In the countryside north of Christchurch sits a former lodge that has found new life as a stunning family home. Clever electric home design and inspired interior renovation have transformed the once tired property into a beautiful estate that the owners can control from anywhere at the tap of a screen.

The three-storey home sits on a sprawling 8ha site complete with a sweeping tree-lined driveway, a lake, and rural views. The main house and connecting wing have six bedrooms, four bathrooms, an indoor pool, spa, and sauna. Nearby, a ‘shed’ contains a home theatre, games room, and gym. An outdoor kitchen and entertaining area will complete the renovation.

Built in 2000, the house had a dated interior and basic electrics when the new owners bought it in 2022. They wanted a fresh look while staying true to its classic architecture and creating a space that was easy and enjoyable for family life.

Interior designer Lacey Exton of Christchurch firm Comber and Comber laughs as she recalls that the initial plan was a simple makeover with an interior repaint, new carpet, window treatments, furniture, and an electrical “tidy-up.” But as work got underway with the owners living on-site, their ideas about how their new home could look and what it could do started to evolve.

“The scope just kept growing,” says Lacey, “and we ended up giving most of the house an overhaul.” Tom Waugh of Lumos Automation also joined the project as the expansive home was a perfect candidate for smart home automation.

The owners decided on PDL Wiser for their smart home system, having done their own research. A huge fan of the Wiser system already, Tom says it was ideal for the project as no special wiring is required and the home’s concrete walls and floors meant access was tricky.

PDL Wiser links devices through a Wiser Hub, which connects to a home’s WiFi. As Tom added lights and other features to the Hub, the owners could control each linked item on their smartphones using the Wiser by SE app, important for managing such a large property.

Lacey chose Iconic switches in Vivid White for the home. “It works seamlessly with the style in each room and looks good on slightly darker colours to give a little contrast, as well as on the plain white walls.” The owners can also easily change the switch plates for any other designs or colours in the Iconic range.

When creating your own dream home, Tom and Lacey recommend spending time planning how you’ll use each room. “Start thinking about what you want your home to do and how you want to control that,” says Tom. Curating Moments with PDL Wiser can add so much to a client’s enjoyment of their home, and being able to add features later on is a huge benefit.

Lacey points out that factoring elements like feature and mood lighting and motorised blinds into your plans is key to great electric home design. “I like to meet people when they’re still concepting with an architect. There could be relevant little tweaks and changes that make the home flow and work interior-wise, and for how the client wants to live in the space.”

Whether it’s a major renovation or a three-bedroom new build, PDL Wiser can be tailored to create what you want. “You get to decide how you want your home to work. It’s really only limited to your imagination.”