Modern sophistication melds with rustic charm in this rural Canterbury home, built by Shore Construction and designed by NB Architects.

WORDS Kathy Young PHOTOGRAPHY Lightforge Photography

The homeowners knew from the start of this project that they wanted Timaru bluestone for part of the exterior cladding of the home. Supplied by Timaru Bluestone, the natural local stone anchors the home beautifully in its place.

Transforming an empty paddock into the site of a forever home can bring a mix of excitement and challenge. With an expansive 30-hectare property and virtually no spatial limitations, these homeowners were presented with boundless opportunity and also the daunting task of deciding where to actually begin – a dilemma many would envy.

After selling their original farmhouse, the couple set out to build a sanctuary they could cherish for years to come. With their adult children and grandchildren living close by, they envisioned a home that would capture the sweeping views, while thoughtful landscaping would provide privacy from their former residence and frame their new beginnings.

“Our mission is always to listen to our clients,” says Leon Browning, principal architect at NB Architects, “and in this case, the clients wanted a lodge-like retreat that draws from the rugged rural character of South Canterbury. The inspiration for the design of this home began with the homeowner’s response to the Timaru Ambulance building,” he says. “They liked that textured look of the Timaru bluestone, and so this became the cornerstone of the project’s design and construction. It was nice to be able to work with a local stone.”

This natural stone defined the aesthetic direction for everything that followed. “We paired it with Abodo timber cladding, in both darker-stained weatherboards on the exterior and lighter timber on the soffits and ceilings.” The combination of these materials almost hints of an American lodge-like sensibility, with the dark wood and rumbled stone sitting equally well here as among towering pine trees.

And it really works. The 390sqm home’s gabled form, with its full-height triangular glass walls at each end, floods the interior with natural light. Above the kitchen, the windows draw in plenty of sunshine, and the timber ceilings create a cohesive warmth throughout. “The raked timber ceilings create a generous sense of height and light that opens the living spaces to the north,” says Leon. “These areas extend seamlessly onto terraces that capture sunlight throughout the day and frame long views across the surrounding countryside.”

At the heart of the four-bedroom home lies a covered courtyard – a sheltered outdoor room that serves as the family’s central gathering space. “It offers a sense of enclosure and calm while allowing the changing light, air and seasonal atmosphere to permeate the interior.”

The kitchen vision has been brought to life by Barrett Joinery, blending style and functionality with dark wood panelling and cupboards as a contrast to the light benchtop.
The feature lights in the kitchen above the benchtop from Mr Ralph Lighting create a statement and also provide functional lighting.

Nick Shore, director at Shore Construction, worked with his team and the homeowners to bring these features into reality. “We loved working with the bolstered bluestone walls of the Timaru bluestone,” says Nick. “It’s an incredible material that was all hand-laid and hand-finished. It adds to that sense of hunkering it down on the land. Plus, it works really well with the timber cladding to create that modern farmhouse feel.”

The homeowners also wanted to include a nod to the industrial aesthetic, and so the exposed steel portal frames and rafters in the living room provide this drama. “The exposed structural steel elements really allowed us to show off our construction skills,” says Nick.

Where the architectural drawings left room for interpretation, Nick and the team provided tailored suggestions that improved functionality, comfort and flow. “Thanks to our experience, we can ensure the home not only looks exceptional, but it also supports the way the clients want to live.”

“We’ve custom made some aluminium sliding doors, for example, designed to mimic old steel,” says Nick. “These bring a distinct urban vibe to the home, and allow the homeowners to close off areas [for example, the media room and entry area] without creating isolation.” It’s an elegant solution to the problem of wanting both openness and privacy.

Perhaps the most significant challenge in the construction of the home was one of abundance rather than limitation. With a large farm shed built behind the home, Nick had to ensure the home didn’t look like an afterthought to the agricultural infrastructure. Hence, there was a need for thoughtful landscaping and clever site development. “We worked with the homeowners to create a raised platform for the home, incorporating rock landscaping walls that gives the impression of the home sitting on its own elevated stage,” says Nick.

The carefully shaped driveway and a landscaped rock mound provide the visual separation that was needed between the domestic and farm buildings. “When you’ve got plenty of land, you don’t have boundaries telling you where to stop,” says Nick. “It’s actually harder than working with restrictions. You have to really think about positioning, focal points and creating definition where none exists naturally.”

His approach involved pegging out the footprint and standing with the homeowners in the location of the future living room and kitchen to identify any focal points, and adjusting from there. Every element was considered and reconsidered.

Nick and his team were involved in all aspects of the build, beyond just the construction, to include working with the homeowners to make the countless decisions, such as carpet selection and decking specifications. The result is a home that feels both rustic and refined, familiar and distinctive. “It’s more than a house; it’s a home shaped by partnership, built with care, and designed to be lived in and loved for generations,” says Nick.

As Leon says, “This home balances solidity with openness, and texture with light. It’s a brilliant contemporary expression of rural architecture that feels timeless and deeply connected to its place.”

For Nick, the pride in this project is simple: “It sits beautifully within its environment. Our philosophy is to create a home that truly reflects our clients and the way they want to live. When it feels authentic to them, we know we’ve achieved something special.”