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This couple left the city to build their home on an avocado farm

Article by Your Home and Garden

When a couple traded their busy city life for a country idyll, they also seized upon the chance to build a new home

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Meet & greet
Alistair Niven (business development manager for Nugreen Solutions) and Carol Palmer (grower board director for Trevelyans) and Storm the Labrador.

1 Background
Alistair Niven and Carol Palmer were living on the 12th floor of an Auckland apartment building when Covid happened. “Sitting on the deck one day, as all the days merged, we decided life was too short to allow a pandemic to control our lives, so we started looking for options,” says Alistair.

The answer was an avocado farm in Katikati. “I come from a farming background in Canterbury and Carol is from Hawke’s Bay, so it wasn’t going to be a big transition. We enjoyed avo on toast, knew there is a market supply shortage, and wanted a new challenge that wouldn’t risk the bank account,” says Alistair.

2 Planning
They found a site that, once the cottage already there had been moved, gave them amazing views “with mountain and sea vistas, as well as a view of Mount Maunganui”.

They had built previously, so were familiar with the process when they engaged Ashby Architecture with a brief to have a contemporary home with simple lines that was technology and energy efficient, as well as fitting into the landscape.

3 Build
The 250sqm two-bedroom home was designed for entertaining and is open-plan with a timeless feel that would make the most of the views and provide ease of living. All up the build took a painless eight months, finishing in March this year.

4 Exterior
They chose Linea Oblique Weatherboard by James Hardie because it was able to be utilised both vertically and horizontally and could be painted in the colour of their choice, which was Resene Suits to match the matte Karaka roof. “It also has the added benefit of being two sizes, which is very dynamic,” says Alistair. “We’re in a high wind zone with up to 70km winds.” That meant the cladding had to be able to withstand the conditions.

5 Interior
The elegant and contemporary interiors are testament to the fact this house was built for living and entertaining, but the library “holds some treasures”, says Alistair. Although he project-managed the build, he’s now working for a carbon-neutral energy company and living in an energy-efficient home is important to the couple.

6 Outside
Alistair and Carol love the great weather and the fact that Katikati isn’t far from their Auckland friends and they wanted to be able to entertain them when they visited, so the indoor-outdoor flow was crucial to the home’s success.