A light, bright family home by Fraser Horton in rural Te Arai

The pool area is all about people, says James. “We wanted to have a place to party! Barbecue on, cold bevvies, all kids in the pool and the mums relaxing in the fire pit. The children love toasting marshmallows out here and the pool is a manageable size. Having it cantilevered out over the grass means part of it can safely remain unobstructed by a fence, and when the garden by Rochford Landscapes has grown up around it, it’ll blend in with the environment even more."

The smooth-as-silk yet easy-to-maintain Corian kitchen benchtop contrasts with the grooved cabinetry by Sharp & Page and the island’s textural bagged bricks — the latter a cost-effective solution that echoes an exterior wall in the outdoor dining area beyond, where there’s also a raised vege bed and a trampoline sunk into the ground.

Calming colours team with texture to create an enhanced simplicity that complements the world outside. Pieces seen here include a bolster cushion by Sunday x You’re Welcome, a Bellevue lamp by &tradition from Dawson & Co, a rug by Nodi and a vase by Shiho Hayashi from Astute Assembly on a timber table bought in Bali. The fireplace by Escea is set in Tundra marble from Artedomus.

The master bedroom is divided by a part wall, behind which sits an ensuite with a mirror from OneWorld Collection and a floating vanity the whole family helped Terrazzo & Stoneworks to make, heading down to Te Arai Beach to select shells to mix into the concrete. Next to the bed beautified by cushions from Penney & Bennett, stacked timber ‘pebbles’ made in Bali form a bedside table and are also used for all sorts by the kids; they like to separate them to stand on while brushing their teeth.