When David and Christine Malpass were planning their move from Britain to New Zealand, they were determined their new home would look out on green fields, not grey rooftops.
Nor did they want to feel as if they could touch the neighbours, and they were keen on more space than their 70 square metre semi-detached house offered.
Initially they lived in the Howick/Botany area and enjoyed the restaurants, shops and general village atmosphere, but fell in love with Hunua when visiting friends there. "We instantly felt a sense of calm and serenity there," Christine says.
"We'd found a piece of paradise and it was only 10 minutes from Clevedon."
They bought just under a hectare of land and looked at "a shedload of houses and plans" to give some form to their ideas.
"We wanted everything in the house to revolve around the kitchen because it had to be the centre of the home," says David, who project-managed the build.
The kitchen is the star of the open plan living area, and has an English country style complete with wicker baskets and a pot rack hung with shiny copper saucepans. There's also a butler's pantry and a standout Smeg oven with gas hob.
The kitchen doesn't just look English. David and Christine actually imported it from England because they couldn't find exactly what they wanted locally.
"We saw so many kitchens that were plain white and very bland," David says.
150 white road, Hunua, Franklin. Photo / Supplied
"We chose eggshell blue cabinetry, and the benches are English oak."
Both David and Christine like to cook, and because David does the most he's appreciative of the kitchen layout and the way it works.
"It's a very manageable space," he says.
There's casual stool seating at the island bench, and an adjoining dining area that opens on one side to a small sitting room and on the other through big sliding doors to the deck.
Also opening on to the deck is the formal lounge with a log burner set into a schist surround with a rustic timber mantelpiece.
The kitchen and dining areas have grey, marbled tiles that provide passive solar heating for additional warmth.
150 white road, Hunua, Franklin. Photo / Supplied
The house has four bedrooms, with the master suite including a walk-in wardrobe and an en suite.
Both the en suite and the main bathroom have curved vessel handbasins set into timber vanities and the main bathroom has a matching bath.
Grey floor tiles provide a contrast to the white tiled walls.
Stacker doors or sliders and oversized windows, all double glazed, are features of every room because David and Christine wanted to maximise both the views and the access to the outdoor entertaining areas.
On the 100sq m of decks are three outdoor lounge suites with tables, recliners, a hammock and a spa, and in a covered outdoor area, a television.
"We love that we can sit outside on the covered deck, and if it's breezy we can move around to the deck on the other side," David says.
150 white road, Hunua, Franklin. Photo / Supplied
They're both pleased with the way the house has turned out and are now planning to build again on the same piece of land.
David will again project manage the build, and they'll bring a lot of ideas from their current house.
The new one is still in the planning stages, but it will also be weatherboard - real timber weatherboards - and put equal emphasis on the kitchen as the centre of the home, and outdoor entertaining areas on the north side.
They're delighted to be able to build again without having to leave Hunua, which they say is a fantastic community with plenty of facilities and great walking tracks.
"To top it off, it's within walking distance of John Hill Estate, a family run vineyard with a restaurant, archery and clay shooting," says Christine.
