The fourth generation of the Heaney family is now enjoying holidays at the bach, a structure that has grown over time as the family has grown. With more beds and privacy needed, the latest renovation transforms a sleeping mezzanine into two self-contained bedroom suites, and a concrete block games room into a cosy lounge retreat.

Celebrating the bach character

"This bach has evolved as many New Zealand baches have done in the past," says interior designer Sonya Cotter. "Lean-to is built on lean-to, the roofs have been popped up, and furniture is brought down from the city as the house extends. It tells the story of the generations, and it was important that this latest alteration celebrated those layers, not try to conceal them."

The new palette of materials includes prefinished PlyPlay plywood linings, bold geometric fabric prints, textured sisal flooring, and 1950s paint colours for the existing furniture and doors. By embracing the diversity of the existing house, the new elements inject fun and colour.

New walls and built-in plywood furniture

The concrete block games room is now a comfortable winter den with a new fireplace, blonded plywood wall linings, built-in furniture, and beautiful textiles. Sonya has detailed a long, built-in divan with proper bed mattresses and drawers below, so guests can store their gear during the day and have a comfortable bed at night.

To create a seamless finish, the divan bases and wall linings are in the same blonded PlyPlay — a Carter Holt Harvey Radiata Ecoply prefinished with a factory-applied UV paint finish. As well as hosting big family groups, the bach is also regularly rented out, and so it was important to have a hard-wearing, scratch-resistant finish.

The plywood continues upstairs to transform the mezzanine into two separate bedroom suites and a small study integrated into the landing. The single material makes the area feel more spacious, with the lively colours and textiles adding accents to the warm timber.

"It was about creating cosy, charming rooms that fit the vernacular of the bach," notes Sonya. "We broke up the scale of the ply sheet with battens and had lots of fun with IKEA fabrics and the bright, bold paint colours."