Lakehouse Luxe - Taupo, New Zealand

The bold architectural forms of this lakeside holiday home in Taupo coexist cohesively with the natural and built environment due to the use of Abodo Vulcan Nero weatherboards, while indoors a warm atmosphere is created with Vulcan Panelling in Protector - Straw.

Lake Taupo is the largest freshwater lake in Australasia, around the size of Singapore, and is known for its deep blue waters and much-loved for the leisure activities it offers visitors. For the owners of this holiday home, being able to vacation just a short amble from the shores of the lake made this an appealing spot to build, providing possibilities for uninterrupted views.

The land had existing plans in place, however, which meant the owners were restricted in their design choices.

Working with construction company Design Builders - Taupo, they were able to alter the design slightly to meet their requirements, with material choices becoming a key method for putting a personal stamp on their new escape pad. Matt Corleison from Designer Builders suggested Abodo Vulcan (WB10 180x20) weatherboards in Protector - Nero for the exterior cladding.

“The Nero finish was chosen as the homeowners wanted something quite dark to help the house fit into the landscape, despite being a fairly large and bold home.” he says. “The ceilings inside were then something that developed during the build. They were designed to be gibbed ceilings but we suggested using Vulcan Paneling instead to bring a natural contrast between the black exterior and the warmth of the natural timber. We also used it to line the lift shaft and stairwell.”