Despite tight deadlines and unusual materials, this new build in Whitford is a triumph.

Unusual materials, a TV crew and a deadline to meet – nothing seemed to faze these ambitious homeowners

When Shane and Cristina Nicholls say they’re glad this house build is over, they’re not being dramatic. “It’s a real love-hate relationship. We love elements of the house but we hate how much it sucked out our souls,” says Tina. A difficult project to see through, they were kept on track by TV show Grand Designs New Zealand. The pressure was on right down to the last day of filming. Looking back, the couple can see that sometimes you have to struggle a little to get what you really want.

The result of their 18-month slog is a handsome two-storey home in Auckland’s Whitford, clad in Japanese-style charred timber and Scandinavian bricks – nothing like their original concepts. After an estimated 10 house moves for the family – including Benji, 12, Gaby, nine, Opie the dog and Sam the cat – they now have a home to last many years.

“I don’t recommend doing this kind of build on this scale. It wasn’t even a tested design so we had no idea how it would turn out,” says Shane.

Shane and Tina met while backpacking through Europe. Tina, whose family is from Chile, says it was love at first sight. After living in the UK, New Zealand and Chile, renting as well as owning and renovating various houses, the family of four settled in Auckland where Shane worked as a lawyer. “I hated it so I knew I was going to have to make this property developing thing work and none of that came easy. It’s been hard.”

What started off as a side job turned into subdividing properties and in turn gaining contracts to build social housing. “We were able to supply four or six of these houses on one piece of land, then we did eight in Takanini for people with accessibility needs. Slowly, we got confidence to do our own private housing and subdivisions.”

Says Tina: “Shane comes home one day and says he’s found a piece of land that’s really good. We needed to keep growing the business so we sold the house and moved into a rental. The piece of land was kept on the back burner because we didn’t know how we were going to pay for it to be built or designed.”

The couple already knew Jon Smith of Matter Architects and had originally planned to use concrete as the main material for their new house. But a trip to Japan as a schoolboy, as well as trips since, inspired a rethink by Shane.

‘IT WAS A LEARNING CURVE FOR EVERYONE... BUT SOME LEFT REALLY PROUD OF WHAT THEY HAD DONE’

“Everything about Japan has stuck with me but it was about five years ago when I started seeing the buildings through different eyes. It was the simplicity of natural products and the wood-burning process mostly but also the fact that the buildings had been up for hundreds of years and only look better with time.”

Shane co-managed the build himself, using his project manager to run the site and organise the contractors. “A constant complaint from people on-site was that things were not done in a standard fashion. It was a learning curve for everyone and we rotated through a lot of people but some left really proud of what they had done.”

That included burning the wood themselves. Shane, Tina and their children went to Japan to research the Japanese technique of shou sugi ban from familyrun business Kyoei Lumber in Ehime, Matsuyama. Back home, after months of trialling, they settled on using redwood timber for the cladding.

And the distinctive narrow bricks? That involved importing 80 pallets worth from Denmark. “We decided not to ask anyone if they could lay them but they would just turn up on-site and have to do it,” says Shane. Similarly, many builders were cautious of installing the door hardware from Belgium – the couple just kept looking until they found the right person.

Tina and Shane’s interior tastes are very different so the home is a combination of both. Says Tina: “I like more warmth and colour and didn’t want

it too stark. We wanted a place for our kids to come home and hang out.” Shane, on the other hand, says he would prefer starker interiors.

As for involvement on Grand Designs New Zealand, Jon had just finished a project in the city and was starting on the Nicholls house when he was approached by the programme’s researchers. The family were unsure but Tina’s father Juan, who was very ill at the time, convinced them to do it. “He looked at me point blank and said you must do this,” says Shane.

The house design included a separate apartment for Juan to live in but he passed away before it was built. The apartment now overlooks a memorial vegetable garden, based on his design.

Despite Shane and Tina’s insistence on using unusual materials and methods, with the eyes of New Zealand focused on the project, the couple have proven that just about anything is possible.

THIS PAGE Shane and Cristina Nicholls’ new build in Whitford, Auckland; the lanterns seen throughout were handmade in Japan and imported from London – Shane spent a lot of time watching and learning about their creation process on YouTube; the landscaping was all done by Limb to Limb. OPPOSITE The dining room was originally planned for this downstairs space but due to concerns about noise travelling up the adjacent open stairwell, they swapped it out for a lounge – without a TV.

THESE PAGES The dining table is from Vitrine – it has temporary seating while the family waits for some 1950s dining chairs from an Italian estate that are currently being restored; the circular board and stool in the lounge are also from Vitrine.

THESE PAGES (clockwise from above) The kitchen design was a complicated collaboration between designers, kitchen manufacturers and Shane and Tina; it’s based on handmade Danish timber kitchens Shane had come across. Shane, Gaby and Opie enjoy the views over Hauraki Gulf. The Italian marble was sourced from Artedomus by Bespoke Interior Design and installed by Granite Kitchen Direct; the timber component was fabricated by The Timber Room, and Shane and Tina sourced the appliances from Gaggenau.

THIS PAGE The plastered steps down to the sunken lounge are Shane’s favourite part of the house; he worked with the plasterer to get the smooth, raw and unpainted plaster effect; the stools are from Vitrine and Dawson & Co. OPPOSITE (clockwise from top left) The master bedroom with its own private lounge. The master ensuite. In the master bedroom lounge, the family sits on a couch from Dawson & Co.

THIS PAGE (from left) Gaby’s bedroom was given a look that will age well with neutral colours. The landing; everywhere you look in the house there is a view to take in.

THIS PAGE The kids love it when the neighbour’s lamb, Genie, comes through the fence and helps himself to the grass; in the corner of the 1.8ha property – much of it bush-clad – is the studio apartment intended for Tina’s dad Juan.

THIS PAGE The kids play in the vege garden that was designed by their grandfather Juan, and was built to commemorate him after he passed away.