Matakana House

Location /  Matakana

Project Design / Dorrington Atcheson Architects

Photographer / Sam Hartnett

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Textural and natural finishes in deep greys and browns create a rich and moody residential interior in Matakana.

Inspiration for this interior came from the owners’ travels to Japan. Hand-crafted, rustic materials and moody colours were an experience they wanted to recreate at home. These aesthetics also resonated strongly with the village feeling of rural Matakana and extended existing themes in the house, which was designed by Dorrington Atcheson Architects.

‘When we bought the house, the concrete in-situ walls had just been built, which gave us a sense of what finishes we could layer in the main living spaces,’ says one of the owners. ‘We focused on the floor first and chose the VidaSpace oak with random-width boards. The crafted timber finish softened the concrete and added warm browns and pinks. Next, we searched marble importers for the island bench and settled on a dark grey, almost black, stone with white veining. These three materials really became the foundation for everything else.’

The oak flooring is distressed and smoked and finished in a UV oil. The marble and dark timber kitchen cabinetry strengthen this natural character and form a rich backdrop to the brass tapware and fittings. Textures and colours feel warm and moody and are offset by hand-blown Parison Pendants by Nat Cheshire for Resident and the Clay Table by Marc Krusin for Desalto. ‘Combined with the concrete walls and large glass doors, these finishes allowed us to make the interior very special,’ note the owners. ‘The finishes recall our experiences in Japan and it’s such a relaxing space to be in, surrounded by warm, natural materials.’

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