DO IT YOUR WAY

DESIGN, BUILD, STYLE & CREATE

TAKE A TOUR OF THIS COOL & CONTEMPORARY

FAMILY HOME IN CANTERBURY,

Sometimes, to get what you really want, you have to roll up your sleeves and do it yourself. That’s what Justine and Dion van Kekem did with their stunning contemporary home in rural Christchurch. “We designed and built it ourselves, so we were the customer and the builder,” laughs Justine. The powerhouse couple used their skills in carpentry, interior design and DIY to build, design or create much of the furnishings inside the home, too. “We are definitely hands-on and if we can make it ourselves, we do,” she says.

THE BUILD

After setting their sights on a lifestyle block where they could both live and run their family construction business, the van Kekems found what they were looking for in the Halswell region of greater Christchurch. “We loved this particular section as it has mountain views,

Port Hill views and it was already hedged for windbreaks,” says Justine.

With the land secured, it came time to design their dream home. There were two boxes Justine and Dion wanted to tick: the house had to work for them as their family grew, and it needed to comfortably host their large extended families. In the end they kept the floor plan simple, but by sketching out large rooms, an oversized kitchen, wide hallways and high ceilings, they created a home with a luxurious sense of space.

“We love the easy flow we ended up with,” says Justine. “We also love being able to see the kids sneaking out of their bedrooms from most places in the house!”

The couple had renovated their first home – turning a container into a temporary dwelling to live in during the construction phase (Your Home

& Garden January 2016) – but this was their first new-build. Eighteen months later, they moved in.

MEET + GREETDion van Kekem, 34 (project manager for Niveau Pools & Construction), Justine van Kekem, 33 (interior designer), Annabelle, 12, Brooklyn, 10, and Scarlett, 8, plus Goldie the dog, 8chickens, 5 cows and 11 sheep.LIVING One of Justine’s favourite spots in the house is the living-area window seat. “I love sitting there in the morning with my coffee in hand, delegating morning tasks,” she says. She covered the squab herself using aKmart bedspread.yhg

LIVING Natural light streams into the open-plan kitchen, living and dining space, where generous sliding doors allow fresh air to circulate freely throughout the spacious home.

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HALLWAY (below) A bench seat from Ico Traders provides a spot to take a breath and enjoy the views of rural Canterbury. Around the corner, a sink alcove prevents congestion in the bathroom.