Elevated Comfort Meets Rugged Beauty

Clad in dark corrugate and nestled into the native hillside, this striking lakeside retreat in Ōkawa Bay is a masterclass in bold, contemporary design that honours its natural surroundings. Recently awarded Best Builder’s Own Home and awarded gold at the Master Builders House of the Year Awards, the home is as much a personal statement as it is a feat of craftsmanship.

The architecture is uncompromising and intentional—40-degree gabled forms step confidently down the site, mirroring the rugged terrain and settling effortlessly into the landscape. Designed as a relaxed yet refined holiday escape, the project was complex in its delivery. A private jetty, carefully contoured grounds, and extensive native planting required collaboration with Te Arawa Lakes Trust and multiple layers of council consents. But the result is remarkable: a pavilion-style home that not only looks at home here, but lives lightly on the land.

Inside, the palette leans into the surrounding environment, favouring natural textures and tactile materials—timber, marble, West Coast stone—and wool. Across the bedroom suites, Bremworth’s Samurai wool carpet in the colour Kawa brings a grounding softness to the otherwise robust material scheme. Inspired by handwoven textiles and crafted in New Zealand using 100% felted wool, Samurai brings a beautiful, dimensional texture underfoot—its earthy Kawa tone echoing the tones of the surrounding hillside.

This is a home that understands the value of both strength and softness. While the exterior celebrates drama and durability, the interiors reveal moments of calm and comfort. From the dry-stacked stone chimney to the crazy paving underfoot, every detail has been thoughtfully resolved. Add in solar power, stormwater harvesting, and high-performance glazing, and the home proves its environmental integrity as well as its design credentials.

Sleeping up to 16, with an outdoor kitchen, panoramic lake views, and interiors that invite deep relaxation, this holiday bolthole is as luxurious as it is low-impact—and with Bremworth’s Samurai underfoot, every step feels just right.

Architecture: Davista Architecture

Builder: Calley Homes

Interiors: Shaw Design