TIMELESS CLASSIC - Radius Building

ABODE MAGAZINE – Featured Article, September/October 2022

Words: Kathy Catton Photography: Andrew O’Sullivan

https://www.abodemagazine.co.nz/home/2022/8/31/timeless-classic

This home of beauty and grandeur stands proud and tall, thanks to the work of Radius Building and Boyd Chamberlain Architecture.

Architectural styles have evolved for centuries to accommodate changes in lifestyle, fashion, and the environment. A home that can hold its style for several decades has, for some, a certain appeal over the fads of modern design, which may date with the passing of the years. From the classic villa with its bay windows and front veranda to the more abstract, contemporary forms, we can see examples of all styles of homes in and around Ōtautahi.

This home in Prebbleton is one such example of a timeless classic. Set on 5,000 square metres, the land alone has an expansiveness to it, so the style and grandeur of this residence is the perfect abode for such a site. Homeowners Martin and Michelle were originally looking to alter their existing home in Rolleston, but soon realised that no matter what was thrown at it, the renovation and expansion option was not going to meet the family’s needs for the future.

“Sometimes you find the conceptual design process a useful tool to aid with defining the true future needs,” says Boyd Chamberlain, who was initially commissioned by Martin and Michelle to evaluate their existing dwelling. When Boyd received the call from Martin and Michelle a few months later to say they had purchased land in Prebbleton, the opportunity presented itself to revisit the brief, and this time, to start from scratch.

Architectural two storey large luxury home kitchen area and breakfast nook Prebbleton

With two fast-growing teenagers, the couple was looking for a home with more space and an ability to entertain family and friends for many years to come. Their brief was detailed yet straightforward all the same: four bedrooms, an open plan kitchen leading to dining and living areas with connection to the outdoors.

“It was also important for us to have two separate living spaces,” says Michelle. “One to entertain our noisy teenage boys and one that we now call the whiskey room – a place where we can retreat. We don’t drink whiskey, but it has that traditional feel to the space that we love.”

Boyd and the homeowners explored the options of single storey and two storeys and settled on an elegant, sophisticated, two-storey design that embodies all the family’s needs and wants for their home.

'Richard, Garry the foreman, and all the team were brilliant from start to finish.'

- Michelle

“We prefer the more traditional design rather than the modern interpretations,” says Martin. “And Boyd was able to visualise our dream home very easily.”

Although the home is bigger than the couple intended, they were instantly delighted with Boyd’s interpretations and concept drawings.

Early in the design process, Boyd recommended and encouraged Martin and Michelle to adopt some energy-efficient methods and materials for construction. These included an insulated slab and foundation edge, larger wall stud framing than the standard requirement and higher levels of insulation in all the walls, ceiling and roof cavities.

“This has made for an incredibly warm, energy-efficient home,” says Boyd. “It also fits with our values and ideologies as an architectural design company.”

Being a family home, low maintenance and durability were also big considerations when deciding on the materials of the build. “Aesthetically, the use of a wider cedar weatherboard profile and facing was used to maintain proportion and scale with the overall height of the build,” says Boyd. “And the simple lines this created gave the building an overall more sophisticated look for the scale of the building.”

Boyd prides himself on the extremely high-quality architectural documentation that he produces for every build he designs. This then serves the builder and homeowner well, so that everyone can smoothly and efficiently construct their dream home.

The team at Radius Building has been crafting homes since 2006, and company director and project manager Richard Fantham has worked together with Boyd on several previous projects. It was Boyd who recommended Richard to Martin and Michelle, as their builder.

Architectural two storey large luxury home cedar weatherboard cladding sto wall and feature window Prebbleton

On initial meeting with Richard from Radius, the homeowners knew straight away that he would be the man for the job. “Richard, Garry the foreman, and all the team were brilliant from start to finish,” says Michelle, highlighting that even despite a COVID lockdown, Richard was working through pricing and liaising with them to move the project forwards.

“There was a great deal of uncertainty at the start of this build, given the timing with the pandemic,” says Richard. “We didn’t know what was happening with the economy or the building industry, and I knew this wasn’t going to be a standard house build.”

But despite this uncertainty, Richard provided a steady head and clear thinking.

'We wish we'd had Richard involved in the process sooner. He provided some great ideas and adaptations, which were important to us, given the financial expense of building a home of this scale.'

- Martin

“Richard also pre-empted any challenges before they arose,” says Michelle. “And we never got any surprises, as we had already discussed the details long before doing anything.”

This collaboration and teamwork shines through between all parties involved in this build, and as a result, the build process was smooth and relatively stress-free. Any fine-tuning of the small details on site is always very client-specific. “Garry was my ‘go-to’ man,” says Michelle. “If we did need to make a decision quickly, I would ask Garry and rely on his expertise.”

There are so many beautiful aspects of this home. A favourite for Michelle is the breakfast nook in the kitchen, which provides her and the whole family a sunny sanctuary for having breakfast, away from the centre of the home. “I also love the stairs,” she says, highlighting the quality, detail and care that has gone into designing and building them.

From a building perspective, there are numerous favourites worth highlighting. Richard loves the cedar weatherboards, oiled dark. “I have a love of all things carpentry,” says Richard. Indeed, the timber adds a timelessness to this home, but it’s one of many great works of craftsmanship. “There are so many great things to see in this home: the detailing in the ceilings, the Stoporen panels finished with Stoveneer Wood Plaster finish, the feature window, the balcony…,” says Richard. “It’s a magnificent home. Boyd really nailed it!”

Richard’s passion for building really shines through, and his joy of working with clients like Martin and Michelle is a testament to his strong relationship building and his genuine desire to build a home that his clients love. He ensures that when you build with Radius, communication and construction-excellence come as standard practice, and not an extra.

“We partner with some of Christchurch’s leading architects and designers, and we only use trusted tradespeople to ensure perfection every time. We work to the highest possible standards, and we build with pride and integrity,” says Richard.

It is clear that Richard and the Radius team craft every home with an exceptional eye for detail and build to the impeccably high standards they are known for.

The result is a home that fits perfectly for this family. The interiors also serve to tell the story of this family. Having worked with Katy Husband from Feather and Oak Interiors on multiple projects, Richard wanted to assist Martin and Michelle further by introducing them to Katy. He knew they would be a good fit.

With quirky wallpapers in each of the three bathrooms, there’s a sense that this family likes to have some fun.

“It’s one of my favourite parts of the home,” says Martin. “From dancing elephants to peacocks and fish, it’s styling that has really enhanced our home.”

No stranger to making homes beautiful, Katy Husband from Feather and Oak Interiors took on the brief of creating a bespoke interior for this home. Beauty and function go hand in hand with the interiors in this home, and Katy has done an amazing job at capturing the spirit of this family while reflecting their own taste and style.

“I really appreciated Katy’s input,” says Michelle. “In fact, we probably could have got her involved sooner.” At 540 square metres, there was a lot of home to furnish. “Katy helped with all the tricky decisions and provided solutions when there were challenges with the curtain installation methods and the bedroom layout.”

The Feather and Oak Interiors team relishes creating personal interior spaces and has extensive experience and knowledge in design principles and the way to apply those to create a space that is welcoming, lived in and loved.

This bespoke family home for Martin and Michelle is a true work of art – both inside and out. It’s a collaborative effort that will be the setting for many memories to come.

https://www.abodemagazine.co.nz/home/2022/8/31/timeless-classic