In a winning partnership, Jennian Homes Canterbury collaborates with the New Zealand Olympic Committee to build a contemporary Christchurch home.

WORDS Kathy Catton PHOTOGRAPHY Mick Stephenson

The goal was clear: to build two homes simultaneously, one for the New Zealand Olympic Committee and one for Jennian Homes, to showcase some of the new and exciting ways of living within the city of Christchurch.

Jennian Homes has been a proud partner of the New Zealand Team since 2016, so it was an exciting step forward in the partnership to build a home together.

“The New Zealand Olympic Committee has committed to building four Olympic homes with Jennian Homes over the next three years, with proceeds of the future sale of these homes going to support the New Zealand Team,” explains Sharon van Gulik, Commercial Director at New Zealand Olympic Committee.

Meadowlands, Halswell was the ideal location for this venture. The fast-growing suburb has a great connection to Canterbury’s sporting legacy and Christchurch has produced many fine athletes over the years. The Collier Drive property is just a short walk from the premier sporting facilities at the Nga¯ Puna Wai High Performance Centre. “The area offers fantastic amenities and an exceptional choice of leisure activities,” says Sharon.

an appealing, modern family home

“As our official residential building partner, we worked closely with the team at Jennian to select a site that would deliver an appealing, modern family home for the local community,” says Sharon. “The Jennian team are experts in the design and build process, and we were delighted with every aspect of our build project with them.”

With the double-build, the New Zealand Olympic Committee has purchased one of the homes for hosting events and Olympic athletes, while both are being used as Jennian display homes.

Sharon explains more, saying, “We were looking for a modern, well-appointed, attractive family home that will stand the test of time. We needed a home that would enable its owners the ability to enjoy all aspects of the great lifestyle on offer in the region.”

Jennian Homes Canterbury was also keen to showcase how people can comfortably live on smaller sections, and in smaller homes, without feeling cramped.

“People visiting our show homes have been impressed with how a 160 square metre three-bedroom and a 157 square metre four-bedroom home can hold so much feeling of space,” says Cassy Appleton, Marketing Manager at Jennian Homes Canterbury.

The home is clad in Rockcote and cedar to give a low-maintenance exterior as well as sophisticated, clean lines, hence keeping with the surrounding environment of the subdivision. The cedar is lightly stained in a natural colour to keep the timber as close to natural as possible. The interiors are decorated in a cool and neutral palette, making it easy to blend with a family’s personal belongings and décor in the future.

As a celebration of their unique relationship with Jennian, Sharon and her team worked with industry experts to design interiors that feature games-themed design decals and artwork. “It was our way of celebrating and promoting the New Zealand Teams that have competed in the Olympic and Commonwealth Games,” says Sharon.

HEART OF THE HOME A balance of textured and soft materials in a warm and inviting colour palette in this kitchen, designed by Trends Kitchens, makes for a practical design and inspiring finish.

Nestled on the outskirts of the Halswell development, these homes beautifully represent the quality craftmanship that Jennian Homes has to offer its clients. “We love the feel of the open plan living and outdoor areas, which are complemented by the sunny garden,” says Sharon. “Being sports lovers, we have to make special mention of the large garage, which also serves as a home gym.”

Other highlights include the kitchen, pantry and laundry, which were custom designed and made in New Zealand by Trends Kitchens. The high-quality TriStone benchtops and soft-closing doors and drawers on all the joinery give the home an instant luxe feel. “One of the homes also features a hidden pantry behind what looks like a standard cupboard,” says Cassy.

Both ensuites have beautifully tiled shower walls, with the tile colours being inspired by marble. Again, this gives a sumptuous and grand feeling to the wet rooms.

TRANSFORMED SPACES Functional and spacious wardrobes were custom built by Wardrobe Room, giving storage solutions for all the spaces of these homes.

Just as New Zealand’s top-level athletes perform on the world stage, the Jennian team has worked incredibly hard to ensure that the delivery of this project has been a smooth one for everyone. “We have been super impressed by Jennian’s excellent communication throughout the process,” says Sharon. “We received weekly updates with photographs on progress, and we were delighted by their superb attention to detail.”

The team at Jennian Homes also thoroughly enjoyed the process. “Working closely with the New Zealand Olympic Committee has made one of these homes very special,” says Cassy. “They have been an incredible group of people to work alongside. Helping them create a home that shows the unity and ongoing partnership between Jennian and the New Zealand Olympic Committee has been a huge highlight for not just myself but our entire team.”

PROPER PLASTERING Classically good-looking with a contemporary feel, the Rockcote cladding was expertly constructed by Properly Plastered.
SPECIALIST ROOFERS A locally owned business, Canterbury Roofing has been specialising in tiling roofs in Canterbury for over 25 years.

And this is not the end of the road. Three more Jennian Olympic Homes will be built in the build-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, providing more support to the New Zealand Team and opportunities for athletes to connect with their communities.

It seems the entire team can be incredibly proud of these beautiful family homes. And Jennian Homes can be proud to support the New Zealand Team athletes as they achieve their best on the world stage.