Keeping it interesting
Every home in this new development has something different that sets it apart, writes Donna Fleming
They say variety is the spice of life and, for Fletcher Residential Living, variety is the key to building communities Kiwis want to live in. It was something design and planning manager Ade Green kept in mind when he was working on the company’s new development at Totara Heights.
Kiwis don’t like living in homes that are exactly the same as every other dwelling around us, we like a bit of individuality and uniqueness rather than the “cookie cutter look”, says Ade.
“We’ve provided as much variety as we possibly can, from the types of homes available through to the building material we’ve used,” says Ade. “That means we can offer a selection of different homes at different prices to cater for everyone who would like to live here.”
Homes on offer for the first release at Totara Heights include two-level terraced, duplex and stand-alone homes. Many have family areas as well as living rooms, so there is plenty of space for people to spread out, and separate zones for family members to be doing their own thing. Some even have additional lounges and studies. All of the master bedrooms have a walk-in wardrobe and en suite bathroom.
The terraced houses have tandem garaging. The living room is at one end of the lower level, alongside the open-plan kitchen, dining and family area. This part of the home opens out to the outdoor area. There’s also a downstairs powder room, while the laundry is in the garage.
Upstairs there are either four bedrooms and a family bathroom, or a bathroom, three bedrooms and an additional lounge.
The duplexes have a tandem garage, powder room and kitchen, dining and living room downstairs. Upstairs are three bedrooms, a family bathroom and a second living area.
There are several different layouts to choose from when it comes to the larger freestanding homes. A couple of these feature a fourth bedroom with en suite on the ground floor, which is ideal for guests. Another has all four bedrooms on the upper floor.
One has the second lounge and a separate study on the second level, while another uses part of the upstairs landing as a study area. One of the standalone home designs includes a walk-in pantry off the kitchen.
“We wanted to come up with as many different options as possible to suit the differing needs that people have, depending on how many people will be living there, and how they live,” says Ade.
Within the development there will be some homes with studios above garages that can be used as an extra bedroom, work-from-home office or accommodation for extended family members.
“It’s something we’ve tried in some of our other developments and we thought we would see how popular it is here,” says Ade. “But I think it could appeal to some potential buyers, especially those who have extended family living with them.”
When it came to the houses’ exterior look, Ade says: “I think we used every type of cladding out there, from brick, Linea boards, cedar . . . and where houses have similar cladding we have used different colours, so none of the houses is identical to the ones next to them. It makes it far more interesting.”
Inside, the homes feature the high quality fixtures and fittings for which Fletcher homes are known. They include SmartVent mechanical ventilation systems, to keep condensation at bay.
The development is landscaped, and all the homes have concrete driveways. Bearing in mind that it will attract a lot of families, Fletcher Residential Living has included a playground and three reserve areas on the Totara Heights site.