INTERIORS - Project by Di Henshall
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This home’s muted yet luxurious interiors form the perfect backdrop to spectacular picture-postcard views. A remarkable P erched on an impossibly steep hillside above Lake Wakatipu in Queenstown, New Zealand, this vast five-bedroom home stands in celebration of its majestic, 180-degree views of glacial waters and snow- capped Remarkables. Designed by Mason & Wales architect Francis Whitaker and built by Triple Star, the glass-fronted abode hugs the contours of the hillside, its strong horizontal planes allowing the spectacular view to be enjoyed from within almost every room. Throughout the interiors, swathes of rustic stonework and timber intersect with luxurious textiles, sculptural architecture and bespoke furniture. Every single detail and design element – from the placement of artworks to the colour of the window frames – was painstakingly planned by HIA member Di Henshall, owner of Australian design and build consultancy Di Henshall Interior Design, together with her client. ‘This house has one of the most awesome views in New Zealand, and I didn’t want anything to detract from that’ From the climate-controlled wine cellar and bar, right through to the expansive kitchen and living spaces, the interiors are a study in subdued glamour; the palette deliberately understated to heighten the sparkling drama of the mountain vistas. ‘The fact is, this house has one of the most awesome views in New Zealand, and I didn’t want anything to detract from that,’ Di explains. The ambitious project took two years from concept to completion, and Di was involved every step of the way. New Zealand may seem a long way from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, where Di’s business is based, but her client-focused approach and technical flair made her a natural fit for the project. ‘I’d worked with the client on several projects here in Australia,’ she explains. ‘We collaborate well … we challenge each other’s thoughts and ideas and then what comes out in the end is usually the perfect solution for everybody concerned.’ As a qualified builder and designer, and 2016 winner of HIA Professional Woman of the Year (QLD), Di expertly navigates the line between 48 HOUSING MARCH 2018
THE COLOUR SCHEME – A BLEND OF PALE NEUTRALS, BROWNS AND GREYS – DRAWS INTERIORS DIRECTLY FROM THE SURROUNDING LANDSCAPE soften with luxurious textiles practical and whimsy. With nearly 30 years’ ceiling glazing, meant there was a risk of the interiors experience, she is completely unfazed by logistical feeling sparse and exposed. ‘To make something of obstacles and challenges. In this instance, her that size feel homely is a challenge in itself.’ brief was to create a cosy, welcoming home for a However, thanks to the clever layering of natural ‘young, very energetic family’. finishes and textures, the living spaces are imbued The client wanted a home that can be enjoyed in with warmth and an easy-going elegance. New all seasons – from the sub-zero winters to the long, Zealand-grown plantation timber cladding, stained to lazy days of summer; a home that encapsulates a soft, lightly weathered-looking shade of grey-brown, both intimate family life as well as large-scale underpins the interior palette. An assortment of entertaining. Aesthetically, the client specified a luxurious textiles and plush furnishings serve to further particular ‘restrained luxury’, with an emphasis on soften the home’s more severe geometric form. high-end, natural finishes. ‘My client has very definite ideas and one of ‘To make something of that size feel them was that he’s got a pattern phobia,’ Di says. homely is a challenge in itself.’ ‘So I had to be very careful that I could still create something that was interesting by placing an emphasis on texture rather than motifs.’ ‘Linen and wool and velvets, some silk, we even With 879 square metres of internal space and used a bit of fur, leather; all sorts of textures,’ says Di. a further 345 square metres of outdoor living, The colour scheme – a blend of pale neutrals, the home’s expansive rooms are almost equal in browns and greys – draws directly from the grandeur to the surrounding mountain range. surrounding landscape. ‘Whenever I do any Di Henshall: 2016 HIA It’s one of the largest residential projects that Di has job, I look at the topography of the place, the Professional Woman of ever worked on, and she says the immense scale of architectural intent, where it is, what it’s looking at,’ the Year (QLD) the three-storey building, coupled with the floor-to- Di explains. ‘This house is literally pinned back to 50 HOUSING MARCH 2018
Schist stacked volcanic stone LIGHTING TO CREATE INTIMACY, HIGHLIGHT DETAILS & DEFINE SPACES layering of natural finishes & textures solid rock, so there’s a lot of earthy tones in there and standard lamps to create intimacy, highlight that blend in with the mountain itself.’ architectural details and visually define the spaces While Di was careful to avoid the cliched ski lodge within the home. look, the home is quintessentially New Zealand in Di Henshall Interior Design provides a turnkey character, and showcases locally-sourced materials design and installation service, with custom- and building techniques. The extensive use of schist designed cabinetry and furniture manufactured at stonework, for example, echoes the rocky form of the company’s factory in Noosaville. Di is hands-on the surrounding environment. with all her projects, and says that coordinating the ‘Schist is basically a stacked volcanic stone, design and construction from across the Tasman usually laid using a very thick mortar,’ Di explains. did pose a number of logistical difficulties. Used in this instance both on the exterior of the ‘We shipped over 120 cubic metres of furniture home and the fireplace surrounds that dominate and cabinetry from Australia. It was technically either end of the open-plan living space, the stone challenging and physically challenging – we had to delivers a rustic, time-worn appeal – the perfect unpack and assemble every one of those 120 cubic foil to the building’s geometric architecture and metres in a very short timeframe. But it was such a contemporary styling. thrill to see it all come together.’ Mood, ambience and spatial zoning are all fine- And the reaction? ‘They love what we’ve done... tuned with what Di considers one of a designer’s The client has told me that when they step into most powerful tools – lighting. ‘Lighting can be one the home, they breathe out, it makes them feel so of the greatest challenges but when done well, it can relaxed. They also love that it’s the sort of house take the interiors to the next level,’ she says. ‘Because that feels wonderful to be in, whether there’s only of the size of this home, it was incredibly important.’ two people at home or you’ve got a party of 50 In this instance, she employed a combination going on.’ of uplights, feature lighting, downlights, pendants www.dihenshall.com.au MARCH 2018 HOUSING 51
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