Stage two was to design a mini Mrs Doubtfire’s house to sit eloquently adjacent to the beautiful Oaks planted by the Deans family surrounding the iconic Riccarton House.
First came the demolition of a 1950s two storeyed Summerhill stone house that had for most of its life been a notorious student flat coined the Titoki Tavern. Stage two was to design a mini Mrs Doubtfire’s house to sit eloquently adjacent to the beautiful Oaks planted by the Deans family surrounding the iconic Riccarton House.
Ray Hawthorne draw up the concept and did a fabulous job of making the house’s proportions sit comfortably on the site. The house needed to look delicate, so Resene Sonyx 101 semi-gloss waterborne paint in Resene Silver Chalice paint, with Resene Black White soffits, was chosen for the exterior. The shape and form of the house exudes grandeur; it was critical to continue this in the interior design. Resene Silver Chalice was also brought indoors onto the fireplace surround.
The front door was finished in Resene Black full gloss to make the decorative glass and mouldings in the front door stand out. It is also considered very good feng shui to have a black front door as it is the ‘mouth of the house’.
The use of old school metal mediums in light switches and cabinetry hardware area on the interior meant that a fairly neutral palette was required in the main living spaces but in the more formal areas wallpapers were selected to make these spaces pop!
The Resene Alabaster family links from room to room with selected interior walls and mouldings in Resene Zylone Sheen in full Resene Alabaster, ceilings in Resene Quarter Alabaster and doors and skirting in Resene Lusta-Glo semi-gloss enamel in Resene Double Alabaster. Resene Double Sea Fog selected for the kitchen cabinetry makes the kitchen look sleek but Victorian at the same time. Resene Tea painted in the downstairs bedroom has a distinct Moroccan feel coupled with the use of other materials in the space.
Resene paint effects on the stairwell wall gives a three dimensional look to the wall, using Resene Parchment, Resene Cest La Vie and Resene Double Joss, replicating the look of a distressed wall in a French Castle interior.
There is a large upstairs room that is the roof space of the turret. It is treated with a design using beams to highlight the shape of the roof without lowering the stud height, all painted in Resene Alabaster.
Down the back of the property another structure was built to house a 1939 Ford Pick Up Truck. The use of the old recycled brick look wallpaper pattern paired with the stained plywood creates a retro man cave, perfect for this hot rod. The bathroom is painted Resene Lustacryl Kitchen & Bathroom in Resene Concrete, while the low sheen Resene Lumbersider Black on the man cave ceiling rafters completes the ruggedness of the mancave space and gives it masculinity.
Architectural specifier: Ray Hawthorne; Sarah Lassche-Jones, Designer Interiors
Building contractor: Huggins Builders
Deck design/construction: Williams Elvidge
Decorative cornice and fire surround: Plaster Art/LED Mouldings
Lighting: Moot Electrical; Murano Lighting Plus
Fence design/construction: Town & Country Fences
Garden design and planting: Hailley Lam, Southern Woods
Painting contractor: Daniel Huggins Builders
Planting Irrigation and lawns: Total Lawn Services
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2018
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