2026
Driftwood
Completed
Opito Bay, Coromandel | New House
A large beachfront holiday home on Opito Bay in the Coromandel, designed for a couple who split their time between Auckland and the coast — and built to welcome the whole family when the holidays arrive. This is a home designed with real generational range in mind. A lift ensures the grandparents can move between floors with complete ease and independence, while five bedrooms and two living areas mean the house expands naturally when children and grandchildren arrive. A garage with a ceiling height designed specifically to accommodate a sea-legs boat completes the brief — this is a holiday home built around the way this family actually lives by the water.
A cedar exterior, built for the coast
Cedar cladding wraps the exterior, chosen for its warmth, its connection to the natural surroundings, and its suitability for a coastal site exposed to salt air and weather. An outdoor fireplace extends the living areas into the evenings and the cooler months, making this a home that works all year round, not just in summer.
A double-height kitchen at the heart of the home
Though the living areas are open-plan, spaces achieve definition through carefully considered ceiling heights that make each room feel distinct and inviting. A stellar kitchen with a pleated origami island bench stars in a double-height void, where a gallery balcony looks down from upstairs. A generous stud height over the dining area and a 3.6 metre stud in the adjacent living area give the home an openness that feels quietly exceptional.
Interior materials drawn from the beach
Interior colours and materials reflect the natural beach surroundings: soft greys, whites, and warm oak timber. Warm accent tones in the joinery and fixed finishes link the spaces throughout, creating a cohesive atmosphere that feels both considered and completely at ease.
A beachfront holiday home in Opito Bay, Coromandel — designed for grandparents, and spacious enough for the whole family
A stellar kitchen with a pleated origami island bench stars in a double height void
A garage built to fit a sea-legs boat — a holiday home designed around the way this family actually lives by the water.
Cedar cladding, an outdoor fireplace, and five bedrooms — a Coromandel home that works all year round
Designing a holiday home in the Coromandel or beyond?
If you are planning a beachfront or coastal holiday home — multigenerational, built for the water, and designed to work year-round rather than just in summer — we would love to talk about your site. Get in touch to start the conversation, or browse more of our holiday home projects for inspiration.
Photography
Jackie Meiring
