Lane Stefanski House
Set within the rolling hills of the Wairarapa, the Lane Stefanski House is a carefully resolved response to site, climate and lifestyle. The home is arranged as a series of low-slung pavilions organised around a sheltered central courtyard - balancing exposure to expansive rural views with protection from the region’s prevailing winds.
The planning is deliberate and highly functional. Living spaces are oriented to the north, opening fully to the courtyard and pool to create seamless indoor-outdoor living. Large sliding panels dissolve the boundary between inside and out, while deep overhangs and covered connections provide shade and shelter, ensuring the home performs comfortably throughout the seasons.
ARCHITECTURAL:
Holmes Architecture
CONSTRUCTION:
Quality Builders
ENGINEER:
Cameron Fauvel Projects
WINDOW & DOORS:
Nebulite Masterton
JONERY:
Pete's Joinery
PHOTOGRAHY:
Andy Spain
Material selection grounds the architecture in its environment. A restrained palette of natural timbers, textured finishes and muted tones reflects the surrounding farmland, allowing the building to sit quietly within the landscape. Internally, crafted joinery and warm material layering bring a sense of refinement and permanence to the spaces.
At the heart of the home, the kitchen, dining and living areas form a strong central hub - designed for both everyday living and entertaining. A feature fireplace wall anchors the space, while carefully framed openings maintain constant connection to the wider landscape beyond.
The courtyard is integral to the success of the design. Acting as a protected microclimate, it centres the home around the pool and outdoor living areas, creating a private and highly usable space that extends the living zones outward.
The Lane Stefanski House is a considered expression of modern rural living in the Wairarapa - where form, materiality and planning come together to create a home that is both robust and refined, deeply connected to its environment.
The Holmes Architecture team bring an extra dimension to all projects with practical knowledge and expertise combined with innovative and imaginative architectural design.
