Excerpt taken from: https://www.abodemagazine.co.nz/home/2021/12/14/organic-inspiration?fbclid=IwAR1GGmgwfdzL2Oba1_GNs944lhJ6O-oLkgW8aFiATHtVwk1yaoHV3Rp18LM

When Maree Hunter and her two young children moved into this Fendalton home 27 years ago, there was work to be done.

Maree’s children grew up in the three-bedroom brick home and have years of happy memories. “People have always said they love coming here – that it just has a lovely feel,” says Maree. Now both of Maree’s grown- up children have children of their own. Four-year-old Olivia and one-year-old grandson Jack love chasing Maree’s dog, Zoe, around the newly extended home and have their own special bedroom. Maree’s son’s bedroom has been changed into the main bathroom, a practical position between the two guest bedrooms, with a laundry cupboard built in.

When it came to renovating her home for a second time, Maree says, “I knew I had to do it. I had a picture in my head. I already had the garden looking the way

I wanted, but I couldn’t see it from the house. So that was the inspiration for the renovation.” Maree is a keen gardener and, after 27 years, has created a beautiful mature garden that she was determined to keep.

Maree chose Nick Yardley from Yardley Architecture to design the extension for the home, which includes

a new master bedroom with ensuite at the back of the house that looks out on the garden and a new office on the other side with a garden view, both with a curved wall that forms the shape of the exterior. The extended dining and living space off the kitchen is at the centre

of the extension, with a partially raised ceiling to take full advantage of the large steel cantilevered window that maximises the garden view. Nick says, “My father and Maree worked together, they are both passionate primary school teachers and share a love of teaching, so it was through my father we met.”

“Maree was rather specific on what was required.

I remember curves being the foremost feature request, along with a direct connection to the garden. Maree’s love of her gardening naturally led me to use a more organic approach, not only in form but plan. I like designs that tend to lean towards an asymmetrical rhythm.”

Maree’s builder from Stu Lindsay Builders was recommended by a friend before they both realised they had met many years prior through Stu’s brother-in-law, and they are now great friends.

Stu says, “Maree was a pleasure to work for, very organised, very particular. She had a clear vision of the home that she wanted, and everyone worked well together to achieve that.”

“Maree managed the build with Stu; they both

did an excellent job of interpreting the overall design vision,” says Nick. Maree adds, “Stu would let me bring in all my tradesmen and worked well with them. We were going through Covid-19 during the build as well. Stu was just so gorgeous. If he was having a bad day, you would never know it.”

The 12-month renovation project began with removing the old bricks from the exterior that had been damaged in the earthquakes and needed to be replaced. Maree and her son did much of this work, and brought in recycled Halswell quarry stone, and stonemasons created the paths at the front and back of the house with a mid-century aesthetic. Maree had the striking new black bricks imported from Spain to match the Japanese inspired timber cladding on the curved exterior walls.

Creating the curved walls presented a unique challenge for Stu. “Curves from a construction point of view have their own set of challenges, and I like that Stu overcame these,” says Nick.

“I remember coming down here one day when they were getting ready to curve the gib for the walls,” says Maree. “Stu had done all his research on what they

did around the world. He made an incredibly clever contraption like a wheel. He wet the gib board and

the wheel was the perfect diameter of the room and it worked out perfectly. I don’t know how in all honesty he got the rimu skirting so perfect.”

Stu’s two sons Tom and Jack worked as carpenters on the build. “There’s that love feeling when you’re onsite with Stu and his boys. He’s just so good at his trade,” says Maree.

The original footprint of the home ends at the kitchen, but the restored, recycled rimu in the new extension is seamlessly matched. Venetian plaster on the curved wall of the kitchen island creates a smooth concrete look. Beautiful paint effects were used in

the master bedroom with a soft blue wash and copper textured paint feature wall in the office, which shines in the afternoon sun.

Thanks to the addition of a new retaining wall, the home could be extended right up to the stream in the garden. “The stream by far was the biggest hurdle,” says Nick. “It is a very long council story, but the extension and the stream now sit harmoniously side by side.”

“My favourite moment comes transitioning from the hall in the original house, breaking out into the new open plan extension; the oversized doors and windows take your attention directly out into the garden,” says Nick. “I like this idea of playing with the comfort of being inside, yet you have the feeling of being outside.”

“I think the use of good design and quality materials creates something quite special,” says Stu, who loves the views back to the house from the garden.

This stunning renovation with expansive views of the garden has exceeded Maree’s expectations. “It’s lovely sitting here at night looking out over the garden.”

Having chosen the right team to help her bring her vision to reality, Maree will continue to enjoy creating new memories here with her family for many years to come.