A large family ‘forever’ home was damaged beyond repair in the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011. The replacement took ten years to come to fruition, but for homeowners and builders Mike and Lisa Brown, it was worth the wait.

WORDS Kathy Catton PHOTOGRAPHY Jamie Armstrong

The Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 were devastating for the people of Christchurch. One of the hundreds of sad stories from this time is of Mike and Lisa Brown, who in 2009 had just completed their ‘forever’ home on five acres of land in Spencerville. They had been living in the house for just ten months when the earthquakes destroyed their labour of love beyond repair.

“It was an incredibly fraught time after that September earthquake,” says Mike. The family lived in the property for another year while the insurance was sorted out. From there, they built a small relocatable home, with a view to lifting it off-site at a later date.

“It was meant to be a short-term measure,” explains Lisa, “But we ended up living in the 115 square metre home for eight years.”

I wanted our own home to have a point of difference

The couple adjusted and raised their family there. Although Mike was a builder, he wasn’t initially into the idea of rebuilding. “I’d just built what I thought was our forever home. We’d been in there such a short time, I just couldn’t bring myself to start all over again,” says Mike.

But with the passing of time and the benefit of evolving building regulations after the earthquakes, the couple began to see that there was an alternative future for them.

“By leaving it for a long time, we could allow engineering designs to be tested and processes and procedures to become much more streamlined,” says Mike.

So miraculously, despite the extensive damage, the owners developed a slow determination to rebuild. This time, the house stands even more beautiful than before.

WELL HUNG WALLPAPER Wallpaper is always on display, so Mike and Lisa chose to work with Well Hung Wallpaper Services to achieve an outstanding end result that will stand the test of time.

A builder for over 30 years, Mike of MO Brown Builders, wanted to do something different. He envisaged the home having some abstract features, and he wanted the roofing to contain some unconventional angles to create some interest. “I’ve seen a lot of homes in my time, and I wanted our own home to have a point of difference.”

For this reason, the couple knew they would need an experienced and creative architect. They chose to work with Kelly from Krush Architecture based on his focus on achieving functional and timeless designs.

“It was always going to be a tricky site,” says Kelly. He goes on to say that despite the challenging building requirements, he was determined to combine the need to be on a raised platform and the need to create a stunning architectural home. As he says, Krush Architecture is always seeking to push the boundaries within the industry.

COSY CONTRASTS Ryan's Kitchens and Joinery designed, supplied and installed joinery for multiple rooms in the home. The light timber veneers contrast beautifully with the darker shades to create a cosy warmth at the highest quality.

“The home had to be hardwearing. The metal wrap and the split riverstone from the Waimakariri River add to the enduring appeal of this home,” says Kelly. “In a sense the metal cladding frames anchor the building and provide a solid structural feel to the home. And the timber provides a warmth while the glazing provides transparency and openness.”

Due to these flooding and planning requirements, the house had to sit in a similar position to the original home and be of a similar size to the old property. And it had to stand approximately 1.8 metres out of the ground. With the Styx River just a stone’s throw away, there was a considerable height requirement to get out of the ground. “We used a gridded and waffle concrete form foundation, with steel piles and steel beam bearers on top of that,” says Mike. “We then laid a suspended 150 millimetre-thick concrete floor on top.”

SPACES FOR YOUR STORY The interior design journey for this home was supported by the experienced interior designers at NextDore.

This elevation led to the creation of a home with essentially three pods. Each is connected by a fully glazed bridge, giving a connection to the outdoors, no matter which part of the home you are in. One pod houses the entry, kitchen and dining area, another the bedrooms and laundry and the third, the master and ensuite.

Technically this foundation design makes the home re-levelable and futureproofed. To maintain that sense of grounding, the cedar shiplap, Colorsteel tray and natural riverstone cladding has been installed right down to ground level, a little like a skirt around the legs.

“We wanted the house to look like it belonged here, and the cladding gives this impression,” says Mike. “The elevation gives us a different perspective of the land around us. We now have a view of the river and a sense that the grounds have really opened up.”

The clever design has created a spacious yet cosy feel inside the property, with the lounge having an in-wall slider that separates off a home theatre lounge for mellow nights in. Contrasting with this snug-like feel is the ability for the home to be an entertainer paradise, with a large living-dining-kitchen area, covered deck and outdoor fire and pizza oven.

“We focused on timber and plenty of glass to warm the place up,” says Lisa. “We aren’t big fans of museum-style houses.”

The living and dining area has some unique features, including a café-style booth area, designed for up to 12 guests to gather around. “It’s more laid back than a booth you’d find in a regular café,” says Lisa. “For us, it was all about creating the experience of relaxed, family living. The joiner made sure that the backs were at the perfect angle for unwinding in, rather than just drinking your coffee and carrying on,” says Lisa.

Guests comment on the home’s many different angles and textures, with each step through the home revealing beautiful surprises and points of interest.

ELEVATED ELEGANCE Kamo Marsh Landscape Architects were involved from the early site planning stage right through to concept design and installation, to create this beautiful outdoor space.

One such delight is the kitchen. With an earthy, natural, raw and warm feel, it’s an ideal creative design to balance family life with entertaining times. The white Neolith porcelain benchtop with soft veining throughout is in keeping with the earthy and natural look required. “It’s a super tough material that can handle hot pans and sharp knives. I find it almost silky to touch,” says Lisa. “I love it.”

The house has also been designed to be as energy efficient as possible. With thermally broken windows, upgraded insulation and insulated internal walls, it’s warm and acoustically peaceful. “We’ve also put 26 solar panels on the shed roof, so we’re focused on sustainability and longevity,” says Mike.

With the benefit of time, the couple has been able to create a cohesive and comfortable home full of warmth and natural elements. Mike and Lisa are 100 per cent happy with it. “Although we didn’t think it at the time of the earthquakes, we are so delighted to have had the opportunity to do things differently,” says Mike. “Building a home like this has been our silver lining.”