| 81 INTERIOR DESIGN SemiCreative J.B.Joinery Ltd 18 Hands Road, Addington PO Box 6062, Christchurch Ph 03 338 4159 info@jbjoinery.co.nz Specialists in Architectural and Commercial Joinery 027 254 5243 Delivering building excellence since 1991 Architectural Builds • Hill Builds • New Builds • Renovations & Alterations • Extensions • Earthquake & Insurance Repairs • Multi-use Housing & Developments • Decks • Electrical locconstruction.co.nz 0800 562 266 info@locconstruction.co.nz R e g i s t e r e d Master Builders T T Kelly Deeks Desire to be different driving interior design Christchurch interior architecture studio, SemiCreative, is finding that the same appetite for individuality that drives hospitality clients is increasingly shaping residential interiors. Owner James Irvine says residential work, which began about four years ago after commercial clients asked SemiCreative to bring its approach into their homes, now accounts for at least half of the studio’s work. Three recent projects illustrate that work: renovations on Hawford Road and Selwyn Street, and an architectural new build on Melhop Way. Each has called for a different response. Selwyn St in Addington is a renovation of a 1940s’ bungalow, with SemiCreative balancing modern living requirements against the character of the existing building. The kitchen was designed around the owner’s passion for baking, while a bright- yellow bathroom with feature lighting was inspired by bathrooms at Christchurch’s Tūranga Library. Original panelling and timber details have been retained or recreated where walls and cabinetry were removed, allowing the new work to sit comfortably alongside the old. “It’s about balancing some of the new ideas with the original character of the building,” James says. The project was built by LOC Construction, whose team also worked with SemiCreative on the Melhott Way new build. Melhott Way presented an entirely different opportunity: a large architectural home where the focus was on highly considered joinery and spaces tailored to how the owners live. Custom cabinetry runs throughout the house, including a hidden drinks cabinet beside the fireplace, built-in seating in the games room, and coloured pops of cabinetry and lighting in the children’s bedrooms. Outside, a covered barbecue area includes a bar tap, so the client’s own-brewed beer has its place beside the pool. Connecting indoor and outdoor spaces so they function as one is a key principle in SemiCreative’s work. For example, the covered outdoor area flows from the rumpus room, allowing the family to move outside easily during gatherings or at halftime during a rugby match. Hawford Rd, being built by Kakabeak Construction, is a compact but detailed renovation of an old bungalow in Opawa. The project began as an attempt to rework a two-bedroom, 90sqm home, but the arrival of a new baby midway through the project meant a third bedroom had to be incorporated. Pocket doors, extensive custom joinery, contrasting deep-red cabinetry, and a large covered deck and pergola are being used to make the compact footprint work harder without losing its character. James says the two builders bring different strengths to SemiCreative’s projects. LOC Construction has the resources and team to move people between projects quickly and efficiently as required, while Kakabeak’s owner-builder, Dean Purser, is on-site himself, pulling in a hand when needed, and working through detailed decisions as construction progresses. “It’s about balancing some of the new ideas with the original character of the building.” Having access to different building approaches also strengthens SemiCreative’s design process, James says. “We’re not restricted to standard building methodologies. We’ve been linked with a lot of good builders and trades, and we’ve learned a lot from all of them.” That collaboration extends to joiners, landscapers, and other trades, helping turn design intent into finished spaces. For James, the result is residential design that reflects the people living in it, rather than an imagined future buyer. “If you’re going to put the time and energy into a project, you should get something that you’re going to be stoked with while you’re living in it, rather than designing for someone else to buy down the line,” he says. A compact and detailed renovation of an old bungalow in Opawa.
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