A place in the sun
A very special project was designed by Kate Rogan and Eva Nash of Rogan Nash Architects in Auckland: Eva’s own family home.
WORDS Cassie Doherty PHOTOGRAPHY Simon Wilson
The longtime friendship and working relationship of Kate Rogan and Eva Nash is clearly evident in everything they do. Dual directors of Rogan Nash Architects in Tāmakimakaurau Auckland, they know each other well and work collaboratively on every aspect of every project.
They have even taken on the challenge of designing their own personal family homes together – more than once. This time, it was for a two-storey double-gabled home in Westmere for Eva, her husband and their two school-aged children.
Thoughtful details matter to Rogan Nash. They consider form, function and the practicalities of the day-to-day, and the homes they design are intended to be truly lived in. For Eva’s home, that meant two key priorities.
Number one is sunshine. “I’ve discovered over the years that the afternoon sunlight is actually really important to me feeling happy,” she says. So gable windows and large doors in the living area face northwest, welcoming in pools of sunlight and filtering it through soft linen curtains.
Multiple elements in the house further play with the light. There’s adjustable shade for outdoor living in the form of a pergola with a louvre roof, and privacy screens on upstairs windows, that are perforated to allow dappled sun. An oak screen on the stairwell creates patterns of sunlight through the centre of the house.
The idea of warmth is then expanded, says Eva. “That natural, earthy feeling is replicated through the materials used inside, such as the timber oak floor.” There are plush furnishings, moody marbles, and rich colours like rusts, caramels and mossy greens that make the house both contemporary and cosy.
A louvre roof on the outdoor area was an easy choice for homeowner Eva Nash of Rogan Nash Architects, who wanted to prioritise full control of sun and shade. “Outdoor living is really important to us,” she says. The custom louvre roof system was designed, fabricated and installed by EXO Louvre Systems, as were the home’s perforated panel shades and screens. All were powder coated in Dulux Matt Slate.
Timber flooring is Feature grade Moda European Oak in Capri, the warm blonde colourway enhancing the sunny feel of the home. It has a high-performance UV lacquer, perfect in this environment, and is by Forté.
The kitchen is the heart of the home for this family, a place to gather and entertain. The natural stone benchtops here and in the bathrooms were sourced and installed by Auckland specialists Italian Stone and add to the organic elemental feel Eva loves.
Muuro is an interior wall and ceiling wood veneer panelling collection designed by Forté, installed in the master bedroom in the Fresco colour.
Colours are repeated elements throughout the home, all beautifully referenced in the wallpaper in the powder room. It is Green Wall 02 by UK designer Osborne & Little, from Allium Interiors in Newmarket.
The second priority for Eva is her large extended family. The kitchen is at the heart of the home to allow for the natural congregation that inevitably happens. “That’s really important to the way that our family works,” she says. “It had to be a central hub. I was wanting to create a house that could be for everybody, so people could just call in and always feel welcome. The door’s always open; bring your children, come and hang out.”
The wide, curved island bench invites plenty of seating – gatherings are all about good food – and the open-plan space flows to the outdoor barbecue area and garden.
Kate has seen many big get-togethers at Eva’s, and, as a parent herself, she also knows how vital it is to provide breakaway spaces for all family members while still staying connected. She dubs the concept “together alone”. Hence, like Kate’s house, Eva’s has a quiet snug off the living area. In here is a nod to the family feel Eva wants; displayed on the wall is a needlepoint created by her grandmother.
The house is on a corner site, in a busy city-fringe neighbourhood. Among a mixture of contemporary and heritage homes, this house reflects both, and its two-gabled forms step down the sloped site so the scale doesn’t overwhelm the street.
The function is finely attuned to the family’s needs. In one gable form is the laundry, two bedrooms, a bathroom and the snug with an acoustic ceiling. Upstairs is the master suite, a spare bedroom and a home office – modestly sized because it’s rare for either of the couple to work from home.
The other side of the house holds the double-height great room, and the kitchen connects the two forms. Every inch of functionality has been carved from the site: underneath the house is a garage, and there’s a service courtyard, a laundry deck and a gated area for the family dog.
The Rogan Nash approach is a winning formula: the house was shortlisted in the 2024 Inside: Residential category at the World Architecture Festival, and gained a Bronze Best Award for Residential Interior Architecture.
Together, Kate and Eva have perfectly captured the glow of warm afternoons with family and friends to make this house a home.
Involved in this project
ARCHITECTS
Rogan Nash Architects
09 361 2548
rogannash.com
WALLPAPER
Allium Interiors
09 524 4242
alliuminteriors.co.nz
WOODEN FLOORING
Forté
0508 35 66 77
forte.co.nz
SCREENS & LOUVRES
EXO Louvre Systems
0800 396 568
exolouvre.co.nz
STONE BENCHES
Italian Stone
09 827 8633
italianstone.co.nz
