Andrew and Lyn Peat and their friends share a love of boating, fishing, and enjoying time on and near the water. The couples decided to build a holiday home in partnership – where they could each enjoy time out with their own families, as well as catching up together, something they like to do often. With the Peats in Auckland and their friends in Wellington, the Bay of Plenty holiday haven of Lake Rotoiti was the perfect in-between spot to build their dream holiday home.

Aucklanders Andrew and Lyn had used Landmark Homes to build a home in the past, so having already had a great experience with the team, they knew Landmark had the expertise and skill to deliver on the design standard they all had in mind. The Peats and purchased the section in late 2017 and contacted the team at Landmark Homes Eastern BOP and Rotorua soon after to begin the exciting process of designing their luxurious lakeside sanctuary.

With a few key design aspects in mind, the two couples worked with Landmark Homes’ design team over a period of about 10 months to bring their ideas to life. “The lynchpin of the design was to capture the essence of lakeside living with relaxed, refined living spaces that open out to the owners’ private slice of Lake Rotoiti,” says Landmark Homes Eastern BOP & Rotorua franchise owner.

With that in mind, the four-bedroom, three-bathroom home was positioned to maximise the views with wide open living spaces that flowed seamlessly to the outdoors.

High raking ceilings and generously proportioned glazing, including wide-opening sliders, combine with white décor and a minimalistic aesthetic, making way for the breath-taking scenery to flow into the home.

“The home is luxurious and beautiful, but the real star of the show is outside, so our designer has been very thoughtful to create a harmonious interior design that doesn’t compete with the view,” says Edward Hardie.

“The site was quite beautiful, but not without its challenges,” says Edward. “Being at water level and surrounded by native bush makes the site very private and extremely desirable. But it also meant the land was very soft with a lot of volcanic ash, clay, and mud. So, before building, we had to drive piles down about six metres to find good ground.”

The result was clearly worth it with a home nestled into a secluded site with enviable views from almost every room in the home, and the luxury of walking just a few steps to the lake to enjoy a day of boating, fishing, water-skiing or just relaxing by the water with a glass of wine as the sun goes down.

“Yes, the home looks incredible; it’s been designed beautifully and finished to perfection. But what you can’t see is the skill and engineering genius that went into the foundations. That’s where Landmark Homes really comes into their own – it’s that level of experience and knowledge that is needed to take a problematic site and create something magical from it.”

The 364m² home showcases how a contemporary minimalistic aesthetic can be achieved without sacrificing desirable and luxurious touches. The kitchen is a prime example with features such as electric cupboards and doors, Gaggenau appliances, stone bench tops, and a large scullery that all combine to make life at the lake house as relaxed as possible.

The layout provides for a lavish master suite on the upper level including a large walk-in robe and a very generously sized ensuite. As a sailor, Andrew has a strong connection to the water. His design preferences come through in some areas of the home such as the ensuite ceiling which has subtle nautical overtones.

“The ‘galley’ look and feel lends itself to the aesthetic of a high-end luxury yacht. Very clean and contemporary but with touches of design flair such as the bronze highlights in the lighting and fittings,” says Edward.

Despite being on the second level, the master suite still has a strong connection to the outdoors by opening out to a balcony that captures the lake view from above.

While luxury and comfort inside was important, the two couples wanted equal weighting placed on outdoor living. Keen on fishing, boating, and all things water-related, the design brief incorporated a high stud 63m² boat shed, including a fish filleting station, alongside the boat ramp at the lake’s edge.

Extending from the home, a sheltered loggia creates a sublime spot to enjoy the day’s catch with a spacious dining set up, a gas fire built within a full-height schist surround, a Louvretec canopy overhead, and views of the lake front and centre.

If this luxury holiday home has given you inspiration for your own lakeside retreat, we can help make it a reality. Whether you’ve got an exact idea or just a vague overview of what you’d like, the Landmark Homes team can help you create a home that fits your lifestyle – right down to the boatshed. Contact the Landmark Homes Eastern BOP & Rotorua team today to get started.