Trends New Zealand Volume 35 No 2 | Page 60

Previous pages: Polished concrete floors run through the home. Besides toning in with the mountain environment, the dense concrete acts as a heat sink, soaking up warmth during the day and releasing it into the cooler rooms at night. Above: The master ensuite has a quiet palette and a wood vanity with double basins. Frosted glass windows ensure privacy on what is the front of the home, while a skylight adds more natural light. Facing page: Shutters under the eaves of the master bedroom – and the eaves of the living volume – bring control over the low winter sun. search | save | share at schist surround service the living areas and the courtyard, another example of the schist doubling as an interior wall – effec- tively, bringing the outside inside. As well as screening the neighbours left and right, the home’s layout serves as a buffer in other ways too. The master suite pavilion – complete with bedroom, walk-in robe and large ensuite – is fun- damentally separated from the guest pavilion by the central living pavilion. “This creates a more private retreat for the homeowners and means if parents or guests are staying they can close off the guest pavilion, which has three bedrooms, the main bathroom, a separate toilet and the laundry,” says Condon. “This design also futureproofs the home, in that if the couple do move here permanently, their children will occupy the guest wing and have a sense of separation themselves.” Contrasting the dramatic living space, there’s a snug family room that connects the master and living pavilions. This will also be useful in later years when family members want their own space.