From Italy With Love

This couple have crafted their own slice of la dolce vita in Havelock North by building a country home with villa values and more than a little Italian DNA

- Sharon Stephenson

BACKGROUND

Take one builder, add a half-Italian wife with a love of interior design and you end up with this stunning villa-style home on the outskirts of Havelock North.

It’s not the first house Aaron and Bridget Dodd have built – the first was in Hamilton, and their second wasn’t too far from this slice of Hawke’s Bay paradise. “But with the kids getting older, we needed more room and a bigger garden,” explains Aaron, who owns a construction company.

The couple found the perfect flat section in early 2014 and, after a draughtsman refined their design, broke ground in September of that year. Six months later, they moved in.

“There are some advantages to having a builder husband,” laughs Bridget.

VISION

Having been through the design and build process twice before, the couple had a strong vision for their 375-square-metre home.

“We love the character and classic lines of old villas,” says Bridget. “We wanted the house to have the same high ceilings and airy feel as a villa but to utilise modern materials such as polished concrete floors.”

Other items on their non-negotiable list included four bedrooms, a separate den and TV lounge, and a playroom for their three children. They also wanted a generous garage to house the motorbikes that Aaron collects. “We even put a TV in the garage so we can have kids’ parties out there,” says Bridget.

LAYOUT