SHOP THEIR STYLE

Vintage treasures mix with modern pieces and pops of pattern for an interior that’s packed with personality

1 THE DESIGN

As intrepid DIYers with plenty of renovations under their belt, Ilona and Mark Weekley wanted to start with a blank slate that wasn’t constrained by existing structures when they built their Dunedin home. So, with the help of Architype architect Tim Ross and by using Axon Panel by James Hardie, they constructed a 235sqm two-storey home with four bedrooms and floor-to-ceiling windows on the steep site. One of the highlights is the “expansive sea views of the rugged Otago coastline from St Clair to Sandfly Bay, along with the city and the harbour,” says Ilona. “We also wanted a warm, healthy home for our family that was energy efficient and had a low carbon footprint.”

2 THE MATERIALS

The family wanted a home that would blend into its surroundings, be low maintenance and give them a sleek, modern aesthetic, which is why they opted to use Axon Panel by James Hardie, painted in Resene Double Foundry. As the vertical

Axon Panel is engineered to stand up to the harsh conditions of the house’s coastal environment, they were the obvious choice.

“The house is so easy to live in. In winter we don’t worry about the house being cold when we get home from work or about the heating bills.” ILONA WEEKLEY

THE INTERIOR

The intention was to not detract from the incredible views. As such, the Weekleys used both light and dark paint, with coffee bamboo flooring and panels for the doors and window ledges to add warmth. The rooms were finished with splashes of colour to enhance the views.

THE OUTDOORS

With three areas to choose from, the family get to enjoy outdoor living year-round, despite Dunedin’s notoriously fickle weather. The outdoor fire and seating area is positioned at the front of the house – the sunniest spot. There’s also a downstairs courtyard, which is a sheltered area under the cantilevered part of the house that’s ideal for rainy days. But the 40sqm balcony with glass balustrade is the crowning glory and an extension of the open plan interior living space. “It’s the perfect place to sit with a coffee or a wine, watch the magnificent sunrises and sunsets, listen to the waves crashing or relax in the summer sun,” says Ilona.

HONESTY BOX

What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way? Building is stressful as things don’t always go according to plan. Being organised and having clear contingency plans for things you will or won’t compromise on makes life so much easier.

What are a couple of tips you’d give to anyone planning to build? Plan. The more prepared you are the easier the process. Break everything down and itemise it. Get as many quotes and costs as you can early on in the process. Also, select product options as early as possible and ask yourself what you would want if budget allows and what you would be happy with if it doesn’t. We did this for everything and it really helped keep the budget on track. It also meant we got some of our ‘ideal’ items on sale through the build so we had to compromise less.

What’s the one thing you’d change about your home if you could? Nothing.

BUDGET

What was the total cost of the build? $766,000.

How did you keep track of costs during the build? Excel spreadsheets. I tracked estimates and quotes against actuals.

How did your budget forecast compare to your actual spend? Prior to concept we were looking at a build cost of $650,000 (plus 20 percent contingency). We engaged a quantity surveyor to price up the plans and costs were estimated at $840,000 (plus 20 percent contingency). With us doing the work we were able to do that, and by shopping around for the best deals/options we came in within our initial contingency budget.

CONTACTS

Architype architype.co.nz

Carpet Court Dunedin carpetcourt.nz

CHP Ltd (garage door) chp.net.nz

Gabion 1 gabion1.co.nz

James Hardie jameshardie.co.nz

Kitchen Studio Dunedin kitchenstudio.co.nz

Mitre 10 Mega Dunedin mitre10.co.nz

Oakleys Plumbing oakleysplumbing.co.nz

PDL pdl.co.nz

Plantation Bamboo plantationbamboo.co.nz

Pro Power Electrical propower.nz

Resene resene.co.nz

Simon Knott Tiler, 021 0641551

Tile Depot tiledepot.co.nz

WD Homes wdhomes.co.nz

12 8 11 13 1 Blue hydrangea square cushion, $59.90, from Wallace Cotton. 2 Palm candlesticks in brass, $160 (small), from Annabelle’s. 3 Floral pendant, $342.70, from David Trubridge. 4 Point floor lamp, $790, from Citta. 5 Madison armchair in leaf, $1095, from Stacks. 6 Teak bench, $189 (small), from Father Rabbit. 7 Vintage Indian pot, $1800, from Annabelle’s. 8 Black & white striped cushion, $189, from The Foxes Den. 9 Resene Half Delta paint, $4.90 (testpot), from ColorShops. 10 Resene Quarter Tuna paint, $4.90 (testpot), from ColorShops. 11 Igloo bar stool in transparent, $439, from Cintesi. 12 KitchenAid artisan stand mixer in pistachio, $979, from Harvey Norman. 13 Cigna olive cushion, $168, from Bianca Lorenne.

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MEET & GREET Ilona (hairdresser) and Mark Weekley (plumber), Tristan (student) and Shea Juilland-Vickers (student).

TAKE IT OUTDOORS Perched on a hill overlooking St Clair beach in Dunedin, the extreme conditions are easily tolerated by the Axon Panel exterior of this home, while looking effortlessly modern.