trends magazine - casey's house

NZ2106116chMasonry-5565 2NZ2106116chMasonry-5565 2 15/4/05 3:32:29 PM15/4/05 3:32:29 PM

Personal expressionDesign influences are many and varied. But no matter whether you prefer a traditional or contemporary-style home, masonry construction offers many

advantages, says Mark Wilson of Masonry Design Solutions


Everyone has a different vision when it comes to house design – but we all want the same attention to detail from a designer.

Masonry Design Solutions specialises in the design of Firth Masonry Villas that reflect your family’s tastes, aspirations and lifestyle.

The house featured here is a good example. Director Mark Wilson says the owners wanted a large home with a strong Spanish theme.

“The thick-walled masonry construction lends itself to this look,” he says. “It conveys a sense of solidity and permanence. It also provides deep reveals and allows for textured, plastered walls.

Preceding pages: Masonry

homes are designed to suit your

family’s lifestyle. This Italian-

style home from Masonry

Design Solutions features a

traditional loggia.

Above: This Spanish-style

house in Whitford, designed by

Masonry Design Solutions, was

built by Tribro Construction

Ellerslie. Traditional elements

include a portico, wrought-iron

detailing and a clay tile roof.

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In addition, the owners benefit from all the other masonry advantages, such as the thermal and acoustic insulation.”

Special design features of this home include a traditional Spanish portico, a double-height foyer, arched windows and imported clay tile roofing. The depth of the masonry walls also enhances the Spanish look by allowing decorative wrought-iron features.

For further information, contact Masonry Design Solutions, PO Box 300-252, Albany, phone (09) 448 1101, mob 021 597 347, or visit the website: www.themasonrygroup.co.nz.


Above: Landscaping of the

Whitford property reflects the

Spanish influence. Natural

Habitats was commissioned

to undertake the landscaping,

which included planning the

driveway and motor court.

The driveway is lined with box

hedging, magnolia trees and

palms.

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With any new home project, it’s important that the landscaping complement the style of the house. For this home, on a large

lifestyle block, landscape designer Mike Jack of Natural Habitats had an even greater challenge.

“The landscape plan had to deal with the entire two hectare site,” he says. “This included position-ing the driveway and motor court, planning the pool and spa pool areas, building a large retaining wall, and incorporating a BioCycle field – an irriga-tion system that recycles household waste water.”

Mike Jack says the owners were keen to intro-duce Spanish elements into the landscaping. Large

Phoenix palms and blue-grey Butia palms provide this Mediterranean ambience.

“The owners wanted the entrance to have an avenue effect – a formal layout with some lush, tropical planting. Along with the palms we have included box hedging, grisellinias and magnolias.”

Other species planted in the BioCycle field include Windmill palms and a variety of flaxes and grasses, all of which tolerate damp conditions.

For further details, contact Natural Habitats, 240 Orakei Rd, Remuera, Auckland, phone (09) 529 0190, fax (09) 524 1266, or visit the website: www.naturalhabitats.co.nz


Above: The Spanish clay

tile roofing is a significant

feature of the Whitford home.

La Escandella clay tiles in

the colourway Lucentum

were chosen to replicate

the traditional, aged look

of a typical Mediterranean

homestead. The tiles are

imported by Espana Ceramica,

an Auckland company based in

East Tamaki.

Along with the architectural design, the choice of building materials refl ects the home’s Spanish infl uence. One of the most signifi -

cant features is the imported clay tile roof. To provide a traditional, weathered look,

Masonry Design Solutions specifi ed La Escandella Spanish clay tiles imported by Espana Ceramica. These tiles provide the typical colour variations of Spanish roofing. They also have an aged look that replicates traditional Mediterranean buildings, says Mark Wilson of Masonry Design Solutions.

“For this reason, we specify La Escandella tiles for many of our projects,” he says.


Alan Rolston, managing director of Espana Ceramica, says the tiles never lose their colour and therefore do not need painting.

“The weathered look simply improves over time,” he says.

Rolston says Espana Ceramica began importing the range seven years ago, to meet the demand for an affordable clay tile. And despite their old-world look, the La Escandella tiles are manufactured using up-to-the-minute technology.

“Spray-drying the clay is a key process in pro-ducing the quality and texture of the roof tile,” he says. “The processing methods ensure a clean,


Left: La Escandella Spanish clay

tiles complement the plastered

exterior of the house. The

colour variation of the tiles is a

large part of their appeal, says

Espana Ceramica managing

director Alan Rolston. The

roofing incorporates matching

ridge and cap tiles.


evenly coloured and textured product. It has no impurities or small pieces of lime, which could cause cracks through expansion caused by damp-ness or frost.”

Rolston says the tiles can withstand tempera-ture extremes and are guaranteed for 20 years.

“Many international architects are using this tile, including a recent project on a resort island in Dubai, which can be viewed at www.thepalm.ae.”

For more details, contact Espana Ceramica, PO Box 51-910, Pakuranga, phone +64 9 271 7325, fax +64 9 271 5201. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.espana.co.nz.


The sense of arrival conveyed by the front portico of the house is further enhanced by the entrance foyer. This features an elaborate

handpainted fl oor from Artifi cations – customised to refl ect the Spanish theme.

Joanne Donovan of Artifications says the com-pany painted a replica matador poster onto the floor, which was handpainted and finished to create a large tile effect.

“The overlay flooring system is a three-component product developed by Artifications for interior use,” she says. “The mix incorporates a cement compound and is poured on site.”

Top and above: In keeping with

the home’s Spanish look, an

overlay flooring system was

specified for the ground floor.

Joanne Donovan of Artifications

says the handpainted flooring

is a cost-effective way to

individualise your home.

Above right: Artifications’

skilled artists created a

matador poster for the flooring

in the entrance.


Donovan says the flooring is then handpainted and finished with a durable clear coat that won’t yellow or deteriorate in sunlight.

“The flooring is completely seamless and has no grout. It also feels warm to the touch.”

Special decorative effects can include sleek stone and tile patterns, antique mosaics, modern metallics and murals. The flooring in this home features an inset wood inlay.

For more details, contact Artifications, PO Box 37-970, Parnell, Auckland, phone (09) 828 1860, fax (09) 826 1640. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.artifications.co.nz.


In a traditional Spanish villa, a large fi replace is the heart of the home. For centuries, family and friends have gathered around the fi re for com-

fort and warmth – and also to cook. Today, the cooking facilities have become a

lot more convenient – and so has the fire. For this home, a Warmington 1100 wood-burning fireplace from Fires By Design was specified for the formal living room. With its black iron firebox, the fire com-plements the wrought-iron detailing in the home.

But while the fire provides all the cheer and comfort of those traditional fireplaces, it has the added advantage of modern technology. As with

Above: A large open fire from

Fires By Design warms the

formal living room on cool

winter days. The Warmington

1100 wood-burning fireplace

was chosen to complement the

traditional Spanish theme.


all Warmington Fires, this model is designed for maximum energy efficiency.

Standard Warmington fires range from 440mm to 1500mm wide and come in a wide selection of finishes, both traditional and contemporary. Alternatively, Fires By Design can custom-design a fireplace to suit your decor. The company’s techni-cal consultants can also help you choose the best gas or wood fire for your project.

Contact Fires By Design, 47 Sir William Ave, East Tamaki, Auckland, phone (09) 273 9227, fax (09) 273 9241. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.warmington.co.nz.


Above: Padova light fittings

from Lighting Direct resemble

traditional candle torches. The

light amber glass is highly

textured and matched with

a rusted steel and bronze

bracket.

Right: Lighting Direct also

supplied 20W halogen step

lights for the stairs. Although a

modern design, the step lights

cast pools of light in keeping

with the feel of a Spanish villa.



The Spanish infl uence extends to the choice of lighting fi xtures in the home. To create the right ambience, Padova wall fi ttings from

Lighting Direct were specifi ed. These fittings feature rough-textured Scavo

glass in light amber, paired with rusted steel trim and bronze brackets.

Dean Fulford from Lighting Direct says the fix-ture is designed to provide the traditional look of candles burning in torches.

“An incandescent light source gives the illu-sion of a subtle-burning candle,” he says. “It’s a very rustic European look, which is particularly

Above: The use of incandescent

bulbs in the Padova lights

ensures the light is both

bright and ambient. Chosen

to complement the home’s

traditional wrought-iron

detailing, the Padova lights

from Lighting Direct feature in

the main entrance foyer, which

opens to the formal living

room.


well suited to the Spanish flavour of this home. It is also a good complement to the decorative wrought-iron work.”

The Padova lights feature in the main entrance foyer and the mezzanine area at the top of the grand staircase.

Stair lighting was also provided by Lighting Direct. Here, 20W halogen step lights are placed above every third riser, creating pools of light in keeping with the overall ambience of the entrance.

For more information, contact Lighting Direct, phone (09) 273 3444, fax (09) 273 3993, or visit the website: www.Trendsideas.com/lightingdirect.


Making the new look old is not always easy. It requires the skills of a good designer and talented craftspeople with the ability to

think laterally. The kitchen in the Whitford home is a good

example. Designed by Sarah Waite and manufac-tured by Fyfe Kitchens & Cabinets, it reflects the owners’ desire for authenticity.

“The owners wanted a rustic look that would be in keeping with the traditional Spanish style of the rest of the house,” says Waite.

A large wood island, imported from Mexico, is the focal point of the kitchen. But its attractive,

Above: Details make the

difference. To enhance the

Spanish look, the kitchen

features handpainted cabinetry

from Fyfe Kitchens, a butler’s

sink, and decorative wood

and iron shelving. The granite

benchtops are honed for a

natural, matt finish, which

is more in keeping with a

traditional look, says designer

Sarah Waite.


aged appearance belies the work involved behind the scenes.

“The island was extensively modified by Fyfe Kitchens and now incorporates integrated cabinets and drawers with ball-bearing, soft-close systems,” says Waite. “Two Fisher & Paykel DishDrawers are also integrated in the island.”

Other traditional features in the kitchen include the large hood over the oven, designed as a mantle.

“In a traditional Spanish kitchen, the pillar supports would fully enclose the cooking space. In this kitchen, we have pushed them back to provide


Above: The large, wood island

was imported from Mexico

and extensively remodelled

by Fyfe Kitchens. It provides

storage and a second sink and

food preparation area. Two

imported wood doors (at right)

open to a walk-in pantry, which

accommodates an appliance

benchtop.

Left: The Rosières double oven

was lowered to make cooking

easier.


useful bench space either side of the cooktop.”Cabinetry throughout the kitchen was hand-

painted to avoid a modern, new look. Handles are also pre-aged, thanks to a painted rust finish, which has been sealed. Several cabinet doors have mesh doors – another traditional feature.

The granite benchtops are honed to provide a matt finish and further enhance the rustic look.

Fyfe Kitchens has been designing and manu-facturing custom kitchens for more than 30 years.

For more information, contact Fyfe Kitchens, 225 Great South Rd, Greenlane, Auckland, phone (09) 520 4752, fax (09) 520 4751.


trends magazine - casey's house

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