New Zealand Home of The Year

last year

last modified: last year

The other day , I started a thread about a $12.25 million dollar house ( and land , to be fair ) that , IMO , is old , below average , but in a pretty good spot -- I wouldn't even call it prime real estate . I realise prices are a result of supply and demand , with maybe some marketing -- some real estate agents may almost create a fake market to bid prices up ?

Anyway , today I have just seen the Master Builders House Of The Year winner ( well , I've seen it online -- it is in Christchurch , which is 1000kms and a quick swim across Cook Strait to get to haha ) . It's price is shown as above $4million .

I know which I prefer .

The entry is quite nice , but doesn't look anything special .

Even the driveway in and the ( presumably ) street view doesn't give away much .

This is the pool -- the house is obviously that building out to the right . I don't know whether I'd have a roof over my pool , but you can start to see this is a bit special .

Quite nice . Considering it's 'just the pool' .

That looks to be the boundary wall , and pool wall . A slightly higher standard than most . . . . . .

Oh , theres a changing room !

So this the standard of the changing room . Who wants to see the house ?

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macyjean

last year

Thanks for sharing Pottsy. I like parts of it, though nothing I love. I think I like the ceiling but maybe not with that room? I like the idea though, of making ceilings more decorative.

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Comments (35)

Julie Herbert
last year
Wow!
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User
Original Author
last year
It has 3 lounges , a media room and a bar . This is one of the lounges . I quite like the ceiling .

Actually , the rest isn't bad either .
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your house looks like an 80's home with a sunken lounge. I live in an 80's single level house like yours and love the spacious feeling, do you have raked ceilings? If it was me I would make small changes so suggest the following, 1) If the eave is deep enough I would push your sons bedroom wall out this would give him a good sized bedroom with access to the next bedroom and bathroom for his "PAD" 2) There is a flow problem with the house with accessing the bedrooms as you have to step down into and back up from the family/rumpus/living at two points. Keeping the "fireplace" insitu I would take part of the internal bedroom to allow for a passage across from the entrance to the bedroom wing. the reduced bedroom would make a great study or guest room. you can keep both step down points or close off the wall from the fireplace to the master bedroom 3) another problem with the house is internal access to the alfresco, at the moment it would only be via the family/rumpus or master bedroom, I suggest that the alfresco decking be split level to allow for large sliding doors coming off the new open plan kitchen. The door into the existing kitchen be kept but remove the laundry which will allow for a bigger dining table. 4) The laundry could be moved into the planned office/guest.pool room which would be perfect if there was access down the L/H side of the house for hubbie coming home and needing a cleanup which would be done in the same space, which could also be his man cave!! 5) The granny flat needs to be sorted by a local designer to get the best possible result, I have heard that a studio is more readily approved over a granny flat (siriuskey)
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Julie Herbert
last year
Another Wow! From me .
User thanked Julie Herbert
User
Original Author
last year
You aint seen 1/4 of it !

Another lounge ( with a plainer roof though ) --
Julie Herbert
last year
Crikey! Can I say Wow! Again… pretty stunning.
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User
Original Author
last year
There are more lounge pictures , plus the bar and gym and media room and kitchen and bedrooms haha , but to give you maybe an idea of the thought that has gone into this place , these are the stairs --

It looks a bit like whoever laid the carpet didn't get it quite lined up , until you realise . . . . .

. . . . they are floating , and they are marble . . . . . . .
Julie Herbert
last year
Absolutely stunning, stairs are fabulous, that feature light is fabulous… no other word except fabulous. Attention to detail.. another Wow!
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macyjean
last year
I love the balustrade but I hate the stairs. Stairs should not be visually confusing.
User thanked macyjean
User
Original Author
last year
I almost always look at things differently haha , and while I don't know if I'd have those stairs ( I like wood ) , what I do like is the 'trickery' . It is marble , which is different . Big blocks of marble . The stairs are floating , but you don't initially realise , so it is technically challenging . And the balustrade ties in well with the marble , its the perfect shade of brass/gold alloy , and presumably also satisfies the Health and Safety boffins .

LikemJulie says , the details are there , and some are that subtle you hardly notice them .

Lets go back to the start , and I must confess I almost tricked you all into believing it was just a pleasant new build . The entrance is nice .

It leads visitors , and the eyes , to the double golden timber doors . But look closer . . . . . .

Worked it out yet ? Those doors are actually bespoke , hand formed and hand hammered from brass and gold mix alloy sheets !

Talk about attention to the details eh Julie !
macyjean
last year
Floating wooden stairs, that's what I'd choose.

I appreciate trickery, just depends where.

I wondered about the doors, though it's hard to tell from a photo whether it's an unusual paint finish or some other material entirely. I was also wondering about the coppery goldy tv walls in the living rooms.

I've long admired doors from this company. They do some amazing things.

https://www.axolotl.com.au/doors

I see they are on this website.

https://www.houzz.com.au/pro/axolotlgroup/axolotl
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User
Original Author
last year
Those Axoloti doors are stunning !

Heres some bathroom pictures !
Julie Herbert
last year
I am in love with those doors.. just no other word except fabulous. The bathrooms are outstanding, beautifully thought out and again attention to detail is stunning, certainly a magnificent home , from the monument you see it’s street presence you know it’s going to be fabulous.
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macyjean
last year
I'm not a fan of above counter basins but I love those in the first two photos, and the tapware. Lovely cabinetry in both too.
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Kate
last year
The sinks are certainly worth featuring but the green glass shower and toilet doors look a bit public cubicle to me
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Original Author
last year
Heres some more bathroom pics to add some context --

A casual lounge . . . . .

A bit of Alfresco dining . . . . . .
Julie Herbert
last year
Absolutely stunning, bathrooms are fabulous, lounge is just beautiful, and the outdoor living with those pivot doors… wow! It certainly is worthy of its title. Love everything about it ❤️
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macyjean
last year
That's how to do a freestanding bath.

I love the casual lounge but I can't see any greenery outside the window, it needs some greenery.

I agree about the pivot doors, beautiful.
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Original Author
last year
It is a new build , you can see the gardens are just getting going -- in fact , you can see the joins in the instant turf . . . . . . . .

Theres some visible out the kitchen window . . . . . . . . . . .

Anyone want to see the rest of the kitchen ?
Julie Herbert
last year
Oh! Pottsy from what I can see of that kitchen.. it’s going to be breathtaking.
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Original Author
last year

It's pleasant enough . . . . . . .
Julie Herbert
last year
Lol.. yes breathtakingly beautiful. The attention to detail in every element is stunning.
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macyjean
last year
I love that first view of the house and I can only imagine it getting better as that tree grows up. I love the eaves

Lovely kitchen. I love the cabinet fronts but I prefer smooth in the kitchen for boring practical reasons.
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kbodman14
last year
The price would be well above $4m, maybe that would be the structural cost. The fit-out is at least 1 M, all the marble, bespoke cabinetry, brass fittings etc. The bathroom looks $100k mark. Then the furniture, landscaping including the pool another a big number for that. And the land, architect fees etc. Well north, I would say multiples. Pleased I don’t have to clean it, but then if I could afford that house I could employ a gaggle of cleaners, gardeners and Pottsy as the pool boy. Even if he had to swim across the Strait.
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Original Author
last year
Now , being a guy , this has to be my absolute favourite part of the house -- another room with a design on the ceiling ! . . . . . .

Yes , its the bar . But no just a bar . One wall is mirrored , one wall is glass . . . . . . .

Yes , the next room has the pool table , and also some 'designer' white neons -- they line up with each of the 10 cars that are on display !

And I don't think Julie will be able to find too much wrong with the attention to detail , even here .

Truly intoxicating haha . . . . . . .
Kay Bodman
last year
I know some great WA reds and other wines for that bar - great saloon feel
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Julie Herbert
last year
Wow, love the mesh detail.. another incredible space.. this is definitely every man’s dream eh! Pottsy
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Norma Kawak
last year
Although I agree this house is quite stunning, the look reminds me of a hotel. I realise I’m more comfy in something a little more homely.
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HU-734280401
last year
Wow! So many extraordinary features and all tastefully executed A joy for the senses
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gazzab
last year
Here is a video of the place:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/latest/129821308/4-millionplus-master-builders-canterbury-supreme-house-of-the-year-has-six-of-everything
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dreamer
last year
Our daughter has recently returned home, Perth Western Australia, from spending 16 months in New Zealand on a working holiday. She was based in Queenstown and was paying $200 a week for a room in a shared house. I showed her this post and she said this house was just down the road from her shared house. OMG the views......but the price!!
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Julie Herbert
last year
Wow! I agree the views, but oh! Boy the price , need a lottery ticket ❤️
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Julie Herbert
last year
A Toorak ‘ghost mansion’ was sold for $80 million and a $150 million renovation is planned. The owner is a 27 yr old crypto casino co-founder. I think it was a Melbourne record price for a house. Unbelievable.
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dreamer
last year
Wow, that is way too much money for a home. Let’s hope the crypto currency’s don’t fall any lower.
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Original Author
last year
To be fair , that Queenstown property is 1250 sq mtrs on an 1800 sq mtr property .

Queenstown is often called one of the most attractive places in the world , it is very sought after . There are world class skiing mountains on 3 sides , that lake , and absolutely superb restaurants and other faciklities . So it is internationally sought after , especially wealthy Americans and Europeans who like skiing , lifestyle , but also being away from the Northern Hemisphere if self-preservation is important haha .

So you have an almost perfect storm -- highly sought after with only a very finite land area available . This place has one of the more spectacular sites and views too .

It seems okay .