CUTE MIDCENTURY LAKESIDE BACH
A Lake Rotoma bach where an extended family take their summer fun seriously
Out with the new, in with the old – that was Mark Bruce’s renovation approach after buying this 1950s bach at Lake Rotoma, halfway between Rotorua and Whakatāne. A previous owner had given the place a wholesale 1970s remodelling, which struck Mark, an ardent fan of mid-century design and architecture, as a terrible mistake.
“The 1950s is all about simplicity of design, clean lines, big geometric shapes – and that’s what this bach represents. It’s a true
bach box, with a mono-pitched roof, and the previous owner had tried to disguise all that. We changed it back to its original intent.”
In fact, the renovation was more thorough than that implies. Faced not only with the crimes of the 1970s, but some serious dilapidation – “It was really on its last legs” – Mark estimates he renovated a good 80 per cent of the two-bedroom bach.
The big move is the new kitchen – hardly surprising, given Mark’s history as a multiple-award-winning kitchen designer. This one picked up yet another gong at the 2017 National Kitchen and Bathroom Association Awards. Mining the 1950s theme, he designed cabinetry that resembles a mid-century sideboard, complete with angled legs, as well as a raked overhead cabinet and rounded shelves with a chrome pole and reeded glass. All of the appliances apart from the oven are hidden away behind Scandi-style oak and old-school pegboard, painted what Mark calls “granny green”, a colour he and his siblings grew up with. >
In the lounge, he removed a window that faced the driveway, replacing it with vertical rimu wall panelling, and built his own 50s-style furniture and shelving, reprising the same shark fin edge detail used on the kitchen bench and joinery. He also designed and built the distinctive bedhead in the master bedroom, adding spaces for storing his books and to let light through to the walk-in wardrobe behind.
In addition to the 1950s aesthetic, his approach throughout was about keeping things casual and functional. “This place is not precious or pretentious: you can put your glass of wine straight down on the table, wear shoes inside – there are no rules.”
There was some structural work done, too, including converting a carport into a bunkroom (the place can now sleep eight) and a greenhouse into a workshop for Mark – during summer, he tends to live at the bach, commuting between his companies Beaver Kitchens in Whakatāne and Designmarked Kitchens in Cambridge.
A key structural change was to put a sliding door from the kitchen to a newly built outdoor kitchen and entertaining space, instantly improving the flow.
“To be honest, it’s all about the kitchen and the outdoor eating area,” he says. “Probably 90 per cent of the time that we are here is during the summer, and that area has to work well. The outdoor area is integrated perfectly with the kitchen now.”
That’s important, because during summer the little bach becomes a hub for large numbers of family and friends. Hosting as many as 30 for Christmas is nothing out of the ordinary. >
Q&A
My decorating style: A relaxed, unstaged, casual approach. A bit eclectic, symbolic of the typical Kiwi bach.
First thing I do when I arrive: Swim out to the raft, or drink a glass of wine on the deck. Home improvement that caused the most debate: The tile selection for the kitchen splashback.
Best money I spent: A high-pressure water pump. Nothing beats a decent shower!
A well-kept secret about this area: There is a hidden waterfall behind the community hall. Favourite local restaurant: The Old Trout Cafe (the only cafe on the lake).
Mark Bruce
Mark has three sons: one is at university, one at boarding school and the youngest lives in Opotiki. He bought the bach as a place to have family together again.
“With boarding schools, university and a growing extended family, we didn’t have a summer base, and the bach was about creating a gathering point for family to come together for summer holidays,” says Mark, whose brother also has a trio of boys.
Lake Rotoma was an obvious choice. As a kid, he holidayed at nearby Lake Rotoiti, but Rotoma has some advantages.
“I love the place. It has a real community feel, with lots of permanents living around here. There’s always a beach tidy-up happening, or a meeting at the local hall, and there are some real characters living alternative lifestyles that make the place interesting. And the lake is really calm. It’s pristine and beautiful, with very deep, very clear water.”
The family has all the usual summer toys – skiffs, windsurfers, kayaks – plus one very special one: a 1928 gaff-rigged mullet boat called Valkerie that Mark’s retired boat builder father Colin lovingly renovated over three years.
“It’s not like a trailer-sailer, where you just pop the mast up and away you go. It takes about half a day to rig it, so over an extended break we’ll rig her and leave her on a mooring,” says Mark.
There is always plenty of time for rigging boats. One of Mark’s first moves after buying the bach was to remove all of the previous owner’s ornamental camellias so the native bush could grow back – not because he doesn’t like flowers, but because the last thing he wanted while at the bach was to be worrying about the garden.
“You get here, you open your bottle of wine, you sit on the deck and enjoy the lake.”