Into place
Collaboration and craftsmanship define an award-winning Christchurch home built by Hallmark Homes for a couple freshly arrived in Aotearoa.
WORDS Kathy Young PHOTOGRAPHY Canvas Media & Itch
The homeowners wanted a quality, bespoke home, which includes the thermally broken windows and the striking front door by First Windows & Doors.
The journey behind this home began in the United Kingdom, where homeowners Chamal and Nick were dreaming of coming to New Zealand to be closer to family and to live their best possible lives.
The couple had only visited Aotearoa once before, as tourists in 2019, but had decided from there they wanted to make it their home. Chamal moved to Otautahi Christchurch in January 2023, and secured employment while Nick was still living and working in Surrey, near London. Nick took the opportunity of distance to start the search for a section to build on.
“We knew we wanted to build from scratch,” says Nick. “I was studying Google Maps from Surrey and Chamal was looking for sections and subdivisions on the ground. A real estate agent friend pointed us towards the Oakbridge subdivision. The tipping point came when Chamal visited the Hallmark Homes show home in Oakbridge. I remember my phone buzzing so much in Surrey as Chamal sent me photos and videos of what he had discovered. He called and said, ‘That’s it. I’ve found our builder in Hallmark Homes. Now we just need to find the section.’”
Oakbridge’s third release of the subdivision delivered a 510sqm corner site that was perfect for the couple. “We loved its privacy, orientation and all-day sun,” says Nick. The front of the house faces east while the main living, dining and garden face north. Though the address sits within a cul-de-sac, driveway access from the main street preserves extra privacy.
The couple’s decision to build wasn’t made lightly. Existing properties on the market didn’t fit how the pair wanted to live. “We love cooking, entertaining, art and gardening, so building allowed us to create a home around our lifestyle rather than adapting ourselves to someone else’s design.”
Their brief to Hallmark Homes was ambitious, outlining a highly specified, single-level entertainer’s home. Elegant, technologically advanced and easy to maintain were also vital elements of the brief. “We also wanted a cathedral ceiling to create real drama inside the light-filled living area, and we wanted a dedicated master wing, complete with a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite opening onto its own private patio, plus a double office.”
Specialising in custom kitchen joinery, Finesse Joinery created an award-winning kitchen to meet the homeowners’ requirements for entertaining space, storage and panache.
Maestro Electrical was responsible for the full electrical installation, including the security, heating and home ventilation systems.
The subtle warmth of the Evolve Silver bathroom tiles work in harmony with the marble vein of the Delux Pandora tiles to create a standout room. Both styles are from Tilemax.
Hallmark Homes set to work designing this custom home and started construction in May 2024. By December 2024, the home was ready for Nick and Chamal to move into.
The kitchen is the central hub of the home. It’s elegantly dark, dressed in marble and rich cabinetry, with a suite of high-end appliances. The scullery keeps the space clutter-free. It’s no surprise then that the kitchen went on to win the 2025 Master Joiners national award for the best kitchen in its category ($30,000- $50,000). “The kitchen is the emotional heart of the house,” says Nick. “It combines beautiful design with practicality and entertaining, and it’s where people naturally gather.”
That same custom joinery carries through the double study, laundry, walk-in wardrobe and bespoke bathroom vanities. Gunmetal finishes on hinges, handles and tapware add consistency throughout, while the living room’s soaring walls house a fireplace with a large- screen television recessed neatly above it – bold enough for entertaining and cosy enough for a quiet night in.
Art threads through most rooms in the home, much of it painted by Chamal himself. “They make the home deeply personal and ensure it tells our story,” says Nick.
The Resene Rockcote Integra product with a Cerano Finish in NM Grey, followed by Half NM Grey, was installed by Christchurch Exterior Plastering for a distinctive, modern feel.
Landscape construction specialist Greenara played an integral role in bringing the outdoor spaces to life, completing hard landscaping, soft landscaping, lawn establishment, garden bed preparation, decks, fire pit, sculptural garden feature and more. Greenara’s flexibility and close collaboration with the clients were crucial to the project.
Lorraine Parry at LP Garden Design completed the landscape and planting design, continuing in the same spirit of collaboration that defines the house build. Every plant was carefully positioned on site by Lorraine before planting was completed by the homeowners’ family and friends over a weekend.
Sustainability and comfort were also non-negotiables for this home: ducted heating and air conditioning were installed in every room with individual room controls, thermally broken double glazing was standard, and an insulated garage door was installed. The fully connected smart home lets the couple control lighting, appliances, climate, spa and irrigation (plus alarms and cameras) from their phones, wherever they are. “The technology is extensive, but it sits quietly in the background,” says Nick.
Outside a louvred pergola shelters patio dining from the elements. “We wanted an outdoor sanctuary for entertaining that would also welcome birds, bees and biodiversity,” Nick says.
This build was very much a collaborative effort, with Nick and Chamal working closely with project managers Chris and Debbie from Hallmark Homes.
“It’s been a fabulous project for Hallmark Homes,” says Paddy, general manager at Hallmark Homes. “Since Nick and Chamal moved in at the end of 2024, the accolades have kept coming, with a Regional Gold award and Category Winner award (in the $750,000-$1million category) at the 2026 Master Builders House of the Year awards. It was a delight to work with these clients, due to their collaborative nature and trust in our processes.”
Nick is equally complimentary of the Hallmark Homes team, saying, “They never treated us merely as first-time builders. They listened, challenged us when necessary, educated us and gave us the confidence to create something deeply personal.” Long after handover, messages kept arriving from the tradespeople who had worked on the build, congratulating them on their home. “Those messages meant almost as much to us as the trophies this home has picked up,” Nick says. “The home was never simply our creation. It belonged to everyone who understood and believed in the vision. We walked in as clients and walked out as family.”
For two newcomers who arrived in New Zealand seeking a fresh start, this home became something far more than four walls and some well-deserved awards. It became, in Nick’s words, the place “where our New Zealand story truly began.”
Involved in this project
BUILDER
Hallmark Homes
0508 442 556
hallmarkhomes.co.nz
INTERIOR DESIGN
Sandalwood Design
027 555 3632
sandalwooddesign.co.nz
EXTERIOR PLASTER CLADDING
Resene Construction Systems
Christchurch Exterior Plastering
027 223 7614
christchurchexteriorplastering.co.nz
WINDOWS & DOORS
First Windows & Doors
03 375 0700
firstwindows.co.nz
BATHROOM TILES
Tilemax
03 343 3893
tilemax.co.nz
KITCHEN JOINERY & BENCHTOP
Finesse Joinery
03 352 3457
finessejoinery.co.nz
ELECTRICAL & DUCTED HEATING
Maestro Electrical
027 3301 263
maestroelectrical.co.nz
LANDSCAPING
Greenara Limited
027 860 5111
greenara.nz
LANDSCAPE DESIGN
LP Garden Design
021 206 0090
lpgardendesign.nz
