Article by Your Home and Garden

A family of former city dwellers has found tranquil respite in a bush retreat with lovely sea views

In a nutshell

Who lives here?
Sarah Cutler (architect), Declan Ryan (architectural draughtsman), Nat, Finn, and Bonnie the labrador.

What do you love most about your home? Sarah:
“We love the view, the privacy and living close to nature.”

What is one piece of advice you’d give to someone who’s renovating?
Always expect something to go wrong and that it will cost more than you anticipate. With this in mind, be prepared for a stressful but rewarding experience.

How helpful was having you and your husband’s architectural backgrounds?
Very helpful but, of course, very different to completing work for a client as you are more emotionally involved in the project.

Style Tips

In keeping. By respecting the design integrity of your home – a pared-back modernist style in this case – you can create a cohesive renovation and interior that holds its place in the present.
Investment piece. With kitchens being central to contemporary living and connected to other areas of the home, it’s worth investing in quality finishings for key pieces, such as the stone-clad kitchen island.
Colour code. If you are reluctant to introduce colour to the walls, which are predominantly cement plaster in this home, it can be used to great effect in soft furnishings, lighting, stand-out decor pieces and art.

Words by Catherine Steel. Photography by Helen Bankers.

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The recessed study is ideal as it doesn’t intrude into the living space and can be tucked away behind sliding doors.

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The stone-clad kitchen island is an investment piece and a focal point. The overhead kitchen cabinet doors are orange textured glass
up-cycled from
the conservatory.

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The dining table in the open-plan kitchen and living space is strategically placed to make the most
of the views.

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The tall, modernist-style block-work structure is a comfortable fit in its bush setting.

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Sarah and Declan love waking up to the stunning views through the generous glazing in their bedroom, which they’ve dressed in calming, neutral tones.

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By contrast, the boys shared bedroom features a bright blue wall and bursts of colour in the furnishing and their own artwork.

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Sarah Cutler and her husband Declan Ryan in the kitchen of their west Auckland home with their sons
Finn (left) and Nat.

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By contrast, the boys shared bedroom features a bright blue wall and bursts of colour in the furnishing and their own artwork.

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The stairs lead to views from the lounge, the bedrooms (the main with an ensuite) and a bathroom.

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While the top level of the home floats among the tree tops, the lower level leads to the garden, which Sarah and Declan plan to pave and kit out with a fire pit for entertaining.