Tough Love

A palette of concrete, metal and timber has produced a surprisingly warm and welcoming home in outer Christchurch – probably because this resourceful couple designed and built the whole thing themselves

- Debbie Harrison

Sometimes, to get what you really want, you have to roll up your sleeves and do it yourself. That’s what Justine and Dion van Kekem did with their stunning contemporary home in rural Christchurch. “We designed and built it ourselves, so we were the customer and the builder,” laughs Justine. The powerhouse couple used their skills in carpentry, interior design and DIY to build, design or create much of the furnishings inside the home, too. “We are definitely hands-on and if we can make it ourselves, we do,” she says.

THE BUILD

After setting their sights on a lifestyle block where they could both live and run their family construction business, the van Kekems found what they were looking for in the Halswell region of greater Christchurch. “We loved this particular section as it has mountain views, Port Hill views and it was already hedged for windbreaks,” says Justine.

With the land secured, it came time to design their dream home. There were two boxes Justine and Dion wanted to tick: the house had to work for them as their family grew, and it needed to comfortably host their large extended families. In the end they kept the floor plan simple, but by sketching out large rooms, an oversized kitchen, wide hallways and high ceilings, they created a home with a luxurious sense of space.

“We love the easy flow we ended up with,” says Justine. “We also love being able to see the kids sneaking out of their bedrooms from most places in the house!”

The couple had renovated their first home – turning a container into a temporary dwelling to live in during the construction phase (Your Home & Garden January 2016) – but this was their first new-build. Eighteen months later, they moved in.

THE KITCHEN