A Chat With The Home Owners - Pod House

What are your three favourite things in your home and why are they special to you?
Ian: I think that one of my favourite things is the innovation in the technology. For example the light switches, how they are Bluetooth enabled and they all have timers that enable us to save power, you can use your phone to turn things on and off. You can turn the tele off at the wall, from your phone. You know so, you tend to do that. We found going back to Wellington that since living here  we’d tailored our behaviour to reducing power use, and then you’d go back to the city and you’d just forget , because it was easy. And so I think we’ve built that kind of behavioural change into the technology and the house. I think that’s pretty cool.

Kate: Yeah I agree. I feel like one of my favourite things is the whole way the house actually functions, like the fire that swivels right the way around so we can actually use it in all sorts of ways.  I also like the bookcase that hides things and then also shows things. 

Top tip for people wanting to build their own Grand Design.
Ian: I think my top tip would be to go for what you want. Don’t worry about the cost at the end of the day, I wish people have given us that as a tip.
Don’t compromise on what you really want and find a way to make it happen.That’s one of Kate’s strengths was finding ways to make things happen. 

Your builds complete now, what’s next? Do you have any new projects lined up?

Kate: We do have our new project lined up, this is just the beginning. So now we’re in the house we can kit out our little summer houses and our yurt for our glamping business that’s going to be tied in with the people walking the track and offer that as accommodation. It will also create a space where people can just sit and be. We’d like people not just to use it as accommodation on the way through. But also come and, and really experience the Kenepuru Sound.