A young family enjoys this elegant, substantial home from Gregg Architectural Builders on one of the highest residential streets in Mt Pleasant, making the most of the views and the environment.

WORDS Shelley Sweeney PHOTOGRAPHY Anthony Turnham

Growing up in the Christchurch seaside suburb of Mt Pleasant left homeowner Simon with wonderful memories of a childhood spent outdoors with the hills and the beach as his playground. Simon left the area to study but returned in his early twenties with wife Gieve.

The arrival of their two children inspired the search for a section to build a forever family home. At the top of their list of criteria for a hillside section was the ability to have a large area of flat lawn – a rare find in Mt Pleasant.

VERSATILE LIVING Hidden floor to ceiling cavity doors give the option of open plan living or privacy when required.

It’s no surprise then that Gieve and Simon found their ideal section higher on the slope, backing onto John Britten Reserve, with outstanding views to the city and mountains beyond. “We love the rural environment backing onto the Port Hills,” says Simon. “The reserve is across the road, with walking paths, tracks for mountain biking and pine trees for the kids to explore.”

The couple wanted a simple design with flexible spaces for them to grow into in the coming years. They were inspired by new homes in the area and were especially drawn to the elegant, timeless aesthetic from O’Neil Architecture. “We loved their minimalist style, with large eaves and clean lines,” says Simon.

With two young children in mind, Gieve and Simon wanted the living areas on the ground level with easy access and visibility to the lawn so they could watch the children play. It was important for the large site to be fully fenced for safety. “We wanted a great outdoor area for the kids who love playing outside, and a swimming pool sheltered from the easterly, with views of the Kaikoˉuras and Southern Alps,” says Simon.

The couple knew they wanted to work with Gregg Architectural Builders early on. “We spoke to previous clients of theirs, who all had great experiences working with Gregg’s and even walked through some of their homes. Craig Wilson was the project manager on the large 17-month build. “All of the boys onsite got on well with Simon,” says Craig. “He was like one of the team.” Simon adds, “We had a great rapport with Craig when we initially met. He was very genuine and interested in turning our vision into a reality,” says Simon, adding that nothing was too much trouble for the build team.

With Simon’s business based down the hill in Ferrymead, he was able to be onsite several times a week. The builders worked through all weathers, but the biggest challenge they faced was the amount of volcanic rock that had to be shifted from the site before the foundations could be laid. “We had to do a lot of excavation and breaking up rock before we could start on the home. It took ten weeks of breaking rock and foundation work, and it was three and a half months until we were standing on concrete,” says Craig.

The hard groundwork has more than paid off, though, with just the desired result. At ground level, the spacious home includes a generous kitchen and scullery. A wine cellar, living and cinema room is completed by a gym room, guest bedroom, storage space and three-car garaging.

SHELTERED FROM THE ELEMENTS The outdoor fireplace from Simply Heat is an elegant addition to the outdoor room, bringing year-round warmth.

minimalist style with large eaves and clean lines

There is flexibility to the flow of the downstairs living thanks to the glazed Eurostacker cavity doors, which open and connect to the louvred outdoor living space, turning the area into an enormous outdoor room. The cinema lounge can be a part of this area but also has a solid Eurostacker door that closes like a wall, allowing it to be a completely separate room.

Gieve and Simon wanted to make the most of the views which can be seen from every room of the house. With views out over the city from the bathrooms, “even the shower has a city view,” says Simon, “but is completely private from anyone looking in.” The upstairs houses the family bedrooms and bathrooms. The master bedroom boasts a breathtaking view and a particularly generous walk-in wardrobe.

Everyone agrees when it comes to the most outstanding feature of the home. The glass lantern-like vertical cedar fins, visible on the approach, give a warm welcome. The fin and glass structure frames the entire stairwell, creating a lantern-like glow when the lights are on at night. Craig calls this feature the piano as it resembles piano keys with 28 individual windows and cedar fins crafted by the skilled carpenters in the build team.

“It’s a stunning home,” says Craig, who marks this build as one of the highlights of his career. “My favourite rooms are the kitchen and the flexible living area that flows into the louvred outdoor space.” Craig also likes the wine cellar, a room behind the kitchen with glass doors at either end that can house up to 600 bottles of wine.

Craig says of the build, “Overall, the project was a huge success and something that Gregg Builders are proud of. It was a team effort and credit to Simon and Gieve for being super organised and making no rushed decisions.”

FLEXBILITY FROM ABOVE The Louvretec Opening Roof opens the home up to the outdoors, creating more space to relax, entertain or just take in the moment.

Gieve and Simon love their new home and have enjoyed not having to leave the house to spend time outside. They have been making the most of their new abode that was designed to entertain, something they do often. “We love the flow of the outdoor area and entertaining space outside,” says Simon. “Since installing the pool, we invite friends up often for a swim. The cinema room and living rooms open right up into the outdoor living room where we like to entertain and cook pizzas,” says Simon.

The large flat lawn has ensured that the children spend more time outside running on the grass and enjoying their play area as Gieve and Simon look on from the kitchen or living space. Gieve has become a self-confessed ‘plant mum’, and Simon has reconnected with old school friends who have children around the same age.

The family enjoys making the most of the natural environment around them. “We feel more rural without being rural – there are sheep on the hills, cows as neighbours, and trees for the kids to explore across the road, which they call the secret forest,” says Simon.

This flexible family home on the hill has delivered in every way and is sure to suit Gieve, Simon, their two children and six chickens for a lifetime.