The Hanmer House
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The Hanmer House - an off the grid country home to house family of 8 for weekend and holiday gatherings.
I grew up on a farm in Hanmer Springs, spreading across the flats of the basin between the mountains and the Waiau Uwha River. This was part of the same property my Dad; Chris Atkinson was raised on and his father, grandfather, great grandfather and great great grandfather before him. It was a brilliant place to be a child with cold winters under snowy tops and hot, dry summers amid the raging nor’west wind. The seasons were clearly defined and impossible to miss. The wind, nearly a constant.
In 1997, my father and uncle who farmed in partnership, sold the farm and departed for their own ventures in Canterbury. During this process they retained a flat stony block on the boundary, while my mother purchased a block just in front, bordering the road. Both parties planted out their land in pine trees. Over the next 20 years, my Mum; Mimi Atkinson carved off sections of her property, selling to life style blockers but retaining the larger area at the back.
Then in 2018, in what felt like a real surprise to the rest of us, she announced she was milling the trees and planned to build a house that we could all gather in at once. Paving a return to our treasured Hanmer basin.
Before all its intensive planning, the house was always to be inspired by her love of the back country. I can confidently say I have never met anyone with the same lust for steep, dry, vast landscapes as my Mum and the distinctly New Zealand architecture that goes with that. The simple, pitched roof form of humble shepherds huts and importantly, the signature corrugated iron.
As with every house build in the history of the world, floorplans scribbled on paper expanded as we took into account the true space needed to comfortably accommodate the family, remaining focused on the primary mission. My parents, my sister and bro in law, my husband T and I plus a bunkroom for the kidlets, no matter how many came along. Although we have ended up with just with two firecrackers!
Mum researched avidly for options that might reduce cost and effort, including multiple designs offered by housing companies, pre fab options and more. Ultimately, both the remote location of Hanmer Springs and our rapidly developing preferences meant that we settled on designing it ourselves with local builders; Amuri Building Specialists taking on the challenge of the build.
Mum and I, armed with a scale rule arrived on a floorplan which the family approved then we took it to Amberley architectural designer; David Barker to develop based on our sometimes unconventional requests.
This project was led by Mum, from start to finish.
She took on many aspects of management to help keep costs within budget and experienced all the frustrations of building a home!
Below she shares some insights.
To clarify - I (Julia) have written all the image captions and I have labeled Mum’s answers clearly.
Julia: Mum with her granddaughter in what was to become the kitchen.
Summer - early 2020.
Julia: The shed went in first to prepare for the solar system, as did the large collection of tanks required in case of fire. A typically moody nor’west backdrop which the iron cladding almost perfectly mirrors.
Mimi Atkinson - the on-site boss (Dad pictured in the background).
Julia: What motivated you to mill the trees and take on this project?
Mimi: The plantation was growing slowly in the harsh climate and I thought by the time it was truly mature I might be too old to think about building a family holiday house so I'd better get milling! The log prices were good at the time which helped.
Julia: What was the inspiration for the style of the house?
Mimi: I had it in my head that I wanted a back country musterers hut but with modern conveniences. I love the old musterer and rural high country huts and have stayed in many over the years.
Grooved ply was a cheats way of getting the tongue and groove look. It needed to be completely clad in corrugated iron and have a proper sheltered back door entrance. Absolutely no need for a 'front' entrance in a hut!
Signature Sunplank (water proof laminate) was a cheaper option for the flooring which should technically have been wood but we are really pleased with it and how we could also run it through the bathrooms to avoid cold tiles.
Wool carpet was needed for the bedrooms to make it feel cosy as the only heating is the large wood burner called a Mega Rad. It is incredibly effective, warms the house extremely well and we can keep it running through the night. We have just fitted a heat transfer system to support that heat getting right down the hall to all the bedrooms on the coldest nights.
The house plan needed to be an L shape to shelter from the persistent NW and W winds all year round. Large quantities of windows and doors to the floor to take in the wonderful Hanmer Range and let the sun in under the veranda in the winter. Verandas are essential in the Hanmer climate. There is always the need for shade in the summer so it needed to be wide enough to fit seating and to keep the sun out of the house at the height of the day.
Julia: It was literally all hands on “deck” as the family took on building it to keep costs down! This is my husband T Dunn. , moonlighting as a deck maker on his weekend off bricklaying!
Julia: A family review of the work….
Julia: My sister Caroline with newborn and very grubby building site niece.
Julia: What were the main reasons for choosing off the grid? Did it take a lot of research? What advice would you offer to others considering this option.
Mimi: Because the house is more than 600m from the road and the powerlines, it was going to be very expensive to get power to the property. It was an obvious choice to go off the grid and it was something I was keen to do anyway. We were also able to drill our own well with a good reliable supply. Being where we are, we’re required to have huge water tank storage that can be accessed in the event of a fire, so this was costly but important.
It did take an amount of investigation, firstly finding a provider that suited me and then in learning all the different options for the batteries, panels etc. Choosing suitable appliances that were energy efficient was very important. I wanted to make sure we could still have a washing machine and dishwasher - otherwise it wouldn’t be a holiday for us! We did decide not to heat the water with electricity (gas califont instead) and not to have an oven - in its place we use a Weber BBQ outdoors, plumbed directly into the gas. So far it can do everything we need including roasts, pizzas and heat puddings.
We built the shed first as this was where the solar panels would be mounted and we could create a lockable space for the battery bank. The most important part of the solar setup is the very efficient, auto start generator that steps in when the batteries are running low. It means you can just carry on as normal although I encourage any house users to consider when they turn on appliances!. Eg. When the sun is out - do everything!!!!
In the future, we may well add more panels and batteries and if necessary swap the water heating to electric as the regulations change. Our system was set up with 2 inverters which means adding to it is uncomplicated.
Julia: Mum painting the backdoor in her best “woolshed” red.
Julia: Dad in the scrap woodpile. We were able to repurpose or burn all waste wood.
Julia: My brother in law; Simon and T building the kitchen using Caboodle carcasses. Aside from a lot of family effort, this was a very cost effective way to create the kitchen.
Julia: What were some design decisions that you are most pleased with the result?
Mimi: Our draftsman was almost 100% guided by our hand drawn plan but he did come up with some really good ideas. Because the kitchen end of the living area was rather ample he suggested a good sized pantry in which the fridge/freezer and other some appliances could live, leaving the kitchen benches clear and tidy. We added to this with our own open shelving and spots to slide in chilly bins on the floor etc. This space has been brilliant and it helped us stick to our plan of doing away with any wall hung cupboards to keep walls all clear for windows. As we only have a gas hob below opening windows we were able to avoid a rangehood too.
As was the plan, we decided to make the kitchen ourselves to keep costs low. Luckily, I have a handy husband and sons-in-law who are good with power tools! We fitted Caboodle cabinets without doors and I made old fashioned curtain fronts out of oil cloth to keep things simple but we also like the softness. I sourced a hardy plywood, stained and sealed it to be used as the bench tops, including the island which sits on top of Caboodle cabinetry as well. We clad it with left over grooved ply and painted it the same colour as the walls.
In the small space between benchtop and window we applied cheap but attractive pebble tiles with a soft grey grout.
Julia: The completed, homemade kitchen.
Julia: Looking through to the pantry that also houses the fridge/freezer, toaster and microwave etc. We created the shelves ourselves using a simple bracket system. There is a cavity slider, however we rarely use it.
Julia: The windows were worth it….
Julia: The use of grooved ply on all walls and ceilings in the living area injected the character we were hoping to capture. All were painted Dulux Cardrona.
THe large framed piece on the wall is an original surveyed map of the farms boundaries.
Mimi continued: The architectural designer also suggested a generous wardrobe in the master bedroom which doubles as the linen cupboard. This has allowed for terrific storage and is the only place we needed cupboard doors. In the two other double rooms we specified recessed closet space then fitted our own shelves that the men made using left over wood and affordable brackets. We then purchased extra curtains (that we found at Spotlight) to hang and enclose the closets, creating softness and easily hiding away overnight bags. The space was very handy for a porta-cot too!
The high ceiling and grooved ply throughout the living area ( painted Dulux Cardrona ) is roomy and restful. Colour was introduced in the snug corner (presently a library and children's toy area with an extra single bed) and all the bedrooms. I can't live without some colour and it was mostly leftover paint from other projects to keep costs down.
In the living area there's a fallow deer's head from my brothers station and two 'rusted' chandeliers to give it a bit of backcountry class! One chandelier the girls found and gave me for Christmas and miraculously we sourced an exact match off Trade Me months later. They had different finishes so I applied a rust paint treatment and used old dog chains to suspend them.
We were also really lucky to get our hands on the last lights from the Ico Traders range as they were reducing their product line to concentrate on their wire furniture. I love the character of them and, in particular, the wall mounted ones in the living room which allow soft atmospheric lighting without having overheads on. Throughout the house we only have recessed ceiling lighting in the kitchen and bathrooms, all the rest are simple, single suspended lights or plug in lamps.
Julia: There is ample space for the whole family to sit and mill around in the living space, including my fast and messy nieces. We have set up the area so that the current dining and living/tv space can be swapped over if we need to be closer to the fire in winter. This includes a second plug in spot for the tv. At this stage, given the terrific fire and great insulation, we are unlikely to swap them over.
Julia: Testing fabrics for curtains. We have come to realise that we do not need hefty or thermally lined curtains, instead a linen barrier to pull and still allow light to filter through in the height of summer - needed most for the low summer sun on the western side. Featured here is a ceramic pot of matagouri which makes Mum feel connected to her favourite places.
Julia: We selected 2 x Immerse sofas from nood which proved not only the right solution for the space ( 3 and 2 seater which are only slightly different in size) but also the lovely textural, tough fabric with no loose cushions to get squashed by catapulting children. We can vouch for their extreme comfort!
**Nood is a Studio Home Partner
Julia: The terrific matchstick blinds of which two we picked up at a garage sale and the others we ordered to our desired width from wonderful Wah Lees in Auckland. During summer these remain down nearly the whole time to protect from the harsh, late afternoon sun. In winter they stay up most of the time.
Julia: Due to the shape of our floorplan, we were able to include this bonus snug room. This is a great place for tucking away toys, collecting holiday reading and houses an extra single bed. We have come to really value it.
Julia: The shelving in the snug is made of rough sawn macrocarpa (one with a big bow which we can’t be bothered changing!) and an easy tracked bracketing system found at most large hardware stores.
The snug is painted in Dulux Mt. Stevens
Julia: The entrance to the house is technically the “back door”. The ample covered porch allows protection from the prevailing weather and is a good spot for wet and muddy gear. Inside, Dad made the seat and wall hung storage shelves with left over timber from the build.
Julia: The mudroom/entrance also doubles as the laundry. There is a hardy laundry sink unit and power friendly washing machine. The cupboard with curtain houses vacuum cleaner and general “stuff”. The room is painted in Dulux Pukaki.
Mimi continued: The west side of the living room and kitchen only has a limited section of verandah and the intense late afternoon summer sun was going to be an issue. After much searching we settled on ordering traditional matchstick blinds for all those windows, allowing light to filter through but not darken the space to hide from the sunshine. The blinds also introduce natural colour and texture, in keeping with the casual vibe. Due to the double glazing, modern insulation and great fire, all window coverings in the house are largely kept simple with little need for ample thermal lining. The house truly gets hot enough and retains temperature very well. We see this as an opportunity to save on the expense of hefty window coverings.
Aside from our deep, comfortable nood sofas which allow us all to sit together and the large jute rug, the rest of the furniture is second hand and odds and ends we have pulled from all of our collective homes (and piles in the garage). I found the lovely wooden table on Trade Me and we currently use a collection of chairs not in use from within the family. The bar stools belonged to my son in law and the divan in the snug was my husbands childhood bed. Occasional chairs collected over time can be pulled into place where needed and finally many little side tables kept along the way have found use.
Artwork throughout the house are special purchases, gifts or have been passed down through our families. Often the subject matter is focused on the history of the area or former farm.
While we designed the windows and electrical to work to fit perfectly with custom built bunks in the children’s room, we ran out of steam a bit so purchased two sets which work very well for now. The blinds in there I painstakingly made from old woolen rugs.
Julia: In both bathrooms we requested no cabinetry, instead repurposing spare furniture from our own homes. In the family bathroom, Mum sourced a “near new” pedestal sink from Trade Me and the toilet was found at Trade Depot. The mirror is second hand and plays well with the Ico Traders wall hung lights, bringing some character to the new space.
There is also a shower with a shower dome which - much to my distaste!!! - works extremely well.
You heard it here…
Julia: Our bedroom painted in Dulux Mt Stevens. Simple, ready made curtains and rail from Spotlight.
Julia: The two double rooms have closet alcoves which we then custom built shelving using a simple track system and repurposed spare timber from the build. Extra curtains were purchased from Spotlight to hang in these spaces to hide overnight bags etc.
Julia: Caroline and Simon’s room painted in Dulux Ardmore. All bedlinen in the house has been pulled from our own linen cupboards at home.
Julia: Mum and Dad’s room painted in Dulux Pukaki. Mum made the lush curtains herself. All the bedrooms were designed so you can lie in bed with terrific views to the mountains through the sliding doors. It was also a priority to have sliders that included a separate window for opening at night.
Julia: The ensuite was future proofed by designing it to be wheelchair accessible. Again, Mum sourced the near new basin from Trade Me and I found the mirror second hand too. Lowkey occasional furniture works well and the large shower (not pictured) is also wheelchair accessible.
Julia: The bunk room can sleep 5 and sits on the south side of the house. Windows were carefully designed to allow bunks their own view and opening ventilation when we planned to custom build them. While this might happen in the future, for now they work well with these kit set ones. Painted Dulux Puhoi.
Julia: Is there anything you would change at this point? How are you enjoying the house?
Mimi: There is absolutely nothing I would change at this time.
In fact I often sit there on the comfy sofas and wonder how lucky we are that it all turned out so perfectly!
We visit almost every second weekend and are making masses of precious memories with family and visitors.
Julia: Finally, mostly clear of the finishing touches bar the living room curtains that Mum is going to make, we are now deep in the business of forming incredible memories back in the area we grew up in. It is amazing to see my nieces rampaging around under the same mountains that watched over my own childhood and to gather together in such a fantastically comfortable home.
This home that Mum made is a special legacy for our family for the future and we are eternally grateful to be able to enjoy this place.
Christmas 2020
Winter 2021
Winter 2021
Mum stuffed in the back for a trip up to our local little ski field - Hanmer Springs Ski Area.
Hanmer magic.
*** Special mentions and links have been made to the only gifted pieces we received in this project which were the terrific sofas and large rug from nood. Studio Home and nood have an ongoing relationship and I am very proud to partner with this Christchurch based brand.
