Take one spectacular view and a building site of 1148ha and you have the key ingredients for a holiday home with a difference. This property, in the picturesque Bay of Islands, has a particularly steep terrain with a building site on a ridge overlooking a sandy beach.

The clifftop position of the house, which was designed by architect Neville H Price, meant the views could be maximised and the building tucked within the natural contours of the hillside. The main contractor, Eddie Cooney of Luxor Homes, says the owners wanted to incorporate similar materials to the architect’s own home on an adjacent lot. This features time-honoured materials and finishes, such as coloured plaster walls, stone floors, and antique clay roofing tiles.