Ben and Tess Annabell found their 2.5 acres of paradise in Taranaki back in 2008. On site was a 1914 villa, which they would have loved to renovate but unfortunately it was well past its use by date. So, it was a case of starting from scratch.

The choice of building materials was influenced by the surrounding buildings. Batten and board were chosen so that the house blended in with Ben’s workshop and helped connect the buildings. ColorSteel was used as a cladding and roofing because it’s a material that’s right at home in a rural setting yet at the same time provided a contrast to the warmth of the cedar.

Ben runs Evergreen Plumbing and he’s been using Marley product for many years. He chose the Stratus Design Series in the Typhoon profile for a number of reasons. Its smooth profile, 15-year guarantee, UV resistance, and suitability for the collection of drinking water were all factors to consider, but the number one reason is that it’s made from tough uPVC and won’t rust with all the salt spray.

Rumour has it that it can blow a bit on the Taranaki coast, so Ben and Tess built with that in mind. “We’re only 700 metres from the surf so salt spray is a real issue. That’s why Marley PVC was the only way to go. And we love it!”

The black looks really stunning with matching RP80 80mm round downpipes. So from both a practical and design viewpoint the Black Stratus Design Series was ideally suited to the location and added a very stylish finishing touch to the home.

“It’s pretty obvious, we’re keen on black. We looked at lots of magazines for inspiration and we were always drawn to the darker colours.”

From the Ebony ColorSteel on the roof, to the Resene Pitch Black stain on the verandas, the black oxide on the driveway to the Black Marley Stratus Design Series spouting and downpipes, the colour black is very prominent. It has the visual effect of making the house sit down in the landscape. It blends in rather than shouts out.

Ben and Tess are suitably in love with their new home which is truly beautiful in black.