Meet Riverslea
Situated to maximise the sun’s warmth and
link the auxiliary single the large deck expands
the living space of the 60-sqm FLiP LOW1.
Nestled in a subdivided section in Hawkes Bay is Riverslea, a FLiP LOW1 where Pip lives with her son in a clever, future-proofed home which has changed not just her surroundings, but her way of life.
“I previously had an older villa which I’d done up a lot over about a decade. The result was beautiful, but it really was a labour of love and I wanted to simplify. I had heard about FLiP from some friends who had a bach built by them. When I found a smaller, subdivided section, I knew that’s what I wanted to do with it.”
Pip has been in her FLiP now for about 10 months and says she’s loving the smart use of space and her new multi-purpose lifestyle. “The first thing I always tell everyone is that it’s not the least bit cramped. With the lovely high ceilings, the light-coloured paint and a front wall that’s all windows, it never feels too small.” She’s also emphatic about the smart storage and her multi-use spaces and appliances. “I decided not to have a dryer installed, so I’ve been able to use that extra space for all the things I love like books, crafting supplies and outdoor equipment. Truly, the storage here is better than I had previously in a house twice this size.”
Pip’s 60sqm of floor space is complemented by another 45sqm of deck, as well as an auxiliary single bedroom for her teenage son. With her landscaping coming together and a deck space earmarked for her soon-to-arrive outdoor bath, Pip says her FLiP has really delivered on the brief of “the kind of home you never want to leave.”
“The first thing I always tell everyone is that it’s not the least bit cramped. With the lovely high ceilings, the light-coloured paint and a front wall that’s all windows, it never feels too small.”
Indeed, Pip has future-proofed her home so she can remain there in any eventuality. “I’m lucky to be very fit now but a while back I was badly injured in a major car crash and I instantly went from being an avid cyclist to being stuck on the couch. Since then, I’ve learned not to sit around and wait for bad things to happen, so I’ve really prepared for the future with my home. The deck has a ramp, the bathroom has rails and the shower is designed to accommodate a wheelchair if it needs one, all while maintaining a very sleek design. If I ever have another medical event, it’s reassuring to know that I will never be stuck in a hospital bed because my house isn’t suitable.”
Future proofing means the bathroom has rails and the shower is designed to accommodate a wheelchair if it needs one and he deck has a ramp.
By not installing a drier, the storage has been maximised for everything Pip loves.
As a GP, health is a big priority for Pip, as well as one of the best aspects of her cleverly designed LOW 1. A lifelong asthma and hayfever sufferer, Pip says her FLiP has completely transformed her quality of life. “I’ve stopped using my hayfever medicine entirely in the off-season and I’ve halved the amount of preventative medication that I have been taking for my asthma for the last 15 years. I can do demanding exercise in very cold conditions now and I don’t even need my inhaler anymore. It’s really incredible.
“It’s not just that it’s warm - it is, even on the coldest days you can turn on the heat pump for an hour in the morning and then come back in the evening and it’s still held most of that heat - it’s also so dry and well ventilated.”
“I love that from an energy efficiency and environmental perspective but, more than that, it’s just so nice to have a home that’s comfortable all the time. It’s such a luxury, especially in the colder months.”
A full-glass front wall ensures the space never feels too small.
