Omau Retreat
By Living Design
Location: Omau, West Coast, South Island
Designer: Klaus Todt
Photos by: Virginia Woolf
The Approach
Omau is in the Buller region, just south of Westport. It’s close to Cape Foulwind, aptly named for the wild and rugged coastline continually pounded by waves and with breathtaking views of mountains and native bush inland. Our clients developed a very special coastal retreat above the clifftops, making the most of 360-degree views of awe-inspiring natural beauty.
This project was a real pleasure to work on; the clients gave us complete freedom of design and were open to materials they wouldn’t have considered previously. Wanting to complement the architecture of the house and the location, we were very fortunate to be able to source native matai timber locally for the splash back and breakfast bar. This combined nicely with veneer matai on the island front, facing the living room. Furniture Linoleum was used on the inside of the island. Not wanting to compete with the ever changing landscape outside, we selected a stylish combo of Desktop Linoleum on the kitchen fronts to soften the solid timber, and silverTouch stainless steel benchtops.
KITCHEN
This project was a real pleasure to work on; the clients gave us complete freedom of design and were open to materials they wouldn’t have considered previously.
Combined with subtle lighting and the lack of handles on all joinery, the overall effect contributes to a really nice, calm living space that doesn’t detract from the view. The fridge is tucked away in the pantry off the kitchen – the same materials are used for this additional workspace and there’s plenty more storage.
INTERIOR
An entertainment unit in the living area complete with drawers, is also finished in Linoleum to match the kitchen, great for keeping bits and pieces tidy. A generous office space has been created off the living area. With a suspended desktop almost wrapping around 3 walls of the room there is plenty of space for work and hobbies. Ample storage is provided by twin-facing floor to ceiling and above-the-desk cupboards.
BATHROOMS
The 2 bathrooms and cloakroom each have beautiful floor to ceiling tiles, offset by heavily textured vanities crafted in Art Oak Veneer. Benchtop basins and brass fittings, timber flooring, mirrored wall units and use of clever lighting throughout – every detail and every material has been thoughtfully considered to create a stylish, timeless finish and a wonderful feeling of spaciousness. With beautiful vistas beyond the windows, these are really special spaces to spend time in!
Products used in
Omau Retreat
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Omau Retreat
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About the
Professional
We are Annett and Klaus Todt. Owners of Living Design in Tasman — an exclusive studio team dedicated to bringing a German approach to New Zealand interiors.
- Year founded2010
- ArchiPro Member since2023
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