The QPC Build Group is one of Channel Mag’s founding advertisers and has been consistent in the magazine for a decade. We love them and they have achieved consistent results from the magazine. A recent innovation for QPC is the establishment of a QPC Show Home at 19 Hart Road, Takapuna. This is where customers (and potential customers) can go to see what is possible for their renovation or new build. Channel’s Aidan Bennett met with director Kelly Coburn, wife of founder Alex Coburn, at their show home during March.
If you are considering renovating or building a new home in the near future then a visit to the QPC Show Home in Hart Road is a good place to start. The place is full of the latest innovations and technology.
The site of the show home was once two existing old state houses. These were removed and three new stand-alone 420 square metre homes were built by QPC. The street-front home has been kept by QPC as its show home.
I had heard about the show home so I was keen to take a look. First impressions were that despite there being three houses, they are big and spacious. Four hundred and twenty square metres is a good size. The sloping site has meant that all three north-facing homes have been staggered so they catch the sun throughout the day.
As I entered from the road you could see that the QPC Hart Road show home is sleek and understated and he home has simple lines. The interesting double garage door helps achieve that look. QPC integrated the wide garage door into the rest of the home by having it custom made of vertical stained cedar, giving the front of the home a seamless look. This is a theme used elsewhere in the home.
What is neat about QPC’s Show Home are the finer things that aren’t immediately noticeable. Kelly says that all three have design continuity throughout – the ideal combination of function and form.
“The home has been expertly designed by architect Brendan Rawson from Arch Office to create seamless flow between areas,” explained Kelly as she provided a tour of the home. “We have used quality materials, finishings and fixtures throughout to enhance the living experience and really demonstrate what the options are for our customers.”
Kelly also explained that they have teamed up with key suppliers to ensure visitors can experience high quality options for their own projects.
The show home has four double bedrooms that are plushly finished with Cavalier Bremworth loop pile wool carpet and furnished with pieces from Dawson & Co and Wallace Cotton.
The bathrooms were of particular interest to me, being the owner of a home with dated bathrooms that are in need of updating in the not too distant future.
There are two full bathrooms featuring custom walk-in showers, top-of-the-line brushed black stainless fittings and slate grey tiles, complemented by wall-hung oak vanities underlit with LEDs on a walk-in sensor. The powder room is dark and moody with a solid oak floating shelf vanity and lighting and extraction fan on a walk-by sensor. Keep my wife away – she would love it!
The temptation for my wife would not stop there in this home. The sleek black handle-less kitchen has top-of-the-line Miele appliances, a stone benchtop, granite splashbacks and solid marble walls, and a full walk-in scullery. Thank goodness we renovated our kitchen with QPC not that long ago!
Kelly outlined the design strategy. “We wanted to make the best use of spaces in the home and add in features that make the house stand out from your average home. We decided that under the stairs was a great place to put all the media and hi fi equipment but didn’t want a door in the kitchen. This is where our QPC team decided to wrap around the feature cedar balustrade into the kitchen to conceal a push to open magnetic door.”
Essentially, they have created a hidden area for the media stuff that fits in with the simplicity of the home design.
The innovation doesn’t stop there. The entire house is actually run by home automation from an iPad. This includes the front door, garage door, side gate, skylights, lights, alarm, fireplace, music and recessed roller blinds.
The push-button frosted window in the master ensuite is another of the home's techo elements. The room has views north. With one push of a button the window automatically frosts and stays frosted until it is pushed again; it will then clear up like a normal window. More QPC innovation!
There’s also hidden LED lighting under the custom-made handrail and ballustrades on the stairs.
The living areas that flow out to the courtyard areas are spacious. The formal lounge has a large gas fireplace framed by a large underlit floating granite hearth and flanked by custom-made floating oak shelving.
“We have been thrilled about what we have achieved with the show home,” added Kelly Coburn. “We were fortunate to pick up a Masterbuilder’s Gold House of the Year Award for the home in 2019. The support from our range of valued suppliers made a big difference. All their products and innovations are on display and make the home very special.”
Suppliers featured in the QPC Show Home are: Ascott Aluminium; Timber Floor Solutions; Oben Bathroomware; Handle Solutions; Tile Warehouse; Twig Design; Burrow & Bee; Wallace Cotton; Dawson & Co; Miele; KitchenMaker; Real Fires.
Viewing the QPC Show Home at 19 Hart Road in Takapuna is by appointment.
For more information visit: www.qpcbuilders.co.nz
