Looking out to a splendid view, this compact home in Queenstown is a master class in cosy living
This luxurious Queenstown home inspire your own cosy living this winter
On the shores of Lake Wakatipu, the seasons in Queenstown are as marked as the tides, with fresh pink cherry blossoms in spring, dry, hot summers and violent orange trees through autumn, which eventually become covered in a blanket of snow in the winter.
Owned by an international business couple on the northwest side of the lake, this three storey home, with three bedrooms and bathrooms captures nature’s best all year round.
“Lakes District houses reflect the landscape,” says the home’s interior designer, Jewell Cassells of Cassells Green. “We have to cope with cold winters and long summer days so the houses are designed to deal with this. Most people are here for the outdoors so that’s reflected in the architecture and interiors.”
Locally sourced and milled beech wood is used throughout the home, especially in Cassells’ favourite spaces, the bedrooms. These are made warm and inviting through the addition of T&G beech wood walls finished with Design Denmark Panel White, combined with plush carpet.
Timber is a strong finishing material and the furniture had to be able to stand up against this with its own robust aesthetic. A large Flexform sofa, thick wooden Artek dining chairs and bar stools and a glass chandelier from Sharondelier achieve this while helping to create an alpine retreat feel.
When it comes to more compact homes, such as townhouses or apartments, Cassells suggests simplicity above all else. Streamlined layouts will keep a space looking classic as time slips by.
The furnishings were chosen in earthy, neutral tones to help the interiors recede into the sweeping, natural view. The arrangement of key furniture pieces is open enough to encourage the view but close enough together to still be snug.
One of the most striking rooms in the home is the large black marble bathroom overlooking the town and lake below. While the floor-to-ceiling stone seems like a bold move, it was, in fact, strategic to ensure the space remained restful and private.
“A white bathroom would be like a lighthouse when lit up in front of the window. Also, with the size of that bathroom, it was more intimate in black,” says the interior designer.
Words by: Jessica-Belle Greer. Photography by: Helen Bankers.
EXPERT PROJECTS
Create the home of your dreams with Shop Your Home and Garden
SHOP NOW
