The architect became the client in a new build with a small footprint.

Detailed planning saw a triumphant new home rise from this tiny site for its architect owner

As one half of Rogan Nash Architects, Kate Rogan became her own client when she and husband Matt bought a leaky home in Auckland’s Grey Lynn and immediately bulldozed it. The derelict house was in the ideal spot – its only redeeming feature. “I think I only went in that house once. I certainly didn’t need to go in twice,” says Kate.

She had always wanted to design her own home and had been keeping an eye on local real estate listings. “Matt and I have lived around here for a long time so we’ve always liked it. Matt’s keen on walking to work and cycling so we wanted to be somewhere central. I’m invigorated by inner-city sites as well. I like that buzz, I like seeing people around and hearing a bit of noise.”

The location may have been right but at just over 300sqm the site was a squeeze. So Kate and her practice partner Eva Nash worked closely together to use the space to every advantage.

Says Eva: “It was a real investigation. We’ve managed to get green space and although it’s long and narrow it still feels generous. We’ve played visual tricks everywhere. You can stand from one end and look straight to the other end of the site so you elongate that view. A site feels shorter if you put roadblocks in the way.”

The same detailed thought processes came into play inside too. “At a planning level there isn’t a lot of waste,” says Kate. “Everything was very considered. If your kitchen is really well planned out, it can seem a lot bigger than it is. When you look down the hallway, you never see clutter.” The staircase was built wider than standard to create a sense of space, with slatted screening between it and

the living room and a large opaque window to let in light but not views of the neighbours. Differing ceiling heights create a feeling of expansion, while light and shadow lead the eye and efficient storage solutions have been immaculately tucked throughout.

Details matter to Kate and Eva. “We really consider the palette of the entire house; we don’t just design room by room,” says Kate. “Before the house was built we knew exactly what all the tiles were going to be, we’d already chosen all the furniture and all the light fittings. We knew what the carpet was going to be like. Eva and I always do that. Even from concept design we have a good idea of which way the sofa’s facing, how big the dining table’s going to be. We’re really into it.”

Kate insists she wasn’t a difficult client and that she and Matt had a clear brief from the beginning.

‘PEOPLE FALL INTO THE TRAP OF WANTING TO PUT ON TOO MUCH OF A PERFORMANCE’

“We wanted it to be crisp and architectural on the outside but on the inside we wanted it to be slightly more playful, not to be too formal,” says Kate. “Sometimes people can fall into the trap of wanting to put on too much of a performance when really you don’t need to live like that. So much of good design is really an interpretation of people, so they feel comfortable, so they feel elegant in their space. They feel like they’re showing themselves off on their best day.”

Eva agrees. “Kate is a perfectionist and likes to be very tidy so the house is aimed so she can put the kids’ toys away after they play with them because that’s what she likes to do. She uses the house in the right way for her and her family. There’s enough lawn for young children to run around but its not overwhelming in terms of the gardening. It’s the perfect balance.”

Kate’s grandfather was a draughtsperson on the Auckland Harbour Bridge. “So in my family, if you can draw, you can draw the harbour bridge. You aim high. You were encouraged to think creatively about things. My mum was a nurse but she also had a business in fashion. My dad was in computers and went back to university and studied patisserie.”

Extended family is important to both Kate and Matt; friends and family often drop by so the house had to work for different ages.

“My favourite thing is having people over for coffee and cake or having them over for a glass of wine,” says Kate. “When we were designing this house I was able to go through all my different friends and think, ‘Okay, when they come over what would we do? We’d sit in the hanging chair probably, and she’d have a gin and tonic and I’d have a whiskey.’”

More often, however, Kate will be playing with children Rose, nearly two, and Hugo, four, in the living room: “I’m big time into Lego with them. And drawing. My husband likes to cook and we like being in this space together. It’s always good to have an open space and a closed-off space. We are all keen on movie nights in the lounge and we have caramel popcorn. We all kind of tend to hang out together but there is space to go off and do your own thing.”

If another site pops up, says Kate, she’d never say never. And despite loving city life, perhaps one day she’ll design a rural getaway. For the moment, though, she says it’s hard to imagine living anywhere else.

“Once you’ve architecturally designed your own house it would be difficult to go back. It’s the perfect space and it’s definitely designed for us.”

THIS PAGE The dining area and kitchen in Kate and Matt Rogan’s Grey Lynn, Auckland home; variations of the blue, green and pink colours continue through the house; the Cirque pendants from Cult were designed by Clara von Zwiegbergk for Louis Poulsen – she also designed the Kaleido trays on the table, this time for HAY; the table and chairs are from Citta. OPPOSITE Architect Kate Rogan outside her home, designed with business partner Eva Nash – it’s named Blackbird, due to both its elevation and the black Colorsteel exterior; the house is future-proofed with wiring for potential electric cars but Kate reckons Auckland will be without cars one day so she is coming up with other plans for the parking pad.

THIS PAGE The lounge at the front of the house where the family enjoys movie nights; the Flos IC pendants are from ECC; the print is from a monastery in Greece; Kate convinced her well-travelled mother to bring her a reindeer hide from Helsinki so her mother folded it into her suitcase; the vintage magazine rack and umbrella stand are by Kartell and the Velvet Tiger cushions are by House of Hackney. OPPOSITE Kate with Rose and Hugo in the sunny living area; the sideboard was found on Trade Me; the artwork on the left is a framed poster, ticket and fragment of Morrissey’s shirt from a concert of his that Matt attended; on the right is a Thorsten Van Elten Pigeon lamp bought in London.

THESE PAGES (from left) The artwork just seen on the left is by Gavin Hurley from Melanie Roger Gallery; black is repeated through the house, such as the steel handrail; the variegated slats on the stairwell add movement and let light through. The family bathroom has plenty of storage including the Vitra Toolbox from Citta on the wall and shelving tucked out of sight behind the plant; the tiles are from Tile Space. In Hugo’s room, the Palm Springs wallpaper is from Milton & King; the duvet cover is from Citta, the Caravaggio wall light is from Cult and the hedgehog lamp came from Nature Baby. Rose also has Milton & King wallpaper; cushions on the bed bought from Icon include Christian Lacroix, Designers Guild and House of Hackney; on the wall are sketches by artist Misery – Kate came across her selling pages out of her notebook in a K’ Rd cafe one day.

THESE PAGES (from left) The master bedroom with a duvet, chair and mirror from Citta; the towels and throw are by Missoni; sculptures in the bathroom are from Good Form; reflected in the mirror is a vintage Pierre Cardin lamp just like one Kate had as a child. Matt’s collection of Star Wars figurines features in the study; Kate and Eva gave a lot of thought to the display, using adjustable string shelving: “I’ve had other clients before who have different collections of things – tin toys and old games. A lot of the time it plays on the nostalgia. People are so close to it, and often they can be shy about it. It’s their house – go with it,” says Kate. In the garden is Palissade dining furniture by HAY from Cult; the hanging chair is from Ico Traders and at the back are butterfly chairs that once belonged to Kate’s grandmother: “Mum made a new set of covers,” she says. Eva Nash and Kate Rogan started their architecture practice eight years ago.