Creating the relaxing bach feeling at Flaxmill Bay Hideaway

In Flaxmill Bay, nestled amongst three hectares of lush gardens and trees lies a cosy cottage that on first glance appears to be the quintessential bach. Except it isn’t - this bright and breezy three-bedroom home is one of 15 private baches called Flaxmill Bay Hideaway, in Cooks Beach in the Coromandel Peninsula. Formerly a collection of cabins in a campground, Nick Gill from Cove Construction worked with owner Lyn to transform the unique accommodation. Lyn used rich Resene colours to recreate the bach feeling.

“It was important that the house sat quietly in its setting, hence the use of Resene Bokara Grey for the board and batten exterior,” says Lyn. Warmed with yellow and red tones, Resene Bokara Grey provides a charcoal base colour for the exterior which contrasts well with the green garden hues and helps the home blend into the hillside behind.

Continuing the holiday feeling, Lynn has used Cape Cod chairs painted in Resene Pohutukawa, perfect for the home’s beachside setting. “They provide a pop of colour on the extensive deck and contrast nicely against the exterior dark grey wall,” says Lyn.

Inside the home, it’s a completely different story to the exterior’s moody colours. The light bright interiors maximise space and create a calming feeling ideal for holiday relaxing.  “It’s like a Tardis,” explains Lyn. “The home feels much larger than 90m2 on the inside.” This feeling of openness is due to Lyn’s clever choice of Resene Tapa throughout the open plan living spaces and bedrooms. She paired the neutral palette with white leather lounge suite and white bedroom furniture to brighten the room. The ceilings are painted in Resene Alabaster giving the room height and spacious feeling. 

Lyn created a distressed headboard for the master bedroom using mix of Resene Bokara Grey and Resene White. This created a connection between the lower half of the master bedroom and the white ceiling in Resene Alabaster, with the warm Resene Tapa walls in between.  “My favourite room is the master bedroom,” says Lyn, who enjoys the feeling of lying in bed and looking out the sliding doors at the beautiful gardens. “I find the restful colours of the walls complement and enhance the garden view.” 

Flaxmill Bay Hideaway is a busy holiday spot during the summer months and is then available after Easter for non-for-profit organisations at a reduced rate for eight months. “It gives non-for-profits a chance to hold seminars, team meetings or give staff an opportunity to have some time out,” says Lyn. “We believe that helping to prevent burnout in those helping others is worthwhile work.”

Lyn worked on the upgrading the site for several years and one challenge she faced during the decorating process was trying to keep the décor of the houses similar and on trend. She used paint as a way to make the interiors and exteriors of the accommodation feel coherent. “Building the houses over several years meant that lounge suite, duvet cover and curtain trends did not remain constant, but Resene paint colours always stay relevant.”

What she and Cove Construction created was worth the wait and guests can now enjoy their own peaceful haven that seems worlds away. The designs picked up a gold award in the Registered Master Builders House of the Year award and was also a regional category winner. Despite the accolades, Lyn says it’s the little things that make the difference.

“Of course, sitting in a bright Resene Pohutukawa chair on the deck with a glass of wine is pretty good too.”

Images by Bill Hedges   

www.flaxmillbay.co.nz


Part of the Flaxmill Bay Hideaway, the three-bedroom home blends into the landscape with its exterior painted in Resene Bokara Grey.


The retro Cape Cod chairs give the house a beachy feel and add a pop of colour in Resene Pohutukawa.  They stand out against the Resene Bokara Grey exterior and trims in Resene Alabaster.


Owner Lyn says the interior walls painted in Resene Tapa give the home a Tardis-like quality, making it seem more spacious on the inside. The walls are complemented by the ceiling in Resene Alabaster.  


The furniture in the open plan living spaces co-ordinates with the Resene Tapa walls and Resene Alabaster ceiling. The interior colours accentuate the view of the lush landscaped garden.  

A creative headboard in the master bedroom uses Resene Bokara Grey and Resene White to create a connection to the home’s exterior. The bedroom uses Resene Tapa for its warm, neutral tone and the ceiling is painted in Resene Alabaster.


The master bedroom is Lyn’s favourite room of the house and she loves the relaxing tones of the Resene Tapa walls and Resene Alabaster ceiling.


The double bedroom has more extensive views of the stunning gardens, accentuated by the interior walls in Resene Tapa and ceiling in Resene Alabaster. A challenge Lyn faced was keeping the décor relevant over a long renovation period of several years. She said Resene paint provided a timeless look that was constantly on trend.


The twin bedroom’s walls were also painted in Resene Tapa with a Resene Alabaster ceiling. This lightens the small space and makes the room feel bigger. 

Published: 08 Apr 2021

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