Gerard features in designer show home
When Auckland architectural design firm SK Design want to inspire future homeowner clients, they won’t even need to leave their office.
Their brand new business premises in the North Shore suburb of Orewa also doubles as a four-bedroom show home of their own design, and features a Gerard pressed steel roof.
Materials were carefully chosen with New Zealand conditions in mind, and in particular Auckland’s mix of summer sun and humidity, and year round rain and moisture.
In this case, the textured Gerard Corona roof blends with a mix of both brick and timber cladding to form a classic, durable exterior that compliments the latest in interior design.
Ideal for Auckland’s elements
With professional experience that includes designing homes for a national group, business owner Sara Walker knows how building materials perform in Kiwi conditions.
For her own project, she demanded Gerard’s pressed steel system:
“Being an architectural designer, I have experience specifying a range of roof materials and solutions, but pressed steel tile stood out for what we need. Our intense New Zealand UV and weight ruled out concrete. Asphalt was considered, but it’s too tight when installed, and in my opinion this negatively impacts ventilation. We were also concerned about the noise of long run.”
Similar factors also influenced the cladding:
“Because this one’s for us to work in long term, we wanted nice features and quality throughout. But it also had to be low maintenance and be a classic look. In my opinion, brick is a great choice in New Zealand conditions. I also like the look of weatherboard, but for this I didn’t want the long-term maintenance associated with it.”
Gerard the trusted brand in pressed steel roofing
Sara turned to Gerard as a brand she’d had success with in the past: “I’ve used a lot of Gerard over the years and it’s proven. I have a great relationship with (Gerard sales representative) Eric, he communicates really well and provides a quality service. I’ve already told him about another home we have coming up.”
Designer touches throughout
Despite years of experience in both one and two-storey projects, Sara and team decided on a single-level show home, with the build completed by YC Homes.
With four bedrooms and three bathrooms in a 260m2 floor plan, you might expect things to feel compact on the inside, yet it’s far from the case. Thoroughfares and living spaces are generous, open and well lit, with the function and flow you’d expect in a home designed by professionals. The sleek, modern interior is dominated by light and dark greys, natural wood tones and black, also contrasted by tasteful splashes of orange which provide an added edginess and personality. A polished concrete floor throughout the home is a feature in itself, the bathrooms are on trend, and a deluxe kitchen boasts the latest appliances and tapware as well as a breakfast bar and walk-in pantry.
New show home reflects commercial success
Sara stepped out on her own four years ago to form SK Design, and has grown the business almost entirely on reputation:
“We’ve worked from home since 2014. In that time our business has grown – two became four – so we needed a change of premises. We take pride in being a small design business and don’t try to compete on size. We’re getting new customers by word of mouth and have lots of repeat business, so we have the luxury of not having to advertise.”
She’s extremely happy with how things have worked out: “I was actively looking when the developer approached me about this site. We liked it for office space and so we decided to do the show home here. My own home is also in Orewa, so it’s perfect!”