Designed by Michael Ware, Principal at Designgroup Stapleton Elliott (DGSE), this stunning home in Matua, Tauranga was recently awarded an NZIA local award for Housing in the Bay of Plenty/Waikato region. The home has been designed to blur the line between indoors and outdoors with open plan spaces, clever sculptural forms and natural materials.

“The clients desired a home that would be a hub for creating new family memories and that referenced existing experiences of camping holidays,” explains Michael. Natural materials, including cedar panelling, stone tile and bagged brick walls provide a connection to the outdoors, while the sloping ceiling creates a sculptural reference to camping. “Combined with wall height glazing that opens out onto the outdoor living spaces, this space of the house is truly like an awning of a tent,” says Michael.

For cabinetry and furniture, Michael selected Plytech Birch Décor Oak — a hard wearing birch ply with an attractive American White Oak veneer facing. “Plytech’s Birch Décor Oak was a natural choice as it offered the luxury of authentic oak cabinetry in a cost-effective way,” says Michael.

In the kitchen, Plytech Birch Décor Oak has been used for cabinetry, with push-to-open doors ensuring a seamless look. The warmth of the oak creates contrast to other surfaces in black, white and grey. “Oak cabinetry provided visual difference in the kitchen whilst remaining harmonious with the interior of the home,” says Michael. “The Décor Oak works well for the functionality of a kitchen as it's hardwearing, and it looks great next to the black benchtop.”

These features made Plytech Birch Décor Oak equally perfect for cabinetry in the laundry and a floating vanity in the bathroom. The warm colour and natural look of the oak vanity provides a focal point and creates a visual link to other rooms of the home.

Plytech Birch Décor Oak is a versatile surface that can not only be used for cabinetry, but also bespoke furniture. A custom bookcase and entertainment unit in Birch Décor Oak help continue the natural timber look in the living room, while providing practical storage space for the clients.

The finished home is an inviting and harmonious space, with the warmth and grainy look of cedar and oak evoking the outdoors. The Birch Décor Oak plays a key role in creating a sense of unity throughout the home, all while providing attractive, cost-effective and long-lasting cabinetry and furniture. “The clients and myself are very pleased with the final result and satisfied with the performance of Plytech Birch Décor Oak,” says Michael.