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A Wanaka new-build mixes vintage furniture with industrial style

Vintage-style furniture, handcrafted wood and cosy textiles fit easily within a lean and clean industrial aesthetic

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Meet and greet

Leigh Cooper, graphic designer, Nathan Primmer, joiner, and daughters Madison, 8, Harriet, 6, and Charlotte, 3.

A Wanaka new-build mixes vintage furniture with industrial style

Best lessons learned?
Leigh: As a female, don’t be afraid of your tradies; make yourself known and don’t be scared to ask questions or point out errors. Treat them with respect and the relationship should go smoothly.

What would you never do again?
There isn’t anything we’d never do again but there are lots of things we’d like to do, including doing another build sometime to incorporate other ideas.

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What’s one thing you would change about your home if you could?
It would have been good to have had colonial-style doors to carry on the villa feel. Having a formal entranceway into the house would also have been welcome, including a space to hang jackets and store shoes.

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Spend

What did your new-build cost?
Around $370,000 (not including the land or Nathan’s joinery).

How did your budget compare to your actual spend?
We were only over by a couple of thousand dollars. It was very important to us to stick to our budget and having a fixed price from Stonewood made it easier as we knew where we stood.

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Any splurges?
Our house is a standard build but we splurged on the joinery because Nathan was able to do this, and also on Blum hardware in the kitchen, laundry and vanities. The timber windows were our biggest splurge – Nathan always wanted them and this time round we made it possible.

Do you tend to buy high-end homeware or seek out a bargain?
Both. We like well-made items and products that last but I always buy on sale, especially cushion covers, as this is a simple way of updating rooms. Furniture-wise, most of the items are either old, secondhand or made by Nathan.

Best advice when building new?
Don’t make major changes throughout the build; this will cost you more money and slow the build down. Do your research thoroughly during the planning stage.


This is the second house the couple have built, so they had a pretty good idea of how the process works. Both love architecture and have the perfect combination of skills: an artistic eye (Leigh) and building ability (Nathan, who works as a joiner).

Metal Mr Ralph lights and planked rustic oak veneer add to the look. A woollen beanbag and sheepskin, both from Wilson & Dorset, keep things cosy in the living and dining areas.

The couple love the industrial nature of stainless steel worktops (which reappear in the laundry).

Nathan did all the joinery work, which included the kitchen, laundry and bathroom cabinetry and the Tasmanian oak window and doorframes.

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Although grateful for the advantages of modern buildings such as insulation, double glazing and heating, both Nathan and Leigh love character homes, especially villas, so were keen to incorporate some of those features into the new house.

Apart from an internal laundry, the couple’s wishlist for their new, 182-square-metre home included three bedrooms, an office space for Leigh’s graphic design business and an ensuite.

The thick wooden shelves between the bedrooms were made by Nathan from an oak that once grew in nearby Albert Town.

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The drawers are also Nathan’s craftsmanship, made when Madison was born.

The couple’s affinity for pre-loved and vintage style can be seen everywhere.

In line with their desire for a smallish house, the couple designed one of the bedrooms to comfortably fit two single beds. “Harriet and Charlotte love sharing a room and it’s a great bonding experience for them,” says Leigh.

Peachy cushions pick up the warm-toned Tasmanian oak used for all the home’s doors and windows.

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Nathan made the bathroom vanity from the same locally grown oak that features elsewhere (he bought a whole tree!) and veneer fronts; he also put together a handy clothes rail in the laundry using piping.

Behind the kitchen is the butler’s pantry-cum-laundry, positioned for easy access to a washing line that Nathan has concealed behind a slatted wooden fence.

Floor p

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Words by: Sharon Stephenson. Photography by: Guy Frederick.

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