Blog Layout
The Courtyard House
WORDS Lucinda Diack IMAGES Kate Claridge

With a desire to incorporate expansive outdoor living areas and a swimming pool into the design of their new home, these North Canterbury homeowners and their designer were forced to think outside the box to achieve what they wanted.Building a new home comes with a list of wants and needs. And for these homeowners a pool and multiple outdoor living spaces were at the top of the list. However, their exposed building site forced a rethink around how to achieve this desired quintessential Kiwi way of living – with spectacular results.


With the decision made in 2008 to convert their sheep and beef farm to dairy came the requirement for more housing on this picturesque riverside property. ‘We needed another house,’ shares Jo, ‘and we didn’t want to build for someone else.’ Reflecting on the process and the dramatic change from a 1950s traditional weatherboard home nestled within sprawling farmland, to a contemporary design perched on top of the world, Jo and Dave couldn’t be happier, or prouder, of what they have achieved.


‘The [Hurunui] River has been a huge part of our lives,’ enthuses Dave, ‘so in order to be separate from the other buildings on the farm we opted to build up high and to make the most of the 360-degree views on offer.’ Jo relishes the fact that she can now look out across the paddocks from the kitchen table and spy Dave sneaking down to the river for a quick fish before heading home for the day.


‘Capturing the views was of paramount importance in the design,’ shares architectural designer Jason Higham. ‘So too was acceptance that such views were only afforded through a highly exposed position in a notoriously high wind area.’


With winds from all directions howling through the exposed ridgeline site, out-of-the-box thinking was required. ‘They had a clear idea of what spaces they wanted,’ continues Jason. ‘And it was exciting to not only be part of the process with them, but help translate their ideas into a unique, functional and aesthetically pleasing solution.’

The solution was an enclosed courtyard. From a bird’s-eye-view perspective, the house appears almost square in shape with the large courtyard and pool forming the centre of the design with the living areas and bedrooms wrapped around it. ‘The pool went in first,’ explains Jo. ‘And then the house was built around it. It is a simple design really, but perfectly suits our lifestyle and exceeded our expectations. Jason was great to work with and really understood what we wanted to achieve.’


‘Unseen on approach to the house, the private courtyard is dramatically revealed in a flood of natural light as you walk in the door,’ explains Jason. ‘Evoking a resort-like feel, it sports an in-ground swimming pool, spa pool, open fire, kitchen servery and an abundance of decking and greenery.’

A stark contrast to their previous farmhouse, the central open-plan kitchen/living/dining allows Jo, Dave and their three girls to interact in a way they hadn’t previously been able to. ‘The traditional design of our previous house meant each of the spaces were separate,’ explains Jo. ‘So we would often be in different rooms. Here, we are all able to be together but not on top of each other. I can be cooking, Dave at the table or in the living area and the girls in the pool – it has allowed for a sense of involvement in what we are all doing.’



A large home office and separate lounge down the eastern side of the home offers space in which to retreat should anyone need to. ‘We call this the kids’ lounge,’ shares Jo, ‘as it is a wonderful space for them to entertain their friends.’


The western wing of the house is home to the property’s four bedrooms and two bathrooms. An enviable mudroom-cum-laundry is the icing on the cake and a reminder of the home’s rural location and practical requirements.

For first-time builders, Jo and Dave had plenty of learnings along the way but delighted in the process. ‘We would absolutely do it again,’ shares Dave. ‘There are things we would do differently, but it was lots of fun.’


Jo agrees. ‘We learnt quickly to make decisions and to stick to them, and we have no regrets. We have been in the house for six years now and love living in it.’




Recent stories

A cookbook is sitting on top of a wooden stand on a kitchen counter.

How to Make an Adjustable Cookbook Stand

By Klaudia Krupa • May 22, 2024
With its sliding base, this stand can snugly hold any recipe card, tablet or cookbook – no matter how chunky or slim. Choose your favourite colours to ensure it is the perfect match for your kitchen or as a great gift idea. Plus, when it’s not in use, you can easily store both parts flat! What you need: 1 x 300 x 230 mm sheet of pine board, 18 mm thick (backboard) 1 x 300 x 150 mm sheet of pine board, 18 mm thick (baseboard) 1 x 120 mm pine dowel, 12 mm thick 2 x 40 mm pine dowels, 8 mm thick Drill and drill bits Drop saw Drop sheet Jigsaw or reciprocating saw Measuring tape Paintbrush and mini roller Resene testpots – we used Resene Gold Dust and Resene Apache Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel paint, tinted to your choice of colour – we used Resene Bokara Grey Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer Ruler Sandpaper Wood glue Step 1: Cut your wood to the sizes listed above. Step 2: Measure and mark out a 155 x 25 mm slot, positioned 40 mm up from the base of the backboard, as shown. Step 3: Drill a hole in each corner of the marked slot to give your saw a starting point. Then, use either a jigsaw or reciprocating saw to carefully cut out the slot. Step 4: Smooth out any rough edges with sandpaper. Step 5: To make the handle, drill two 8 mm holes in the 12 mm dowel. Each hole should be drilled three quarters of the way through the dowel, centred and positioned 20 mm from each end. Begin by drilling small pilot holes to guide the larger drill bit.
A dog is laying on a dog bed in a living room next to a couch.

Too Good to be True?

By Nathan Miglani • May 22, 2024
We are on the cusp of a once-in-a-decade influx of properties on the market. Nathan Miglani, Director of NZ Mortgages, explains. As we have discussed, in the aftermath of the election we saw immediate momentum in the market. Since March we have seen this start to drop as the reality of interest rates remaining high dampened buyers’ appetite. Petrol prices are high, the cost of living continues to increase and while the OCR is holding, and forecasted to hold for the next few months, people are hurting, which in turn sees the property market slow. But there is hope on the horizon – we are predicting that by September/October we will start to see interest rates slowly start to come down, but do not expect them to drop as quickly as they rose. We are seeing some banks offer as low as 5.99 per cent on a three-year loan, and while this might sound good now, my advice is still to only fix for a short term to avoid costly break fees. The most active market we are seeing right now is in the $800,000 – $1.3 million range with lots of buying and selling happening. This is set to ramp up come 1 July with the changes to the bright-line property rule when it comes to being taxed on capital gain – dropping from 10 years (or five years for a new build) to two. For many it will seem too good to be true, but it is! This is set to put in motion a once-in-a-decade influx of properties to the market from Mum-and-Dad investors who are currently hurting with the high interest rates, creating massive opportunity for both first home buyers and first-time investors. Other sectors of the market continue to feel the pinch and as an advocate and passionate developer it was important to me to be able to assist the construction sector, which sees the launch of our construction division, Construction Loans. This is for those who have decided to build their first home, right up to those developing a subdivision. It is about helping everyone achieve their goals – which underpins everything we do. For this sector, it is about ensuring that the finances are in order before it is too late. Arranging finance for building a property is different from securing finance on an existing home, and it is critical to consider the best way to structure repayments on the section and the build while maintaining lifestyle.  It is about empowering builders, developers and everyone to make informed decisions that work for their unique situations. There is no one size fits all, which is why it is imperative that you seek professional advice before it’s too late. We are here to help you avoid pitfalls.
A group of young boys are playing soccer on a field.

The Future of Happiness

By Dr Cheryl Doig • May 22, 2024
Dr Cheryl Doig explores why a holistic approach, when it comes to educating, parenting and governing should be considered. It’s a complex world that our young people are growing up in. Societal change, the impact of social media and technology are colliding with climate change, misinformation, disinformation, and warfare. Trust in governments has deteriorated and the world is more polarised. It’s no wonder wellbeing and happiness are such a focus in our schools, our homes and our businesses. The recent results from the 2024 Global Happiness Index showed that happiness in Aotearoa New Zealand has fallen significantly for all age groups, but by twice as much for the young as for the old. In 2021–2023, our young people were the least happy age group. Females under 30 have one-third more negative emotions than males. Our young people are not thriving. Contrast this with 2006–2010 results, when the young were happier than those in the midlife groups, and about as happy as those aged 60 and over. The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt provides some insight into what might be happening here. Haidt refers to our young people as ‘the anxious generation’ and outlines the following as contributing factors: Technology – constant connectedness and the facade of always appearing happy and successful on social media. The cult of safety – overprotective parents and risk aversion – not developing resilience nor the ability to cope with challenges. The loss of play – the decline of unstructured play and outdoor exploration, critical factors for social, emotional and cognitive development. The pressure to succeed – intense academic and extracurricular expectations. The loneliness epidemic – social isolation is more prevalent even though our children appear more ‘connected’. These are deep social issues that have no simple solution. What is needed is an holistic approach to parenting, educating and governing. A focus on literacy, numeracy and sciences alone is not going to lead to a wellbeing economy. Supportive relationships and acceptance of diversity matter more than ever. Creative and critical thinking, play and physical exercise cannot be forgotten. Futures thinking is one way of developing resilience, risk taking and autonomy, as it explores alternative world views and encourages anticipating a range of scenarios. Many of our teachers know this but struggle with the ever-changing pendulum swings of successive governments. They’re exhausted and not so happy in their work. Schools need that sense of community support. We are overdue for a bipartisan collective vision for education in order to create a future where our young people thrive, are hopeful and happy. It’s not all doom and gloom. We can make a positive difference! As parents, whānau and communities, my challenge to you is to consider one item from the bullet point list above. Lean into it and give your children a bit of space to be children and have joy in their lives. Don’t crowd them, cosset them and control them so much. Walk alongside and guide them. Let them learn from failure with you as their coach. Celebrate successes.
Share by: