Colour, lighting, flooring, furniture and fabrics have all been considered to the highest level in this home, with interiors designed by Nextdore Interiors, creating an exquisite residence in the heart of Christchurch.

WORDS Kathy Catton PHOTOGRAPHY Sarah Rowlands

For thousands of years, interior design has been used as an aesthetic aid to help us find some sort of inner peace in our homes. We can probably all relate to that overall sense of wellbeing when we just feel ‘at home’. And how our home is styled – whether that’s through the spatial planning, design style, or the choice of colours and furniture – is integral to our sense of happiness.

Step inside this home, and you immediately feel that happiness. Warm, inviting, elegant and natural. This home exudes a sense of peace from every angle.

Nestled in a leafy suburb of Christchurch, the newly built property sits quietly on a back section overlooking a park. There is a serene atmosphere about its positioning as well as its interiors, despite occasionally hearing the hustle and bustle of nearby city life.

The dream for the homeowners was to create a low-maintenance, future-proofed, forever home. A home that gives them the advantages of city life alongside the beauty and tranquillity of the adjoining park, while allowing them to grow old gracefully. Low environmental impact was also important.

TEAMWORK Advanced Joinery skillfully manufactured and installed this elegant kitchen, designed by award-winning Mal Corboy, kitchen and wardrobe designer.

Kelly Rush from Krush Architecture was the obvious choice for the homeowners, given the firm’s focus on achieving functional and timeless designs using a natural palette of materials.

“We were engaged in designing a modern three-storey home,” says Kelly. “It was an extremely small section, so it was a test of our architectural flair to create this result while still meeting our client’s brief. We are very pleased with how it’s turned out.”

And the homeowners wholeheartedly agree and particularly enjoy the flow from inside to outside, where the couple can feel connected to the local park.

Stu Lindsay Builders were the main building contractors on this project, having worked previously with Kelly Rush. Stu’s son Tom ran the job from pre-line stage. Building a three-storey home on a tight site was always going to have its challenges, but the building team rose to the brief, and with active involvement from the homeowners, everyone is very proud of the result.

“For example, the never-ending negative detail skirting and door trims with solid oak doors required extra attention to detail,” says Tom. “And with a fantastic team effort we have a faultless finish that everyone can be proud of.”

LUSH UNDERFOOT All carpets and rugs were provided by Bremworth, known for their luxurious NZ-made wool carpets.

The use of the Rockcote Integra cerano concrete plaster finish and the Xlite external tiles from Nextdore create the low maintenance design, with a contemporary, industrial feel. The exterior tiles look very much like bronzed steel but are, in fact, made of porcelain.

The team at Nextdore Interiors set to work and, right from the start, was able to establish a good basis to work from. “We decided on wall colours and tiles fairly quickly,” says Nick Dore, director at Nextdore Interiors, who oversaw the project. “I see part of the skill of the interior designer as being about creating an atmosphere. And that means you absolutely have to know something about the people you are designing a space for.”

Nick certainly knows this couple well. The clients – his parents – are the second generation of the family business that started in Christchurch in 1960. A much-loved and well-known specialty flooring retailer, Dores for Floors, evolved into Nextdore Interiors and is now a three-generation family business, with Nick at the helm.

Nick’s parents, Michael and Lyn, were moving from a large, established property and wanted to bring with them some of their beloved furniture, accumulated over decades of living there. The continued commitment of the Nextdore team of providing a customer-focused service meant the couple could seamlessly balance their period pieces with the modern furniture to create an established but modern feel to the home.

“It took us out of our comfort zone a little,” says Michael. “But that’s the skill of Nextdore. They are able to combine antique with modern and make it work.”

From the moment you step into this home, you know it’s going to be unique. The exquisitely tiled entranceway wall is covered with a natural timber feature wall tile (Wood Feel 300 x 300 by Porcelanosa), giving guests an instant ‘wow’ welcome. The downstairs houses the garage, mini gym and laundry, all tiled with the Porcelanosa Berna Topo 1200 x 1200 tiles, which work incredibly well with the timber.

The main living area is also tiled, this time with a Roble Nobu tile that looks remarkably like wood but is, in fact, porcelain. “The advantage of these tiles is that they look so natural,” says Nick. “There are no repeating patterns on the design, and there is a texture added, so it feels like wood, too.” This Porcelanosa product is undoubtedly one to rival any engineered timber and, in the sun, gives a warm feel underfoot. The planks alternate between narrow and wide and are offset to provide that random look.

“What’s so great about these tile planks is that they are always going to look like this; they won’t fade or age or stain,” says Nick’s mum Lyn.

The soothing colour scheme in the living space really comes to life with the use of burnt yellow and gold. “My parents really fell in love with the Tonon Flat David Shaw dining table chairs – not only due to the colour, but also the comfort and style,” says Nick. “These chairs then formed the theme and allowed us to tie together the old and the new furniture.”

There are so many beautiful interiors in this home, it’s a feast for the eyes. Highlights include the Tom Dixon ‘Melts’ lights in the entranceway and on the master bedside tables, the powder room wallpaper (La Palma-Sepia) and the unassuming but quirky giraffe lamp in the living room (Qeeboo Giraffe in love XS).

But it’s the fundamentals of the design that really stand out in this home. The tiles, the flooring, the choice of colour and window furnishings are all solidly beautiful, timeless and oozing in quality.

Nextdore has had a long-standing relationship with Porcelanosa for over 10 years. The Porcelanosa Grupo, with its Head Office based in Spain, has been offering a wide product range for any building or tiling project for over 40 years. Closer to home, Stone and Tile Wholesale imports over 100 Porcelanosa, Venis and Xtone product lines to its Christchurch warehouse, and offers full import options from the entire Porcelanosa Groups range of products.

“I asked Dad if he’d like to come to Porcelanosa in Spain with me to look at tiles and bathroom products,” says Nick. The father and son pair set off to the Porcelanosa showroom and had chosen the tiles within an hour of arriving on-site! The enduring look and the environmental care certainly appealed to Michael.

HOME FROM HOME Much of the quality bespoke furniture came from David Shaw Limited, giving the home that classic 'lifestyle' feel.

“Environmental protection has always been a priority for Porcelanosa since its creation,” says Nick. As further evidence of its commitment to sustainability, Porcelanosa was the first tile manufacturer to have been granted a C02 reduction certificate from the Spanish Environmental Ministry, certifying that it has reduced its carbon footprint.

This was important to Michael and Lyn. So it was an obvious choice to select Bremworth carpets and rugs throughout the carpeted areas of the home. “Bremworth take sustainability seriously, with a real desire to reduce its environmental impact. And the products are fantastic, too. All the carpets are made in New Zealand with 100 per cent New Zealand wool, and they elevate any design the Nextdore team is working on,” says Nick.

The Lisburn carpet used in the bedrooms has a chunky base yarn in felted wool and is overlaid with a finer yarn to create textural interest. The resulting look in this home is one of comfort and cosiness in all the bedrooms and study space. Bremworth rugs have also been used to great effect in the living space.

The kitchen features a stunning black Xtone benchtop with deep 3D detailing and beautiful LED lighting. The design was created by multi-award-winning kitchen and wardrobe designer Mal Corbey, based in Auckland.

“Because the kitchen and scullery are set back into the home, I felt it needed warmth and plenty of light. Hence the use of timber in the ceiling, and the contemporary LED lighting,” says Mal. “The clients like the dark, moody colour scheme and the benchtop is very structural and contemporary, so it works beautifully with the rest of the home.”

Mal’s work takes him all over the world, and he thoroughly enjoys working with all sorts of interiors. “It’s always great to work with sensational products like Porcelanosa and Xtone,” says Mal.

“Mal is a fantastic kitchen and wardrobe designer, and the Xtone benchtop was manufactured in our own factory,” says Nick. Nick’s parents are similarly delighted with the results, saying, “All the suppliers and tradespeople surpassed our expectations. In fact, the whole home has been put together so fantastically. We love it here.”

Nextdore also supplied the fully automated Luxaflex blinds, used throughout the home. “Again, these products are made in New Zealand, so it’s great to be keeping stuff local,” says Nick. “For us at Nextdore, it’s an essential ingredient for creating an elegant and timeless home.”

The automation of the blinds, as well as the garage, gates and front door automation was carried out by The Listening Post. Known chiefly for its home theatre and media installations, the team provided the possibility for this home to be fully controlled via touch screens and tablets, from the in-ceiling speakers to the security cameras and TV and video distribution.

“It makes for a super-secure home if we decide to go away,” says Michael. “I can monitor my home from halfway around the world!”

The bathrooms in this property are the epitome of bringing the spa to the home. The soft, curving white Porcelanosa Ciclo vanities and the use of timber create a very grounding feel. Even the ensuite shower has been tiled in a wood-effect porcelain tile to provide that feeling of connection to the outdoors. “It almost looks like you’re stepping into a sauna,” says Nick. “And the incredible magnifying magnetic add-on mirror is the perfect way to get ready for the outside world in the mornings!”

IDEAL LANDSCAPE Goom Landscapes designed and constructed this beautiful, easy maintenance outdoor space for the homeowners to enjoy.
HIGH QUALITY EXTERIOR The use of Rockcote cladding gives this home a superior, long-lasting finish.

The positive experience of these homeowners is not unique. For every Nextdore client, the team seeks to find out about how they lead their lives, which rooms they use the most and, of course, what sort of style appeals to them. And with 14 interior designers on the team, there’s a wealth of experience to pull on.

“We get our inspiration from all over the place,” says Nick. “I travel a lot, mainly to Spain and Italy, but I also keep my eyes open for books, magazines, on the internet, in the shops. It’s great having a team to share our inspirations and serve our clients so well.”

A home’s interior is never an abstract thing; it’s always centred around the people who live there. And this is what Nextdore do so well: they understand that it’s about the way you feel, the way you interact. It’s about family and friends. From business to family, they know the importance of your home.

INVOLVED IN THIS PROJECT

INTERIOR DESIGN
Next Dore
03 366 9400
nextdore.co.nz

BUILDER
Stu Lindsay Builders Ltd
027 434 1804

ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN
Krush Architecture Ltd
03 355 9660
krusharchitecture.co.nz

KITCHEN AND WARDROBE DESIGN
Mal Corbey Design Ltd
021 322 599
malcorboy.com

AUTOMATION AND MEDIA
The Listening Post
03 377 7299
listeningpost.co.nz

LANDSCAPING
Goom
0800 466 657
goomlandscapes.co.nz

CARPETING
Bremworth
0800 808 303
bremworth.co.nz

FURNITURE
David Shaw
0800 847 848
davidshaw.co.nz

BLINDS
Luxaflex
0800 223 224
luxaflex.co.nz

CLADDING
Rockcote
0800 50 70 40
reseneconstruction.co.nz

JOINERY
Advanced Joinery Limited
03 348 7700
advancedjoinery.co.nz