Orchard House: A Flexible Family Compound in New Zealand, by Fearon Hay and Katie Lockhart

For a new house set among a mature chestnut orchard near Queenstown, New Zealand, Auckland-based firm Fearon Hay and interior designer Katie Lockhart approached the project as both a family home and a place of work. Designed for a couple with three adult children living abroad, the focus was on the long view: building a flexible, multi-generational family home and ceramicist retreat to accommodate returning children and guests. The new build is conceived as a series of agricultural volumes arranged around a central courtyard that opens toward the surrounding mountains. Clad in zinc and corrugated metal to protect from harsh seasonal shifts, the interior is defined by oak joinery, limestone flooring, and plaster finishes—an architecture drawn directly from rural shed typologies, the utilitarian buildings of Central Otago in New Zealand, with a contemporary approach.

Katie Lockhart joined the project as the build was underway, focusing primarily on furnishings and soft elements to complement the architectural framework. Working with a client who is both a ceramicist and collector, she developed an interiors palette that feels eclectic but considered—custom pieces alongside vintage finds, and a continuity of materials. The result is a modern compound designed to flex with the seasons of life, pared back for daily use and artistic practice, but expandable to accommodate a full house.

Photography by David Straight for Katie Lockhart Studio.

Above: The house totals 400 square meters (about 4,300 square feet) and is designed towards Passive House standards. Above: The main entry door is made of steel-framed glass with a gate made of raw steel sheeting to close down the house. Above: The living room is anchored with concrete and limestone, then warmed with oak paneling and chestnut-colored textiles. The sofas are the Mjölk Sofa in Walnut designed by Thom Fougere for Mjölk, upholstered in Kvadrat Moss 0001 fabric. Above: The armchairs are the CDC1 Lounge Chair by Carlo de Carli for Gubi. The side table between them is the Forged Martini Table from Stride & Co. Above: Custom lightweight curtains were designed in a sheer fabric from James Dunlop Textiles called Drift in color Tussock. Above: The coffee table is vintage Billy Haines sourced from the former MARCH in San Francisco. The round side table is a vintage Charles Dudouyt and the table lamp is also vintage, a French ceramic base and rush shade. The rug is Swedish attributed to Otto Schultz in the 1950s. Above: The kitchen cabinets are made of orbital brushed stainless steel sheeting. The freestanding cabinets to the left are heat-treated stainless steel to bring out the warm bronze tone. The kitchen island, as well as the countertops are in-situ concrete burnished with a matte sealant. Above: Fearon Hay called on Lockhart to source a complementary tile for the backsplash. Lockhart, who expertly integrates Heath Ceramics tiles into a range of contexts, sourced their Field Tile in Fog for the occasion. A razor-thin stainless steel shelf seamlessly integrates and frames the cooktop vent at right. Fearon Hay designed a hang rack for the owner’s collection of kitchen tools. Above: Perforated corrugated panels were designed to filter light while acting as both privacy and ventilation panels. Above: The barstools are Sawkille Tall Stools in American Black Walnut next to which is an outsized Ingo Maurer Uchiwa Wall Light. Above: The dining table is a custom piece designed by Lockhart and made by Grant Bailey. It features chestnut leaves to reflect the property’s surrounding orchard. Above: The chairs are Børge Mogensen J39 Mogensen Chairs in Walnut. The chandelier is the Trizo21 Austere 2Y/2X RS16 Chandelier in black brass. Above: The curved headboard in the main bedroom was designed custom by Lockhart and made by Grant Bailey. “The inspiration came from its placement in the room by Fearon Hay as a freestanding object rather than against a wall,” she explains. On the bed is a vintage Suzani textile that Lockhart made into a bed cover. Above: The FRAMA Farmhouse Trestle Table paired with a Rietveld Utrecht Armchair XL upholstered in Ortigia Roccia 13L650 and finished with blanket stitching. Above: The characterful Waka Waka Double Cylinder Chair in Forest Green stands at the bedside of another bedroom. Above: A bathroom designed with custom limestone slab wash basins and a Brodware bathroom tap. The vase is from the owner’s collection. Above: The owner at work in her on-site pottery studio. Above: This room, which the architects named Snug Room, was created as a retreat from open living space for reading or watching. Fearon Hay collaborated with Lockhart to design fabric wall paneling with Rubelli Velvetforty 03 fabric. The ceiling is finished in a custom plaster created by a local specialist. The rug is mohair, the sofa is the Patricia Urquiola for B&B Italia Tufty Time Sofa, and the custom throw pillows are made from Loro Piana fabric. Overhead is the Artemide Tolomeo Mega Wall Lamp. Above: A view of the way rooms are thoughtfully designed to open up. The shared spaces are comprised of the kitchen, dining, and living areas, while bedrooms, guest quarters, and the studio are self-contained retreats. Above: Fearon Hay collaborated with O2 Landscape and Jared Lockhart Design on the landscape design surrounding the property.

For more inspired interiors from Katie Lockhart Studio see our posts:

• Collective Composition: A Historic Villa Renovation in Auckland by Katie Lockhart and Jack McKinney Architects
• A Modern Classic Apartment Interior in Helsinki, Finland
• A Soulful, Monastic House in New Zealand, Japanese-Shaker Style Included
• Bathroom of the Week: Two Bath Remodels with Bold Green Tile in Auckland