The modern home that won the James Hardy category has views over Lake Dunstan and the vast beauty of the Bannockburn Sluicings. The sleek three-bed home hunkers down in its rural setting with all features complementing the surrounding landscape.

Gunsmoke-coloured polished concrete flooring flows through the entry, kitchen, dining room, lounge and atrium while super-high timber ceilings add to the sense of space.

Relaxation and style wait around every beautifully finished corner. Gunsmoke coloured polished concrete hits the style bullseye, flowing through the entry, kitchen, dining room, lounge and atrium.

Carpet adds a cosy touch in the office, den and bedrooms. Super-high timber ceilings demand attention, blessing the wide-open living and dining spaces with a golden glow.

The effect flows out from the atrium to a cedar-crowned alfresco deck. At the opposite end, extensive glazing frames the magnificent view and sky, while drinking in natural light. In the evenings, you can choose to move the party out under the stars, or simply leave the sliders open at both extremes and enjoy easy breezy dining inside.

When it’s too cold to entertain the thought of heading outside, a wood fire with wetback provides a warming gathering point in the living room. Gas radiators further curb the Otago cold snaps, while double-glazed windows, some thermally broken and argon-gas filled, keep the heat in.

The extended roofline shades windows in summer, while welcoming natural light in for the winter. Hot water and power are delivered courtesy of the sun, with excess energy fed back to the national grid.

Outside, the cladding is a combination of Rockote plaster, Linea Weatherboard, Central Otago schist and grooved plywood soffits, all in keeping with the striking New Zealand landscape. Head to the fully insulated wine cellar, located off the garage, and raise a toast to this stellar new home.