ON THE MARKET. Crafted by an architect and builder couple, this Avondale home is for sale
Set within a quiet Avondale cul-de-sac, this is a home shaped by the combined thinking of an architect and a builder — designed, built and lived in with a level of care that’s increasingly rare.
Originally conceived as a short-term project, it became something more enduring. Over time, the house has been reworked to establish a clear flow from front to back, with living spaces opening to a sheltered courtyard and a garden framed by established trees.
The approach is measured. Key elements were retained and refined, while new work — including a bedroom wing and connecting corridor — extends the plan without disrupting its scale. Materials are used with restraint: walnut, stainless steel, concrete and ply, detailed to be robust, warm and quietly expressive.
There’s a practical intelligence running throughout. Joinery is largely custom, storage is integrated, and spaces have been shaped to support daily life — from the way light moves through the living areas to the more flexible zones that can shift between work, studio or retreat.
What stands out is the consistency. This is not a collection of moments, but a home that has been carefully resolved as a whole.
For those wanting a deeper read of the thinking behind it, the original Homestyle feature captures the full story.
Now coming to market, it offers a considered piece of architecture — one that has been tested by living, and holds up.
MAIN IMAGE The dried display above the built-in cabinet in the dining area was created by Mark Antonia for the couple’s wedding. The blue vessel below it is by Neil Castle and the bowl is by Dinosaur Designs. ABOVE Cedar sliders open onto a courtyard where the garapa steps are intended to double as seating. The exterior of the home is painted Resene Double Black White.
ABOVE With towering totara and rimu on the neighbouring land on one side and a gorgeous maple on the other, outside the scene was set for greatness. Everything has grown like mad in soil that was formerly part of a market garden, including the olive and citrus trees along the front fence.
ABOVE In the kitchen — off which a small scullery contains appliances and a coffee machine — a stainless steel shelf holds a Japanese teapot and cups the couple received as a gift, a basket by Ruth Castle, and a mortar and pestle and rice bowls from Everyday Needs. The custom-designed mobile island unit can be moved around as the occasion requires; the artwork beside it is by the couple’s friend James Tolich.
ABOVE Highlights in the dining space include Bush Forms artworks by Maria’s mum Kieran Taylor, a stoneware pendant light by Adam Cornish from Cult and a set of stackable Bo chairs by Philippe Starck that’ll be bulletproof during George’s toddler years.
ABOVE Maria’s parents’ old leather sofa has become a viewing platform for George. “He likes to sit here and watch the comings and goings on the street,” she says. The modular Arcade sofa by Simon James was an investment purchase. Above it hangs New Moon to Waxing Gibbous by Kate van der Drift from Sanderson.
ABOVE The Lundia shelves in George’s bedroom were customised with Resene Tiara and the Akari light sculpture by Noguchi was a fortunate find on eBay.
ABOVE With the sliding doors to the bedrooms closed and those to the courtyard open, the indoor-outdoor connection is extended.
TOP Woven works by Ruth Castle and an AJ table lamp by Arne Jacobsen from Derlook contrast with neutral bed linen from Città in the master bedroom, which has a walk-in wardrobe and an ensuite. ABOVE Beyond the floating tawa stairs between the original home and the extension is the renovated main bathroom, in which a wall-hung sink was used to maximise space. Maria designed the bathrooms’ mirror units: half is a cabinet, while in the other half the mirror is recessed to form a walnut shelf.
ABOVE Late-afternoon light floods into the ensuite, making the Appiani mosaic tiles from Artedomus glow, while the decked floor lends this space a holiday feel. Also seen here is M&Z Sanremo tapware from Franklins and towels by Baina.
EXTERIOR Bungalow Upholstery finished the squabs in this concrete entertainment zone located near the flowering cherry trees at the extreme edge of the property. A gift from a friend, the fire bowl gets regular use all year round. ABOVE The couple designed this pergola (along with an almost invisible steel beam support) to provide shade for the kitchen.
