Theory put to the test

Press, 27 July 1989, Page 25

Theory put to the test

When Russell Devlin was designing his own home, it was obvious he would use cost-saving techniques he had previously devised. The result is an attractive family home with dramatic cost reductions which he succeeded in achieving without compromising on distinctive architectural features. Concealed gutters and rose bay windows are two of the "extra” features it boasts. Russell and Buffy Devlin recently moved into their new home, the culmination of several years careful planning. It could aptly be described as the

house which grew from a garage. The garage, where they set up a cosy one-room pad, was home while they planned and built their house. The garage was soon followed by the floor slab. Although the shell of the house was built in little more than a week, Russell and Buffy were still living in the garage more than a year later. Progress was limited to after hours and week-ends. But Russell had proved his point; quick construction reduced costs — the price for the shell was $30,000. The entire house was still $14,000 below the budget drawn up two

years ago. Flexibility is the key to the design. Russell carefully chose fittings he could move from his garage home into his house. The kitchen joinery, for example, was simply transferred to its rightful place in the “new” kitchen. The heart rimu joinery teamed with china blue formica makes a smart upmarket kitchen. Adding interest is the gable roof where dramatic use is made of concealed lighting. The central access makes best use of space. It eliminates the waste space of a hallway yet

gives a sense of arrival, which is heightened by the cedar door. The living area — kitchen, dining room and lounge — is open plan. It is kept warm by passive solar design which is used extensively throughout the house. In the lounge, a tiled sunspace in front of the windows catches winter sun, slowly releasing its heat. Other passive solar design features are the orientation of the house to the sun, good insulation and the position of the windows. One bedroom is downstairs; the other two are

upstairs. One is large enough to divide into two. The master bedroom, with an ensuite, is particularly warm and sunny. Roof space has been converted into roomy cupboards. Russell and Buffy Devlin prefer painted walls, choosing warm beige for the living area and soft shades of green and pink for the upstairs bedrooms.

Glamatex is the material used for the exterior. This is a textured finish, containing marble chips, which is sprayed on. Its colour is calico. Teamed with the blue coloursteel roof, it echoes the colour scheme of the living area inside.