Landmark Homes Wellington hit the perfect formula for success with their Porirua show home in the Registered Master Builders PlaceMakers 2011 House of the Year.
Taking out the James Hardie Show Home Award, the team led by husband and wife Braden and Kezna Cameron put their success down to strong market research, attention to detail and a design that really welcomes you in.
“It has a really nice, warm feel. People coming into the house told us that it felt like a home — they actually wanted to sit down to stay and have a chat,” Mr Cameron says.
Mixing classic with modern in this two-level, traditional timber weatherboard house, the show home is pure class.
Arriving in the spacious entry you are greeted by a gracious stairway that leads up to a private master suite. The high ceiling throughout the ground floor gives an extra sense of space and airiness.
The kitchen combines a classic stylish look with the latest top of the range hardware to present a user-friendly space that integrates well into the open plan living environment.
A large corner window seat built into the kitchen provides a gathering spot for family and friends. Mr Cameron highlights the importance of designing for your site in achieving at a national level.
“Taking into account factors like sun and wind in the design of the home are essential in creating those nice outdoor spaces and achieving the feel you’re trying to get.”
The attention to detail evident in the build was not lost on the judges, who were impressed by the design and execution.
“This show home features an open plan living area that leads onto two sheltered areas outside. The window seat in the kitchen is welcoming, and delivers a very strong visual relationship to the outdoor area, as well as flooding the interior with morning sun,” they said.
“All of the build was executed to a very high level, especially the exterior cladding and flashings, delivering a show home that is testament to the design and craft of this building company.”
A relative newcomer to Registered Master Builders, Mr Cameron was unsure what to expect with House of the Year, but was keen to give it a go.
“It’s the first time we’ve been involved with the Awards, but we found it to be a good experience. Receiving constructive feedback from the judges was useful, and gave us a chance to reflect on what made the home stand out — they really offered as much feedback and advice as they could.”
Receiving the National Award has been a big win for Landmark Homes Wellington, which has continued to see the benefits.
“We’ve had a really good response from it, and a lot of build work in the process. People have come in and taken characteristics from the show home and we’ve evolved it into their design,” Mr Cameron says.
“The award definitely helps to show the quality that we can produce.
“We are trying to offer a streamlined service and a great experience, where it’s actually an enjoyable process instead of a stressful one.
“Good communication is important to us — our clients really are number one. We listen to them and use our skills to pull it all together, figuring out what they want — because at the end of the day, it’s their home.”
Judging for the Registered Master Builders PlaceMakers 2012 House of the Year is currently underway.
The Awards are made possible through the support of PlaceMakers, James Hardie, Gib Living Solutions®, Nulook, Department of Building and Housing, Future-Proof Building and Master Build Services Ltd.
For more information about the competition, visit the Registered Master Builders web site at www.masterbuilders.org.nz.
