Blending tradition and modernity to create a multi-generational home

In the pursuit of creating a harmonious living space for two families residing under one roof, interior designers and husband and wife duo, Madushin and Tehani Amarasekera, embarked on a transformation journey that has beautifully integrated their humble 1940s state house with a contemporary extension. Drawing inspiration from the beautiful surroundings, they’ve used Resene wood stains and paint colours to create a beautiful and unique natural atmosphere within their home.

This was no ordinary project for Tehani and Madushin of Construkt Architects, as this home was to house their own two families and parents – a multi-generational home that provided a comfortable level of separation yet still encouraged regular moments of interaction between the older and younger generations to happily co-exist.

With a goal to strike the perfect balance between separation and interaction, Madushin and Tehani also aimed to preserve the character of both the old and new elements in the house. Originally a two-bedroom standalone dwelling, their house had undergone an extension in 2008, resulting in a three-bedroom configuration and a single detached garage.  

To maintain a spacious backyard for their children to grow and play, a vertical extension was chosen. This decision was a rewarding one, but not without its challenges, such as cost, seamless integration into the existing structure, and ensuring compliance with HRB (Auckland Council’s Building Height relative to boundary) regulations. Luckily, Madushin's expertise came into play as they skilfully navigated these obstacles, ensuring a cohesive design.

"Our aim was to seamlessly connect the contemporary extension with the vernacular of the original house and drawing inspiration from the local context as design drivers,” Madushin says.

The shared lobby acts as the primary entry point for both units, promoting interaction while also maintaining privacy. The heart of the main unit encompasses a dramatic double-height spine, connecting the entry, formal living, kitchen, dining, family room and vertical circulation. The vertical cedar spine wall, stained with Resene Colorwood Rock Salt, warmly welcomes visitors and extends both indoors and outdoors. The limed white of Resene Rock Salt harmonises seamlessly with the dark hues of the Resene King Tide walls and the raw Corten standing seam and steel staircase, creating a captivating ambiance within the sun-drenched atrium.

"The atrium serves as a captivating light source and the interplay of light and shadow creates ephemeral patterns throughout the day creating a harmonious, moody ambiance,” Madushin says. “The upper walls, painted in Resene Black White, reflect and diffuse light below with dynamic shadows casts as the light cuts through the suspended steel staircase.”

Resene paints played a vital role in visually connecting various spaces throughout this home. Resene Black White, a timeless soft white, acts as a neutral backdrop, while pops of complementary colours like Resene Shadowy Blue, Resene Perfume and Resene Duck Egg Blue add vibrancy and creativity. "We aimed to create a cohesive flow throughout the home, with Resene Black White acting as the unifying factor, while bursts of colour added a touch of playfulness," Tehani says.

Despite a modest budget, Madushin and Tehani achieved a robust and contemporary home through meticulous product selection, efficient building design and hard work. The transformation honours the extended family's cultural preference to live together, providing an affordable and environmentally conscious dwelling. Solar panels and energy-efficient features such as dimmable LED lighting, water restrictors and a rainwater tank for irrigation, underscoring the family’s commitment to sustainability.  

By seamlessly blending tradition and modernity, this home provides a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing space for two families to coexist harmoniously. The successful integration of the original house with the contemporary extension, combined with thoughtful colour schemes and sustainable elements, has resulted in a truly remarkable multi-generational home.

design Construkt Architects www.construkt.co.nz

images Calvin Hui and Madushin Amarasekera

Top tip: Clear finishes are often used on interior timber to protect the timber against wear and tear, make it easier to clean, as well as showing off the natural beauty and grain of the wood. Use Resene Qristal Clear polyurethane for good all-round durability on furniture, joinery and panelling in wet areas. It gives a yellow tone to timber and is best suited to timbers with a yellow, orange or red undertone – such as cedar, rimu, kauri, eucalyptus and jarrah. For lighter or whiter timbers, such as ply, use Resene Aquaclear which doesn’t have a yellow tone.

 

This fresh and inspiring space pairs natural elements with neutral shades. The left wall, stairs and steel post are painted in Resene Element, the walls near the kitchen are painted in Resene Duck Egg Blue, and surrounding walls and ceiling are in Resene Black White. Timber features are in Resene Qristal Clear Satin for a natural shine and finish, and the cedar wall is stained in Resene Colorwood Rock Salt.

The dark, earthy stone shade of Resene Element provides a striking contrast against the cedar wall stained in Resene Colorwood Rock Salt and floor in Resene Qristal Clear Satin. The ceiling is painted in Resene Black White.

The timeless neutral that sweeps through the home, Resene Black White, is used on ceilings and walls, creating a stunning contrast against the dark shade of Resene Ironsand on the kitchen nib wall and Resene Element on the steel posts. The kitchen island and timber features are coated in Resene Qristal Clear Satin, and cedar wall in Resene Colorwood Rock Salt.

The pale, soft blue of Resene Duck Egg Blue on the outside of the butler’s pantry offers a fresh touch to the kitchen. The walls in the living room and ceiling are painted in Resene Black White, with Resene Ironsand used on the kitchen nib wall. The vibrant floor and kitchen island in Resene Qristal Clear Satin is a true feature in this space, while the natural element of the cedar wall extends through the home, stained in Resene Colorwood Rock Salt.

 

In the master bedroom, Resene Black White provides a neutral backdrop to well-placed art and family photographs. This timeless white looks stunning against the cedar wall (left) stained in Resene Colorwood Rock Salt.

A splash of delightful violet in Resene Perfume was used as a painted feature wall in one of the children’s rooms. This purple shade pairs perfectly with the walls, ceiling and trims in Resene Black White.

In this stylish kid’s room, Resene Dark Knight was used on the battened feature wall and bedhead, with Resene Black White on the walls and ceiling and Resene Colorwood Rock Salt on recycled rimu balustrading.

As the sun pours through the windows in the second kitchen, it reflects off the beautiful timber in the space, finished in Resene Qristal Clear Satin. The walls and ceiling are painted in Resene Black White.

Published: 25 Jul 2023

Do you have a home full of wonderful Resene paint and colour? Send us some snaps by emailing [email protected].

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Resene Black White

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