Peter and Kathy’s contemporary cool bungalow

After earthquake damage left their Richmond Hill home unsafe, Christchurch couple Peter and Kathy didn’t abandon the area, choosing to build anew in Sumner. It’s here where they now live in a contemporary-cool bungalow, with crisp white Resene Alabaster laying the colour foundation.

Aaron Jones of Urban Function Architecture undertook the design and build of the bungalow, with the help of building contractor David Bailey and interior designer Wendy Campbell. The result is a casual and welcoming home, with sharp accents of colour.

While Resene Alabaster plays centre stage throughout the home, Wendy persuaded the couple to introduce a few bolder shades, pulling colour from their collected treasures, rugs and paintings.

This includes Resene Sanguine Brown, which climbs the stairwell from the entranceway, a colour picked up by the large entry door and artworks.

In the kitchen, Resene Avocado echoes the beautiful garden landscape beyond the windows, and extends to the living room walls. And in one of the bedrooms, Resene Rhino on the walls links to the grey-blue tiles of the ensuite floor.

Peter and Kathy moved from a home with rolling views on Richmond Hill, to a property with a flat, enclosed section. It was important, therefore, to have a beautiful outdoor area. With the site shape being irregular, orientation was tricky and tight – Aaron and his team worked hard to find a solution that provided the dwelling as much solar gain as possible, while maintaining outdoor privacy.

The outdoor area is one of Aaron’s favourites. “The sheltered, sunny outdoors open out from various locations in the home,” says Aaron. “You feel completely enclosed, and it has an almost rural feel within these areas.”

Beyond the aesthetics, the home has numerous eco-friendly features to keep running costs low, he says. These include super insulated walls and ceilings, solar hot water and power generation, hydronic underfloor heating, thermally broken window frames and LED lighting throughout (none of which pierce the thermal envelope, he says).

And the cedar, local stone and lightweight aerated concrete panel wall cladding system isn’t just for good looks – it ensures durability and solidarity in the post-quake environment of Canterbury.

“While the house is compact in planning, it also allows open and extended spaces for family entertainment,” says Wendy. “And it delivers a very easy lifestyle for retirement.”

Read more: Heidi and Kim's storybook apartment

Published: 18 Mar 2015

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

brown entranceway, wooden stairwell, brown painted wall, feature wall, interior

Natural light bounces around the entranceway of the Sumner home, painted in Resene Sanguine Brown and Resene Alabaster.

bookcase, bookshelf, white living room, white paint, lounge, interior

Resene Alabaster in the living room creates a crisp and clean backdrop for the couple’s mix of contemporary and vintage treasures.

dining room, wooden dining table and chairs, green feature wall, green kitchen

Where bold colour appears on the walls, inspiration was taken from furnishings that the couple already owned – from a bunch of green bowls to patterned red rugs, and other collected items. Here, the walls of the living area are painted in Resene Avocado. 

green kitchen, living area, wooden floors, green splashback, lounge, green and white paint

Another look at the kitchen and living area. The green of the hilly outlook extends onto the back wall and splashback, both painted in Resene Avocado.

bedroom, blue and white bedroom, blue paint, feature wall, interior

One bedroom features an inky Resene Rhino wall.  

bungalow, exterior, cedar cladding, stone exterior, white house, garden

The bungalow is cladded in cedar, local stone and concrete to ensure durability in the post-quake environment, with parts of the exterior finished in Resene Alabaster.

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Resene Sanguine Brown

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