Design: Herbst Architects / Photography: Jackie Meiring

Situated in New Zealand's coastal region of Northland and designed by Auckland-based architectural firm Herbst Architects, Northland House is a tranquil and picturesque beach-side getaway.

The design for Northland House features a slightly pitched, angular roof adding a unique and interesting architectural line to the overall structure of the home. The exterior of the house is clad with dark stained timber screening, creating a sense of seclusion and privacy whilst still allowing natural light to enter the home. Captivating bay views are framed by a large outdoor entertaining area, connecting the house to its coastal surroundings while a second smaller section of decking leads out towards the beautifully landscaped garden.

Northland House challenges the aesthetics of a typical beach house. The usual light and bright coastal theme is completely absent with Herbst Architects opting for a much darker and elegant material and colour palette. The home's interior features rich timber tones paired with dark accents and details, creating an overall moody and relaxed ambience. The central section of the interior is flanked on either side by large glass sliding doors that open to connect the kitchen and living spaces to the home's exterior, whilst allowing the fresh sea breeze to flow throughout the space.

Northland House is bathed in an abundance of natural light, therefore refined lighting designed to blend into its architectural surrounds was selected to provide illumination where needed, creating a soft ambient environment during the evening. Large opal glass feature pendants suspended over the kitchen and living areas were selected as statement pieces, with their warm diffused glow accentuating the relaxed ambience within the space. Surface mounted downlights finished in black provide direct illumination above the outdoor entertaining space whilst a length of recessed profile was selected to graze the kitchen splash back with even and uniform light.

Herbst Architects' design combines elegance with an atypical coastal flair to create the perfect holiday escape.