Set on a spacious rural site just outside the city, Landmark Homes Gisborne Showhome offers a fresh take on country living, where bold materials, layered textures and smart design come together in one expansive 412.9m² layout. With a floorplan shaped by sun, views and natural flow, it’s a home designed to feel good year-round, inside and out.

Brick, timber, steel and concrete bring character and contrast, while wide decks, a sunken outdoor firepit and frameless corner sliders connect the living zones to the land. Every detail has been thoughtfully considered, not just to impress, but to work for real life. 

With its cross-shaped layout and strong axis lines, this beautiful home was built to showcase Landmark Homes’ Design and Build service at its best. The result is a fully customised plan shaped by the site, the sun and the unique demands of the location.

“The sun starts at the bedroom end and ends at the outdoor area,” says Landmark Homes Gisborne franchise owner, Sam Bain. “That’s really what it’s designed around – the sun and the view.” The layout captures both, with the bedroom wing positioned to soak up the morning light and the main living zones opening west to make the most of the afternoon warmth.

While the home was designed to serve as a Landmark Showhome, it also had a second purpose from day one. Sam and his wife plan to move in once the Showhome has completed its role, making this not just a showcase of great design, but their future family home.

The section itself offered a rare combination: flat, elevated and open, with sweeping views in every direction. After living on the property for 13 years, they had a clear vision of how to make the most of it. The result is a home that feels grounded, intentional and deeply connected to its environment.

Set against a backdrop of rolling green hills, the home has a strong rural presence, but with a sharp architectural edge that gives it a contemporary feel. As you approach the home, the first thing you notice is the eye-catching variation in cladding: red brick, plaster and James Hardie Easylap come together in a clean, confident combination.

The brick detailing adds weight and texture, with thickened corners designed to mimic the look of old double-skin masonry. “The end of the wall is about 400mm thick,” says Sam. “We wanted it to look like real brickwork, not just a veneer. That classic English style with thick, solid walls.” It’s a bold choice that helps anchor the house visually, while still sitting comfortably in the landscape.

Above it all, an asphalt shingle roof adds another subtle contrast, softer than corrugate, and rarely seen in the region. It’s this balance of familiar and unexpected that makes the home stand out without shouting.

At the centre of the home is a kitchen that blends raw materials with refined detail. A solid concrete benchtop, poured and sealed in a soft grey-green hue, sets the tone. It’s matched with vertical-grain timber cabinetry, matte black joinery and a tiled splashback, all locally made and designed to last.

Above it, exposed steel beams span the ceiling, part structural and part statement. “We originally planned to paint them black,” says Sam, “but once we started sanding them back, we liked the raw look and decided to leave them as they were.” That decision adds to the home’s industrial character, echoed by floating timber stairs and a mezzanine platform framed in black steel.

This whole space with its connected kitchen, dining, and living zones, is open and social, but full of personality. It’s a room designed for daily life, not just display.

Timber plays a big part in the feel of this home. Native timber floors run through the main living areas, bringing in warmth and grounding the space. In the hallway and main bedroom, feature walls made from reclaimed rimu add depth and texture, with the grain and tone shifting beautifully in the light.

The rimu has its own story. “We came across it years ago on a job for a farmer,” says Sam. “He’d milled it 30 years earlier and had it stored in a shed. We bought 

the whole lot and held onto it until now.” Using it in the home was always part of the plan, they just hadn’t known where.

That mix of personal connection and practical design shows through in every room. From barn-style doors to exposed brick, the overall effect is robust, honest and full of personality. Nothing here feels off-the-shelf.

The layout has been designed with real life in mind, with spaces to come together, spread out and relax in your own way. At one end of the home, the main suite opens to the outdoors and features its own timber feature wall, echoing the warm tones used throughout. It’s private and peaceful, with a soft, natural palette that gives it a calm, retreat-like feel.

Above the kitchen and living area, a mezzanine adds flexible extra space. It’s currently set up with a desk, bookshelf and pull-out couch, making it ideal for working from home, hosting guests or simply having a quiet place to unwind.

At the other end of the house, the guest bedroom includes cleverly built-in bunks. It’s a practical touch for visiting families or anyone needing extra room. The overall layout supports modern living, with the right balance of connection and retreat.

Each bathroom in the home has its own look and feel, but a shared palette of materials keeps everything cohesive. Concrete-look tiles line the floors and walls, paired with custom vanities and basins poured from the same mix used for the kitchen benchtop. Feature lighting and warm wall colours bring softness and contrast.

In the guest ensuite, slim green artisan tiles add depth and colour, while the main bathroom uses larger-format tiles in soft, earthy tones. “We worked with a tile consultant for the selection,” says Sam, “but the rest we pulled together ourselves. We knew the look we were after. Something subtle, natural, nothing too sharp.”

It’s a great example of how Landmark clients can bring their own personality into the design. Whether through colour, texture or layout, there’s plenty of flexibility to make each space feel personal, while still working as part of a bigger story.

Every part of this home invites you outside. From the main living area, corner-opening sliders pull right back to create a seamless connection between indoors and out. The doors meet at a 90-degree angle, opening up the entire space to two expansive decks, each designed to suit a different time of day. Skylights above draw in natural light, while covered zones make the space easy to use in any season.

One deck catches the morning sun. The other, positioned off the kitchen, is ideal for evening barbecues or winding down at the end of the day. Just beyond, a sunken firepit area wraps around a Jet Master fireplace, with built-in seating and space to gather.

The pool adds another layer to the outdoor layout. Surrounded by open space and positioned to take in the view, it’s a place to cool off, stretch out on a lounger or keep an eye on the kids while they swim.