Every day is a play day for the children – a generous pool surrounded by nature makes sure of that.

Sheltered indoor-outdoor living was an essential part of the game plan for the coastal home.

The home is infused with natural light and takes in bush and rural views at every turn.

Anticipation is part of the arrival to the family home as stairs lead immediately down to the open-plan living zone where the ceiling rakes up to an incredible 4.2 metres and the glazing follows suit to allow the greenery surrounding the house hero status.

Surprise reveal – it is only once you turn a corner and enter the living room that a tableau of the city, with the Auckland Sky Tower spiking up, emerges.

Aspects such as hand-blown glass pendants above the kitchen bench, an engineered white stone benchtop, and matt-white cabinetry with walnut timber give the kitchen a contemporary flavour.

Owner: "At first, we thought of cedar but because we live so close to the beach, Box suggested Abodo with a Sioo:x coating which protects the wood yet allows it to weather evenly to a lovely silver-grey."

Soaking in the scenery – the master ensuite is one of the owners' favourite places to relax and enjoy the rural outlooks.

Let’s chat slats

A wood-framed, reeded glass pocket sliding door separates the main living space from a second lounge/media room.

The master ensuite with underlit cantilevered vanity and stone-look tilework.

Colourful aesthetic – teal blue & cream pink tones are behind the built-in desks in the children's bedrooms.

This new home nestles into the contours of the land; its sloping roof keeps it below the established recession planes so no resource consent or sign-off from neighbours was required.

The upper level with warm wood batten bannister.

Unless you were a local, you’d never know that behind the street facade of this home, is a leafy view of Grey Lynn park.

Personal choices – guests in the powder room get to experience fluid graphics with dreamy wallpaper in green and black.

The kitchen's brass tapware has a beautiful, aged patina and the engineered stone benchtop is textural and bulletproof for children who like to eat here, do their homework here and generally just hang out with an iPad and be sociably close to mum.

The front door opens to a passageway, with the careful placement of a window at the end of the space that frames a large magnolia tree.

The dedicated laundry's underfloor heating is enough to dry any clothes hung here on a rack when the weather is poor.

The master bedroom has its own private deck while its occupants enjoy direct views to the ocean.

The design maximises use of the long relatively narrow site.

The U-shaped home embraces a covered central deck which faces west but also speaks to a north-facing one that leads out from the dining room and allows the second living room to connect directly with the pool.

Wood floors add to the natural feel in a natural place.

Matt-black Weathertex cladding allows the angular form to recede into the bush.

The homeowners' dream was to build something bespoke but they also realised they couldn’t afford a full-blown design from an architect. Box™ occupies the middle ground using a combined design and building expertise combined with years of experience to personalise designs.

The sloping site culminated in a mini wetland and a bridge across a stream – it was a pretty slice of paradise.

The eastern garden is landscaped with crazy paving.

Ground floor – light-filled master bedroom opening to sprawling deck and garden.

Street presence meets family functionality in this seaside home by Box.

While the homeowners had a vague idea they wanted cedar cladding, they were gently steered towards Abodo, a thermally modified timber with a similar aesthetic but being more durable and cost effective. This cedar-stained pine, teamed with dark-toned Weathertex, gives the 155m² home a two-tone look.

The 50s-style dining nook features walnut-veneer panelling. Combining dining chairs with banquette seating, this area can accommodate few or many.