This sleek black and white dwelling from Golden Homes holds the promise of a dream lifestyle for first-time buyers, where style, quality and space combine for easy, modern living.

WORDS Shelley Sweeney PHOTOGRAPHY Charlie Rose Jackson

INTERIOR Stunning architectural features like these screens are included in this home design.

It’s a bold new home that stands proud in an area affectionately known as “Rolly” by the locals. Rolleston is one of the fastest growing towns in New Zealand and easily within commuting distance to Christchurch. Golden Homes has become an integral part of building this ever-growing community that draws so many people for its connection to the land, with mountains close by for hiking, biking, fishing and skiing. To have nature on the doorstep as well as a buzzing town gives locals the best of both worlds.

As you step into this gorgeous home, you are immediately struck by the sense of space and height in the entry and your eye is drawn up to the stunning skylight above. The designer wallpaper in the entry follows through into the study nook with built-in desk. It’s well-appointed and discreetly positioned along the inside wall of the main living space. A walk through the generous open plan areas reveals a stylish fitted bench seat, perfectly placed to work with any dining table, easily equipped to accommodate large dinner parties. The kitchen is also set up to impress with a Tristone Bench top.

First-time buyers often expect to get a standard off-the-shelf home for their budget with no design features. But this design team are dedicated to giving first timers an individual home to be proud of with luxurious architectural elements like LED lighting throughout and this beautiful cathedral ceiling in the living room. The light and airy space creates an inviting and relaxing environment. The room has been cleverly divided into two distinct lounge areas by the striking wooden slats which give the benefit of two separate rooms without compromising on space. It’s ideal for family living. The smaller space works well for a children’s play room or snug. The larger section connects with the kitchen and dining area, perfect for entertaining guests. The master bedroom boasts a fitted wardrobe and has an ensuite with a beautifully tiled shower. There is a heated mirror here and in the main bathroom.

This Rolleston show home has had a lot of attention since it was built earlier this year. It was completed shortly after the end of lockdown, when first-time buyers were ready to get into the housing market, thanks to low mortgage rates and HomeStart grants. A HomeStart grant makes homes like this a realistic dream for first-time buyers and with all of the design features on offer, it’s an exciting proposition.

When this team says all-inclusive, they mean just that. The things included don’t just stop outside the front door. Everything photographed here is included from the boundary fence, internal fence with gate, driveway, patio, stepping-stone feature – even the clothesline and letterbox are included. The only thing you can see in this contemporary home that isn’t included is the furniture.

The driveway gives instant curb appeal, finished in Ōtautahi exposed aggregate by Groundwork, a team of driveway specialists. The team work on all aspects of concrete and asphalt for residential and commercial projects with the promise of low-maintenance durability. Charcoal-coloured concrete was used on the feature stepping stones and also provided the non-slip easy-care patio, paths, and asphalt vehicle crossing.

Getting the best results for first-time buyers on a tight budget is all in a day’s work for TBIR Landscaping. Their brief to create an enjoyable and relaxing outdoor living space was fulfilled thanks to their skills and experience of producing maximum ‘wow’ on a minimal budget. Adhering to the low-maintenance modern style of the home and bringing in established local suppliers contributed to a stunning array of plants that will mature over time and lawn that’s ready to go.

When it came to flooring and tiles, Nextdore were keen to impress first-time buyers with the fantastic array of options within budget. Featured in the dining, kitchen, pantry and bathroom of the home is a hard-wearing vinyl plank flooring. The kitchen and pantry splashbacks have been given a sophisticated texture with Mosaico Mosa-River Acero tiles. With visually stimulating kitchen tile options, easy-care flooring in varied textures and colours, it makes first-time homebuyers aware that low-budget products can be high quality.

INTERIOR Cathedral ceilings feature in two elegant light-filled living spaces.

This sleek home gives a great first impression with black and white brickwork from Midland Brick NZ. White Glaze and Metallic Black clay bricks from the Eurobrick range create a contrast that glistens and shimmers in the sun. This show home demonstrates that clay brick homes can be creative, stylish and modern. These bricks are a sustainable cladding choice and come in a vast colour range and variety of textures. You can completely change the look of your home by using more than one brick colour or changing the laying pattern to create a contemporary look.

Trends Kitchens gave the kitchen, office nook, window seat and partition wall a refined look, in keeping with the crisp style of the home. Bestwood Melamine, in both Arctic White and Charred Oak, complement the TriStone 100 per cent acrylic solid surface benchtop in Milk Grotto. The built-in pantry is shelved with Laminex Touch Laminate in Warm White. The office nook and window seat feature the same Bestwood products to create a seamless style and the oak wall partitions were given a dark stain for added appeal. The electrical products in the home were all locally sourced by electricians Wilpower Electrical. With many years of experience working with steel frame homes, the team knows what works best. They covered all of the electrical requirements, from the builders’ temporary power supply to the electrical design through to the completion, including the heating and alarm system.

BEDROOM The selection of feature wallpapers on offer helps buyers add individual flair to their first home.

The interior walls were finished in Resene Spacecote Low Sheen, tinted to Resene Double Alabaster. This product brings enamel-style toughness to the walls, giving a low-sheen finish without sacrificing durability. An easy to clean, non-yellowing surface allows for beautiful walls. All timber joinery was painted with Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel, tinted to Resene Double Alabaster. This enamel is the result of long, careful, intensive research. This breakthrough product may be used in all those areas traditionally reserved for solvent-borne enamels. Both the above products are a part of the Environmental Choice approved paints.

Dean McGuigan, Director of Golden Homes Canterbury, encourages you to come along for a casual chat and see what’s possible. There are a lot of individual design options for first-time buyers. It’s incredible but true that the timeline from an initial consultation to the completed build is a mere eight to nine months and all of the costs are confirmed upfront for complete peace of mind.