A lifestyle site on the outskirts of Tāmakimakaurau boasts a stunning family sanctuary thanks to the construction expertise of Mack Built Sheds and the interior design detailing of Durrant Design.

WORDS Ady Shannon PHOTOGRAPHY MJS Visuals / Boxcrib Marketing

The kitchen benchtop is Marble Yamuna from Archant, which has showrooms in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Marble Yamuna stone has a shimmering translucency and a soft tonal palette, perfect for this space.

Sam Mackenzie has been in the building business for almost 20 years. In 2020, he seized an opportunity to purchase an established company that specialised in constructing rural buildings, sheds and commercial premises. Over the past four years, that business has evolved into building bespoke hybrid sheds and homes that combine functional workspaces and dedicated living quarters within the same structure.

That specialty expertise in farm-styled building appealed to the owners of a generous west Auckland property, where they were living in a large shed that included a workshop and accommodation for the couple and their two children. Following discussions with Sam, and sharing ideas, the couple contracted Mack Built Sheds to build their family home.

The structure pays homage to the surrounding rustic environment. Two large gabled buildings – reminiscent of a barn – are linked by a cedar and glass entry atrium area. Steel cladding on the roof and exterior walls mimics typical farm and barn structures and delivers the additional benefits of being relatively quick to install, cost effective and low maintenance.

The use of steel framing also offered significant advantages. The strength and durability of the external walls are ideally suited to large, open interior spaces, as there is no need for additional load-bearing interior walls. And, unlike timber, steel is not impacted by adverse weather. It rains frequently in the lush tropical west Auckland region and the winter of 2023 was especially wet.

“Steel is not affected by rain so there was no downtime or issues with wet framing causing delays,” Sam says. Construction started in July and the family were in their new abode by that Christmas.

Inside the home is light and airy, starkly contrasting with the ink-dark exterior. Raked ceilings in the kitchen and living rooms enhance the expansive feel of the open-plan living area. Generous sliders open out to the superbly landscaped garden, deck and pool area, providing unrestricted connection to the outdoors. Cedar is used as a feature in window joinery, the entrance portico, and on the sectional garage door, which provides colour and textural contrast against the dark matt steel cladding and the gloss black used on the spouting, trim and flashings.

Jamie Durrant, founder of Durrant Design, is an award-winning interior designer with a formidable portfolio of outstanding residential and commercial projects throughout New Zealand. The owner was impressed by Jamie’s Instagram, showcasing a selection of her completed projects and initially contracted her to act as a sounding board for the flooring, colours and interior selections she had in mind.

Says Jamie: “At the start, it was meant to be a few meetings to discuss options. It ended up becoming five weeks of meetings to select and confirm all interior choices. Very quickly, she became the dream client who trusted me with all interior specs and colour decisions.”

The owner had previously done her own interiors. “She remembered the stress of doing that in the past, got busy with work and realised how good it is to have a designer involved. She placed trust in me to make all the interior decisions,” Jamie says.

That confidence was a privilege and a bonus for the designer, who enthusiastically says, “This is one of the best projects I have ever been a part of. Having the trust of a client, it is good to see how far we can go. It makes things flow and that is so much fun.”

From the start, the owner emphasised her love of colour. Jamie deliberately created a neutral interior scheme to highlight the scenic surrounds and set the foundation for deep moody colours in the bathrooms, warm dark tones in the kitchen and a pop of blush in the main bedroom.

“This interior palette represents a modern family home full of warmth, luxury and comfort amongst the beautiful Oratia backdrop. I wanted to maintain the neutral palette throughout the interiors to create a powerful fusion between the lush outdoor landscape and the interior living spaces,” Jamie says.

The kitchen is the hub of the home, with lacquer cabinetry, a porcelain benchtop, display shelving and an island with a curved end and oak batons on the frontage.

Large pendant lights in the high-vaulted ceiling space add interest and cast a soft glow in the evening. An oversized polymer handle on bi-folding cupboard doors was custom designed to reflect the colours used throughout the interior. “It is jewellery for cabinetry.”

Bold colours in the fully tiled bathrooms celebrate the lush greenery of the environment, bringing the outside in. Round mirrors are backlit and vanities are suspended and underlit with muted lighting, a practical and appealing feature that Jamie insists on in all her bathroom designs. “The underlit vanity is a signature Jamie Durrant feature. It is non-negotiable,” she says, laughing. The home’s kitchen and main bathroom were recently awarded Trends National Highly Commended Design awards.

Window treatments and soft furnishings were made by Durrant Design and complement the design aesthetic. In the living room and bedrooms, double tracks, concealed in the ceiling, accentuate the full- height window joinery and enable sheers or linen drapes to be pulled, depending on sunlight, privacy and heating requirements. Bench seats topped with sumptuous squabs are comfortable and practical; in the entry foyer for getting shoes on and off, and in the lounge for relaxing overlooking the pool.

Jamie says this project is a highlight of her career. For the client and her family, the home is the ultimate reward of a winning collaboration of interior design, construction expertise and flawless execution.