New display village sets seal on success

Press, 13 April 1984, Page 14

New display village sets seal on success

With the opening of its new display village at McLeans Island, the Canterbury Cottage Company is following up a formula for success that began seven years ago with the construction and marketing of the first “Granny Cabins.” Proof of the design excellence of that first venture is the fact that in all that time little change has been made to the original plan, but today, alongside the Granny Cabin, the Canterbury Cottage Company offers a range of 25 homes suitable for all types of use. The key to the Canterbury Cottage concept is that the designs are site built and fully transportable, practical and inexpensive, high quality and built, at the lowest possible price. The company builds to standard designs and produces these

designs in volume, thus keeping costs down. The popularity and versatility of this idea has been proved both in Canterbury and further afield by customers who have found a wide range of uses for the homes. Canterbury Cottage designs are in use as first homes and retirement cottages, as farm accommodation and fishermen’s baches, as offices or commercial premises, as holiday homes and as the dream homes of a lifetime. From a base of three office staff and four carpenters in 1977, the firm now employs 18 carpenters and eight administrators at the new McLeans Island village. The village itself is made up of three display homes, providing between them a good cross-section of the Canterbury Cottage range. A feature of the design range is that the 25 variations can be adapted to the customer’s preference to greatly expand the options offered. The portfolio of plans is regularly reviewed and updated to keep abreast of buyers’ requirements and market trends. The new site is near the main entrance to the yard of Peter Stevens, Ltd, the Earent company of Canterury Cottage Company, off McLeans Island Road.

The display village occupies 7000 sq m in an impressive natural setting that incorporates professional landscaping, an underground watering system, extensive floodlighting and a carpark for 20 vehicles. Uninterrupted views west to the Alps, the established

garden and sunny position make the display village an attractive place for a weekend visit. The most luxurious of the three display homes is the Attic Omihi De Luxe, a striking, two-storeyed family home that has become one of the most popular in the Cottage Company range. It occupies only 106 sq m of ground space, making it suitable for families who require a larger-than-aver-age house on a compact building area. The Attic Omihi De Luxe has four double bedrooms, plenty of living space and service areas that are practical and spacious, in a design that has a comfortable, colonial atmosphere and the charm of steep attic ceilings. The display home differs from the standard Attic Omihi in the incorporation of more expensive materials and a slightly modified layout. The building materials, fittings and fixtures are all of particularly high quality, making use of the latest design and construction concepts. The Selwyn Cottage next door is a more modest — and therefore less expensive design. A two-bedroomed home of compact proportions, it has been purchased in equal numbers as a holiday home and an urban dwelling, as a farm cottage and a retirement home. Homes of this design purchased from the Canterbury Cottage Company have been transported to locations as diverse as Hanmer Springs, Wanaka, Hinds and Banks Peninsula.

From sliding glass doors off a front veranda, the Selwyn design offers a comfortable living and dining area, a well-appointed kitchen and bathroom and two double bedrooms with builtin wardrobes.

The third display home in the Canterbury Cottage Company village is a Granny Cabin, an example of the second-smallest unit built by the company. It has been designed specifically for the accommodation of single persons and its compact size means that it is easily located behind an existing home for use by elderly or physically dependent relatives.

Part of the charm of Granny Cabins lies in their utility, with the emphasis on ease of access and minimal maintenance and housework. In the Conway cabin displayed at McLeans Island, a feature is the central positioning of the bathroom, toilet and laundry area, with access from both the bedroom and living areas. As with all the Canterbury Cottage homes, the Granny Cabin has up-to-date and attractive kitchen and bathroom areas that make the best use of the space available.

All the units on display are complete with floor coverings, light fittings, drapes and blinds to give the effect of a home setting and the village is staffed seven days a week by representatives of the company who can assist visitors with inquiries and provide further information on the Canterbury Cottage Company’s range.