A high-quality home that maximises views to the sea and the mountains to the south was the brief for this bold, elegant New Plymouth residence. And that’s what this 391sqm home with top-quality, low-maintenance materials, custom detailing and bespoke joinery, delivers.

When you walk through the front door, you’ll see floating oak stair treads and ply panels. Moving into the open-plan living area, you’re greeted with 180-degree views of Port Taranaki and the Sugar Loaf Islands. Given the house is in an exposed coastal zone, it required robust detailing and low-maintenance, corrosion-resistant cladding.

Higher-than-code weather detailing using three levels of protection – seals, back-flashings and tapes to a rigid air barrier – was also used. Accessibility was another important consideration as the house will also be the owners’ retirement home. Challenges on the project included extensive earthworks and piling in sandy soil. These were managed and closely monitored by a civil engineer. The result is an impeccable waterfront home.