Richard and Marie hadn’t initially planned on building their holiday home from scratch. They were on the hunt for an existing property in Kinloch, but when they couldn’t find what they were looking for, they decided on a new course of action. “We kept seeing Landmark-built homes around the area,” says Richard. “They looked great, and everyone we spoke to mentioned how good the experience had been with Landmark. That gave us the confidence to reach out and see what they could offer.”

A quick call to New Home Consultant Kristy Portas at Landmark Homes Taupō set the wheels in motion. “She was fantastic,” says Marie. “Kristy met us at the site, and it really helped that she had a personal connection to Kinloch. Her family lived there, so she understood what we were looking for in a holiday home.”

At first, the couple thought Landmark only dealt with high-end homes, which made them hesitant. “I’d always thought Landmark were out of our budget,” Richard explains. “But Kristy gave us some ballpark figures. It turned out to be totally doable.”

From the outset, Richard and Marie were clear about their vision. They wanted a comfortable home – nothing too high spec, but definitely a step above the basics. “It’s a holiday home, so we didn’t want to go overboard,” says Marie. “But we also had resale value in mind.”

With their section offering stunning vistas of the lake and golf course, Richard and Marie’s top priority was positioning their home to take full advantage of the outlook. “We wanted the living areas and the master bedroom to be at the front, so we could take in those views,” says Richard. “It was important that the home made the most of the site.” Richard and Marie decided to base their design on Landmark’s Awakeri Ready to Build plan, but they also wanted to make a few key changes. 

One of the first adjustments was removing the fourth bedroom to create a larger garage for their boat. They also wanted to make the exterior stand out, adding striking black beams across the front of the house to give it a unique, modern look. “Those beams were something we were really keen on,” says Marie. “When I saw the revised plans, I almost cried – I was just so happy with how it looked.”

Inside, Landmark accommodated some custom features that really made the home special. One of Marie’s favourite additions was a window seat in the master bedroom. “I’d always wanted a window seat,” she says. “It wasn’t in the original plan, but Landmark made it work, and they even added storage underneath, which was such a bonus.”

For Richard, the outdoor living space quickly became a favourite spot. “It really turned into our second lounge,” he says. “We spent so much time out there – even when it was raining. I remember one New Year’s Eve, it was pouring down, but we were warm and dry, just relaxing under cover. It was perfect.”

Richard also loves how private the space feels. “We’re high enough that no one can see in, but we’ve got these amazing views out to the lake and golf course. I could sit there for hours, watching people on the course or just enjoying the peace and quiet.”

Other subtle changes, like widening the hallway and adding a skylight, gave the home a sense of space and light. “Making the hallway wider really stopped it from feeling too long, and the skylight made a big difference,” Marie says. 

Landmark’s flexibility allowed Richard and Marie to incorporate all these personal touches while maintaining the high level of quality they were known for. “They were great at listening to what we wanted and finding solutions,” Richard says. “We were able to make the house our own, but it still felt like a top-quality Landmark build.”