and while he was at it, international interest in New Zealand as a luxury destination grew and the market for exclusive lodges took off. David found himself involved in a number of hospitality industry projects and it gave him the experience he needed to know what worked and what didn't. He used it to his advantage when it came time to design The Boatshed.

“I wanted something that felt like it was part of a village, not something that drew attention to itself and I wanted to create a collection of buildings that mirrored the way the neighbouring baches connected with the beach and the wetlands around the estuary.”

At the same time, David became fascinated with boatsheds.

“I knew that whatever I did, a boatshed design would be part of it. I also love lighthouses, so I wanted to build a tower with a circular staircase, and then I saw another space being something like the bridge on a ship with panoramic views and a big service and kitchen area on the ground floor.”

If that sounds eclectic, it is! And it works beautifully. A row of ‘boatsheds' – each with their own private balcony and a sea view extends out to one side of the design, while the three-storey lighthouse takes centre stage.

David knew right from the start that weatherboards were essential.

“They are so much a part of the New Zealand ‘bach' look,” he says. “And the tower had to be board and batten with a plastered base reminiscent of water towers that are a traditional feature of so many kiwi baches.”

The big challenge was always going to be maintenance.

“We're only 50 metres back from the high tide mark and we face due north, so any timber would have been constantly shifting and maintenance would have been huge.”

When he read that James Hardie weatherboard products were being used extensively on coastal properties in the US, David contacted James Hardie in New Zealand and learned about Linea® Weatherboard. A completely inert product that won't warp, rot or shift, Linea Weatherboards are perfect for coastal locations.

“That was it,” says David. “Everything just fell into place after that. The project had been conceived with longevity and quality in mind, so Linea was the obvious answer.”

For the tower, David opted for Titan® Panel - another product that's perfect for seaside environments thanks to its durability. David even cut the battens out of Titan Panel as well.

Both products hold their paintwork well, allowing them to be painted dark colours if desired. In this instance, David created a colour scheme based on five variations of the same colour.

“I wanted to create the sense of some of the buildings being older than others and I emphasised that through the colours I chose. The boatsheds are painted the darkest shade – a warm sand colour – and all the other buildings are variations on that.”

And if you think the end result looks good on the page, why not take a look at the real thing? You could call it ‘research' for your new home and have a wonderful weekend away at the same time.

For more information about accommodation at The Boatshed, visit www.boatshed.co.nz