Waiheke revival
Interior Architecture support & Interior Design — Nicola Ross Design
Architecture — AM Architects
Interior Joinery Manufacture & Installation — Apartmento
Photography — Matt Crawford
Set on the ridge above Pūtaki Bay, Waiheke Revival transformed an early-2000s weatherboard home into a more resolved and contemporary family retreat while retaining its original character. The architectural work reorganised the home around a new kitchen, pool and outdoor living spaces, while the interior was comprehensively renewed throughout.
My role focused on the interior joinery and material selection beyond the architect-led kitchen. Working remotely with a busy professional client, the process was deliberately edited: materials, finishes and joinery options were researched, refined and presented as considered choices rather than an endless field of possibilities.
This allowed the client to stay closely involved in the decisions that mattered, without carrying the burden of sourcing and comparing every option herself. The result was a cohesive interior that connected the renewed architecture with the client’s own preferences through joinery, fittings and material detail.
A curated remote process
Working remotely meant the design process needed to be particularly clear and well structured. Rather than sending the client endless options, materials, fixtures and finishes were pre-filtered and presented as tightly considered choices, allowing decisions to be made efficiently while maintaining a consistent direction across the home.
Where physical review was important, dedicated showroom visits were arranged around targeted selections so the client could see, touch and approve refined materials rather than starting from scratch.
Final choices were then consolidated into a full interior specification covering materials, plumbing fixtures and fittings, alongside a detailed joinery design package for manufacture.
