Built for overseas owners, this country lodge was designed by Andy Coltart of Black Barn Vineyards to celebrate the best of Hawke’s Bay and Aotearoa.

WORDS Cassie Doherty PHOTOGRAPHY Hazel Redmond

Andy Coltart, co-founder of Black Barn Vineyards in Havelock North, shares his secret to high-end holiday home design. And it’s simple: it has to be comfortable.

The boutique vineyard offers a collection of luxury accommodations, including Euchre Lodge, which was built for a couple who live in San Francisco in the United States. When they’re not visiting their favourite part of New Zealand, the lodge is available to book a stay.

“They were really fabulous clients, looking to get a bolt hole in New Zealand,” says Andy. “They felt that Hawke’s Bay had a really good culture, so they bought a section and engaged me to do the architectural work.”

And while all Black Barn accommodations are luxurious, it can’t be precious for a holiday home that also serves as guest accommodation.

“They just wanted a nice country home, something with a modern feel to it. But it has to be relaxing to be in,” says Andy.

Andy’s design for Euchre Lodge is an absolute response to its location. “It’s a very dramatic scene with Te Mata Peak and the beautiful Tukituki River valley,” he says. “The challenge for me in doing the architectural work was that the river is the predominant view, but it’s on the opposite side of the house from the sun. So we had to pick up both the views and the afternoon light, and we achieved that. We nestled the house into the landscape really well, and made it all about the backdrop.”

The local area is one of the big draw cards for the lodge. “We have really nice summers,” says Andy. “We’re very privileged here in the valley because it’s outstanding. There are good outdoor activities and walking tracks as well as our nearby vineyards and bistro.”

The beauty of the region was key to the interior design, says Brigit Christie of Boma Ltd, who has worked with Andy on several Black Barn Vineyards retreats.

Her approach was in response to the environmentally conscious clients. “They wanted a calming environment with a strong connection to the local Hawke’s Bay landscape,” she says. “Even though they’re from overseas, they wanted it to be a New Zealand house.”

The homeowners were interested in the provenance of everything, from hardware to cutlery and art. “Most of it is made in New Zealand, so that was a real treat,” she says.

“Since the setting for the house is elevated and rural, each window affords wonderful views of Tukituki River and the ranges and gives the effect of being surrounded by landscape paintings.”

The colours and textures she used reflect the outdoors. “Lovely, warm, strong rusts, and in the bedrooms: pale blues, soft greys, oatmeal and heather.” A tactile fireplace wall, swirling tundra marble vanities, band-sawn timber accents and a bold curved sofa are dynamic, but the overall feeling is calm.

Advanced Plumbing designed and installed the plumbing and drainage systems, ensuring every aspect of the project has been executed for peace of mind for the owners of Euchre Lodge.

“She did an incredible job,” says Andy.

The end result is deluxe yet functional. A good example is the open shelving in the scullery that both showcases the hand-made crockery and makes it easy for guests to find.

Bringing the entire project to fruition were Pete Barbara and Davis Norman of BNL Construction & Builders, who have worked with Andy on several similar builds.

“They’re wonderful houses to work on; we enjoy it. There’s so much detail involved,” says Pete. “We love working with timber, and these are definitely houses with a lot of timber. There’s timber exterior cladding, and internally there are a lot of beams and posts. There are different aspects of building that we don’t often get to do in a standard house.”

The build ran very smoothly, he says, largely thanks to Andy’s detailed plans and the rapport with him, and with Brigit, who has also previously worked on projects with BNL.

“We all know what we want to achieve, and we all work well together,” explains Pete.

The only real challenge was the sloping site, which needed cutting and retaining before the foundation work. “There was a little bit of work involved.”

But the team at BNL took it all in its stride. Pete and Davis have been in business for more than a decade, and have a great team of builders and sub-trades.

“In every job, we try to make it 100 per cent perfect for the client. This one has been so satisfying and we’re really delighted with the end result.”

In fact, so is everyone. “We have very, very pleased clients,” says Andy. “And we were thrilled, too.”

Euchre Lodge can be booked at blackbarn.com