WHEN Marija Sutich decided to leave the family farm in her son’s hands and head for suburbia she had an extremely clear view of the sort of house she was looking for. Having left a large two-storey house on a Dargaville dairy farm, she wanted a house on one level and an open plan which flowed seamlessly to the outdoors.

After driving around the new residential developments of East Tamaki Heights, she discovered that finding a single-level house was not easy. Instead she approached Lindsay and Julie Aitken, owners of Jalcon Homes, who had a suitable section on offer and a team ready to turn her dream home into a reality.

The combination of Marija’s vision and the building company’s skills has resulted in the Mission Heights house becoming a gold reserve national finalist for the Auckland region in the New Homes $350,000-$450,000 category of the Registered Master Builders 2009 House of the Year awards.

Tucked at the top of a cul-de-sac, the 228m2 house features strong roof lines designed to give it plenty of street appeal. An inlaid mat of river pebble stones is an eye-catcher at the front door opening into a lobby, which feeds into the expansive open plan of the main living area.

A series of zones stretch lazily into each other, working as a whole or independently. Special ambience is created by the higher than usual 2.7m stud which, coming from a traditional farm house, Marija insisted on.

A formal living area faces to the street frontage where Marija, the country girl, gets a vista of native trees on the reserve land across the road. In the other direction is the dining zone separated by an expansive island unit from the kitchen.

Planting in the garden is low maintenance around the outdoor living area.

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The delicate cinnamon floor to ceiling tiles cast a glow over the bathrooms.

It is here that the outdoors comes in through bi-fold doors folding back flush against the outside walls when open and manufactured to the same height as the stud so that the move from indoors to out is seamless.

This is especially illustrated with golden sandy concrete cut in large slabs to follow the natural browns, taupes, golds and creams which dominate the interior floors and walls. Earthy-coloured hessian Roman blinds fold down over the windows, a stark departure from Marija’s Croatian background. “My mum and grandmother love their nets,” she says. 

Low-maintenance was the instruction for the landscaping which is based on lines of miniature agapanthus, grasses and feature olive trees set on bark or pebble bases. The garden follows around the darker side of the house to what Marija’s grandchildren call their “secret garden” complete with a fibreglass sofa. “The kids spend hours here.”

A bi-fold window opens from above the kitchen bench on the outside wall, ideal for handing food through to the sunny, sheltered barbecue area.

Marija wanted drawers rather than cupboards for kitchen equipment.

It is an easy turn from the sink and dishwasher in the central bench unit to the drawers behind which contain everyday crockery and utensils.

Two pantries on another wall house food items and special crockery and glassware. And, because of a special quirk, Marija asked for the microwave to be fitted in the central bench at close to floor level rather than on a high shelf.

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Bi-fold doors are manufactured to the same height of the stud so that the move from indoors to out is seamless.

A schist column and an inlaid mat of river pebble stones dominate the front entrance.

The exit from the living area to the house accommodation is through the less formal living area complete with built-in television and surround sound, while french doors open from the main bedroom to the side of the outdoor living area and the ample walk-in-wardrobe has more than enough room for dressing.

Earthy colours of the living areas are continued into the bedrooms and bathrooms. Both the master bedroom en-suite and sumptuous main bathroom are tiled from floor to ceiling, including the shower interiors, in a delicate cinnamon shade which casts a romantic glow over the rooms.

One concession to split level is six stairs leading to a fourth bedroom at lower street level. Also at lower level is the garage with a bank of storage cupboards along the back wall closed off with bi-fold doors. Next to the washing machine is a pull-out bin which is the repository for a laundry chute which is tucked niftily into a hallway linen cupboard on the floor above.

While relaxing in the deep spa bath under glowing light is luxury, Marija says she also loves standing in the doorway between the living and outdoor areas looking back through the house and getting a glimpse through the front windows to the bush across the road.