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This three-bedroom holiday home on Waiheke Island by MacKay Curtis is designed to maximize sun, views, and opportunities for outdoor living. The ground-floor living area is enclosed with glass, while the bedrooms and bathrooms are housed in a timber-clad box. Sliding glass doors open the living area to the deck, which overlooks Mawhitipana Bay.

The Climate Barn floor plan

In the shower, the Japanese porcelain tiles are all a slightly different finish, creating a shimmering effect. "It feels like movement," says Andrew.

At the entry, a hidden walnut cabinet provides a place to keep wallets, keys, phones, and other distractions, signaling that the home is a place of relaxation.

A close-up of the kitchen's custom cabinetry, white quartz countertop and backsplash, and black metal open shelving

“I’ve done shelves in front of windows here and there throughout my life,” says Lanigan, who grew up in a hippie commune in the ‘70s, where plants were always hanging in the windows. “I grew up in a geodesic dome my parents built. That organic ‘70s design is very much a touchstone for me.” Beside nostalgia, this choice offers extra accessible shelving and blocks a boring driveway view while still letting in light.

The countertop is a custom Concrete Collaborative terrazzo, and the colored flecks nod to the wall tiles.

“The kitchen feels like a European coffee shop,” says Kirsten. “The way they were able to open up walls and maximize views was really exciting.” Nani Maquina stone wraps the island.

Paul’s favourite spot to stand is in the kitchen looking west through the dining room windows, “I turn my head to the right and see the ‘Mr. Miagi’ tree.” The other direction, he can see through the glass to the living room where Anna Siem’s large painting hangs.

Local artist John Bisbee created a decorative screen out of nails for the end of the base cabinet. Stuart built the drawers using traditional wood-on-wood slides and proportionally spaced dovetails, which operate differently in summer and winter. “Those idiosyncrasies effect the way you interact with it,” Stuart notes. “The kitchen is experiential in that way.”

While the facade favors privacy, clear cedar was used on the entryway to create a warmer welcome.

Architect Ignacio Urquiza explains that in Valle de Bravo, everyone has two living rooms, an interior and exterior. “You spend the whole year in the exterior because of the weather, even if it’s raining. All the interior spaces become abandoned. We wanted to erase the interior one. With the design of the windows, it would turn into the exterior façade. That was an important part of the project.”

In the remodel, Lotz reoriented the pool and added multiple outdoor spaces, such as a covered terrace with the braai, as well as an outdoor dining table with built-in seating.

Modern larch interior woodwork combines with retro furniture and lighting pieces.

Aya Amornpan, who co-owns and manages three restaurants, in her dream home kitchen. Behind her is the refrigerator and wine fridge.

Oak parquet restores the apartment’s original historic charm to the hallway while setting a warm and bright tone upon entering.

The black paint on the exterior timber cladding is similar to “falu red”, a permeable red paint commonly used on wooden cottages and barns in Sweden, Finland, and Norway. The paint consists of water, rye flour, linseed oil, silicates, iron oxides, copper compounds, and zinc. When it is time to repaint the house, the old paint is simply brushed or scrubbed away.