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Collection by Allie Weiss

House of the Week: Indoor-Outdoor New Zealand Getaway

Every week, we highlight one amazing Dwell home that went viral on Pinterest. Follow Dwell's Pinterest account for more daily design inspiration.

Our fans loved this modern version of the New Zealand "bach" house. The structure consists of two rectangular, cedar-clad pavilions of different lengths, connected by a walkway that is permeable to the elements.

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The building is wrapped in a skin of silvery grey western red cedar. There are no windows visible from the street. The front door is a simple, sliding panel of fiberglass sheeting.
The building is wrapped in a skin of silvery grey western red cedar. There are no windows visible from the street. The front door is a simple, sliding panel of fiberglass sheeting.
The living area is designed for entertaining. On sunny days, the glass walls slide back so it’s totally open. The semi-opaque screen can also be opened to catch the last rays of the setting sun. At night and in poor weather, the whole assembly closes up, the laminated sliding doors sealing out drafts and locking in the day’s warmth. As is typical for a bach like this, the owners have used inexpensive furnishings; in this case, second-hand bar stools and generic paper shades.
The living area is designed for entertaining. On sunny days, the glass walls slide back so it’s totally open. The semi-opaque screen can also be opened to catch the last rays of the setting sun. At night and in poor weather, the whole assembly closes up, the laminated sliding doors sealing out drafts and locking in the day’s warmth. As is typical for a bach like this, the owners have used inexpensive furnishings; in this case, second-hand bar stools and generic paper shades.
High clerestory windows provide light over the indoor kitchen, with its Gaboon ply cabinets and joinery designed by the architects. Given the lack of a central power system on the island, Herbst Architects designed the kitchen on the premise that less is more, deliberately keeping appliances to a bare minimum. The fridge and oven run on gas, and a solar energy system supplies limited lighting.
High clerestory windows provide light over the indoor kitchen, with its Gaboon ply cabinets and joinery designed by the architects. Given the lack of a central power system on the island, Herbst Architects designed the kitchen on the premise that less is more, deliberately keeping appliances to a bare minimum. The fridge and oven run on gas, and a solar energy system supplies limited lighting.