Home New Zealand – August 01, 2019

1. Entry


2. Living


3. Patio


4. Bedroom


5. Laundry


6. Bathroom


7. Bedroom/office


8. Dining


9. Kitchen


10. Deck

5

6

5 — Glazing in the kitchen adds dimension
to the space. 6 — ‘Hydrangeas’ by Emma Bass
hangs above drawers from Apartmento in the
main bedroom. ‘Tongaporutu’ by Peter Lambert
hangs above the bed. The pendant is by Isamu
Noguchi. 7 — The vintage Norwegian chair is
from Mr. Bigglesworthy. The table has a Futura
ply top with custom folded aluminium legs by
Brad Pearless of SGA. ‘Bo’ chairs by Philippe
Starck for Driade are from Skinner Design.

“We carefully devised the project so
it would fund itself, and planned to rent
it for five years to cover the cost of
construction,” says Neil. But these best-
laid plans overlooked the potential for envy.
“The friends we rented it to raved so much
about how great it was,” says Jill. Twelve
months later, the owners moved in and the
main house is rented out.
A covered outdoor area, leading from
the living room, expands the scope for
entertainment. “These interconnected
spaces belie the small scale and this is
another area not included in the metre
count,” says de Pont.
Despite the propensity for the fun the
home delivers, the pair sees this move as
a responsible choice. Putting the squeeze
on has meant they’ve had to evaluate their
possessions, Marie Kondo style. Although
storage is tucked in at every opportunity, the
crock-pot, linen used in the Airbnb they ran
in their former basement, and chunky furniture
had to go. “There was nothing we threw out
that we felt any angst over,” says Neil. They’ve
also installed a water tank to collect roof
runoff (it feeds the washing machine, loo and
garden), they ride bikes or the Vespa to work
and are inviting the birds and bees to return
with a planting plan that includes feijoas,
rhododendrons and bird of paradise.
After just a short time living here, they’ve
come to the conclusion that 65 square
metres has very powerful properties indeed.
“We realise now that we used to lead stupidly
demanding lives,” reflects Jill. “Downsizing
releases you from the constant busyness.
We plan to stay forever.”

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