Intentional design

Homeowners Sam and Candice approached Slate looking for a team who could guide both the architecture and construction under one roof. Slate Studio’s design team says, “Sam and Candice came to us wanting more than just a builder. They were looking for a team. They had a clear vision for a modern pavilion-style family home, but also a very real budget and some important functional requirements.”

Slate Studio and Slate Construction worked together shaping the design and build in tandem, balancing form, function and cost. It was a genuinely integrated process, working closely alongside the designers, engineers and the clients to ensure the architectural intent translated seamlessly into construction.

“Because we’re accustomed to working in a design-led environment, we were able to refine details in real time, protecting both the aesthetic vision and the practical build outcomes,” says the design team.

This long-term family home was designed around Sam and Candice’s love of entertaining, natural light, pavilion forms, strong indoor-outdoor flow and spaces that felt formal yet welcoming. The brief was for a functional, modern but simple family home that will work for years to come.

More specifically Sam and Candice wanted a pavilion-style home with a Queenstown and Wānaka influence. A 35-degree roof pitch where possible and plaster cladding with Abodo feature elements and a strong connection to the north-facing views and sun with high ceilings throughout. The design team was guided by the principle of intentional design. With nothing for show and everything for purpose.

The family frequently host more than 20 guests in their home on weekends. This heavily influenced the large lounge, generous open plan living and the large covered outdoor area with an open wood fire. Candice especially enjoys cooking, so the kitchen was a focal point.

The home spans approximately 352m² with five bedrooms, two ensuites plus a family bathroom and separate powder room. In addition to the lounge and open plan area is a large playroom and a dedicated office nook. It’s generous in scale, but cleverly broken into pavilions so it doesn’t feel overwhelming.

Accessibility was also thoughtfully considered. A close family member uses a wheelchair, so wider hallways and doorways with generously proportioned tiled showers were intentionally incorporated.

“Like most rural builds, there’s a layer of invisible complexity beneath the surface, but that’s where experience makes the difference,” says the Slate Studio design team. The site sits within a rural zone in Aokautere with specific consent conditions, no-build areas and setback requirements. The natural topography required careful planning to achieve, with correct floor level compliance appropriate stormwater discharge to the street, and integration of the driveway wrapping behind the home. Other considerations influencing the design were the high wind zone and rural infrastructure including water filtration and pump systems.

The exterior is clad in a Resene Rockcote Integra lightweight concrete facade system with Abodo Vulcan vertical shiplap and Hard as Rocks stone veneer. The covered alfresco space was essential for entertaining. It extends the living zone outward while providing shelter from prevailing winds and strong sun. The outdoor Jetmaster fireplace anchors the space, it’s built for long evenings and year-round use.

The kitchen was designed as the heart of the home. The elongated island allows seating for 4–5, creating a social edge while maintaining clear prep zones. A scullery provides secondary storage and keeps the primary space minimal and refined. Positioned near the entry and living zone, the office nook is compact but purposeful. It can be closed off, allowing work to sit adjacent to but separate from family life.

Construction ran approximately 10–12 months on site, with a core team of 2-3 carpenters managing most of the build, supported by specialist trades as required.

While not officially certified as Homestar or a Passive House, the performance envelope is strong and future-focused including high performance insulation and thermally broken joinery with Low-E glazing. A RibRaft insulated slab system is topped with underfloor heating in the tiled areas. Year-round warmth is ensured by a ducted 16kW heat pump system and mechanical ventilation systems.

The material and finish selections were carefully curated in collaboration with the homeowners to meet the brief for light and natural interiors. A neutral base palette was brought in with subtle tonal feature moments. Natural textures of stone, timber and concrete bring understated warmth to the home.

“While not new to us, the way these materials were layered – plaster, timber, stone, long-run roofing, created a bold yet restrained composition,” says the design team.

In the kitchen, custom cabinetry in white is complemented by timber veneer that continues onto the long island with engineered stone benchtop. The guests are catered for with double ovens and an induction cooktop. The neutral tiled flooring and material palette balances warmth and restraint.

The stone feature wall in the lounge creates a grounded, tactile centrepiece that features Hard as Rocks stone veneer polished concrete hearth. The space is warmed by a Yunca Xander Allure fireplace.

The ensuites are refined and calm, built to endure, with fully tiled showers, tiled floors and generous layouts with accessible bathroom design principles. What Slate design team likes most about this particular home is its sense of proportion andbalance. “It’s a substantial home, but it doesn’t feel excessive. The pavilion form breaks down scale. The materials are layered but not loud. The planning is generous but not wasteful. It’s a home that understands proportion.”

Sam and Candice enjoy the light, flow and the easy ability to host that their new home offers with its generous spaces and high ceilings. “They love that the lounge can close off and feel intimate, while the main living opens seamlessly to the covered outdoor area. The fireplaces both indoor and out are a favourite. Most of all, they love that it feels like them. Considered, warm and future-proofed,” says the design team.

This home reflects a family who values connection both to each other and to the landscape around them.

Known by Slate Studio and Slate Construction as The Kingsdale, this home is a strong representation of a highly successful collaboration of an integrated design and build.

Contact Details:
Slate Studios
06 755 1144
hello@slate.co.nz