122 | Natural materials finding favour Each build uses high-quality materials, including naturally durable timbers, eco oils, natural paints and woollen insulation. BUILDING Little Place T T Alexia Anderson What looked like the end of a career, was merely just an opportunity waiting to be embraced for builder Demian Innes. Experiencing bad reactions to toxic materials used in the construction industry, Dem was about to give up the profession. That was until he, alongside his partner, Lindsey Ellison, “took a leap of faith” and decided to build cabins with natural, high-quality materials, to see if there was a market for them. Lindsey had been studying sustainable practice and had investigated the waste and harmful toxins that were being used across the sector. After building their initial cabin, they were quickly asked to build a tiny house for a client looking to go natural, opening the door to their thriving Motueka-based business, Little Place Ltd, over seven years ago. Dem and Lindsey have since teamed up with Orca Developments, which has constructed many permitted houses, the Motueka Steiner School, and cabins, among much more over the past 30 years. They now share a regular workload, ensuring each space is built and designed to suit each client, and also boasts aesthetic appeal, both inside and out. “Everyone’s needs are completely different, so we have to be very open in the design stage to work out what the space needs to be like to meet the client’s lifestyle,” Lindsey says. Each build uses high-quality materials, including naturally durable timbers, eco oils, natural paints, woollen insulation, and plywood made using adhesives that contain low levels of volatile organic compounds. Little Place Ltd also boasts expert craftsmanship, ensuring clients are investing in a building that is designed to last, while ongoing maintenance and the need to replace big-ticket items is minimal. One of their many clients is seeking to incorporate tiny houses into the affordable housing market. To meet that requirement, the team has designed a single pitch, 10m x 3m space, with one bedroom, a kitchen and bathroom. Another of the team’s recent builds, was a 6m x 3m tiny house that boasts “everything you need for a simplistic lifestyle, but is easy to move and place”. “We actually built two of those as we had a client come along just as it was finishing and said ‘this is exactly what I want’, so we built another.” Another project the team enjoyed working on was a two-bedroom, split-roof 11m x 3m abode, which is now in the running for best commercial build in the Tiny House Awards. “It was hard to see that one leave the yard,” Lindsey says. A family home that looked great on both the inside and outside, and featured a modular deck and porch to embrace indoor-outdoor flow, is another project the team was proud of. “They had a clear idea what they needed in a space and together, with the builders’ attention to detail and sourcing some amazing woods for finishing, it turned out perfect.” For Dem and Lindsey, what began as a challenge has now been crafted into a successful venture, as they continue to build unique spaces that are sustainable, functional and beautiful. COTTON HEAVY HAULAGE Ltd • Overdimensional and overweight loads • Transportation feasibility studies • Machinery • Beams • Construction Equipment • Buildings • Boats • Class 1 and 2 load pilots Ph 03 543 9043 | 27 Bird Lane, Wakefield cottonheavyhaulage.co.nz Proud to support Little Place MUELLER PLUMBING PLUMBING & HEATING 027 220 9423 | m.muellerplumbing@gmail.com Proud to support Little Pace
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=