Fowler Homes water front gold

Building a waterfront home requires robust but sympathetic materials.
The owners of this home in Mapua, west of Nelson, fulfilled the first requirement by choosing ColorSteel® roofing and cladding, and the second one by opting for the material in New Denim Blue to mirror the colour of the sea just metres away.

As well as providing a visual link with the water, the colour of the cladding and roofing also helps the home to fit in with its setting.
The New Denim Blue cladding wraps around the bedroom wings at either end of the house, with the central living spaces clad in cedar to provide contrast and break up the volume of the building.

Designed and built by Fowler Homes, the seaside dwelling won a Gold Award at the Nelson-Tasman Registered Master Builders House of the Year Awards last year.
It replaced an older house that was deemed beyond renovation and had to sit mostly within the original footprint.

Part of the design brief was to maximise the spectacular views across to Rabbit Island and to provide extensive decking so the owners could relax outdoors during different times of the day and under various weather conditions.

The central living area opens to decks on both sides. If an onshore breeze is blowing, the owners can use the sheltered deck at the rear that wraps around the swimming pool. Large glass sliders front and back provide a sightline through the house so that even while on the back deck the owners can still enjoy the water views. Glass balustrades have been used around the pool to create a sense of space and unobstructed views.

At the front of the home wide decks step down to a patio for seaside dining, with the water just metres away. Subtle landscaping with low-growing plants connects the property with the stony foreshore.

The interior has been designed with easy, relaxed living in mind. The flooring is American oak, chosen for its knots and graining as part of a laid-back, rustic look echoed by the stone-look feature wall in the living room that has a recycled beam embedded in it to provide a mantelpiece over the wood burner.

The kitchen has a spacious island that doubles as works pace and breakfast bar, and there is also a seaward-facing breakfast nook in the kitchen with views out to the water. Large picture windows in the master bedroom also frame the sea views.