When you first glimpse its restrained palette of exterior colours and low-lying profile, this Wanaka house looks simple and unassuming. But first impressions can be deceiving. Inside, it’s dramatic and eye-catching from all angles.

It’s super stylish, but also friendly and fun, as befits a holiday home – albeit a top-of-the line one.

The house is meticulously detailed and finished. This has resulted in the Master Builders Association Supreme Award ­– Southern Region, for builder Gerald Harraway. Christchurch architect Sebastiano Broadhead designed the home to maximise the view over Lake Wanaka with its dramatic mountain backdrop.

In essence, the home consists of five pavilions. Each has floor-to-ceiling windows at the front, then slopes back to the rear of the site. The main living area is the largest. The front windows are 6m high and the ceiling slopes back 21m to the rear of the structure, which is 2.7m high. Engineering was critical. The roof consists of prefabricated horizontal steel frames interlaced with wooden ribs. The ceiling was then gibbed and covered with pre-made acoustic panels. In a clever touch, the ceiling is curved subtly at the high end.

Cladding is machine-coated cedar over a timber frame, secured with exposed copper nails. Smartwood doors – timber inside and aluminium outside – slide back on three sides to let in the fresh air. Naturally, the whole house is double-glazed. The roof is sandstone grey Colorsteel Diamond V Rib, another natural colour that helps the home blend in with its alpine setting.

Flooring is polished concrete, a low-maintenance material that seems to be becoming increasingly popular. Infloor solar and diesel-powered heating will take the chill off those sub-zero southern nights. So, too, will the massive open fire. Custom-built and gleaming in red enamel, by Warmington, the fireplace dominates the living space. A 10m high flue had to be craned into place extremely carefully, says Harraway. Together with the suspended red-orange cylindrical lights, the fireplace provides a splash of colour contrasting with the neutral, elegant choice of materials.

The kitchen, by Christchurch-based IGD-Ingrid Geldof Design, is a work of art in itself. It’s a two-sided structure, with the kitchen on one side and a storage space and a bench top on the reverse. This defines the entranceway, and retains the ceiling line throughout the room. An internal window allows a glimpse from the entrance hall into the living space beyond. Another advantage, apart from extra storage space, is that the chef can also see who’s at the front door.

The richly polished New Zealand red beech, solid timber central island is by Fourth Generation. For the joinery, IGD called on Robert Webster, from Prime Panels. Webster hand selected the colour and grain to match the bench top. Small glass brick-shaped tiles are set behind the hob. The cooker separates two tall units and a huge, inverted, T-shaped custom-made metal rangehood by Ventech.

Blumotion stainless-steel drawer runners and Prime Panels Armour Grey melamine carcasses provided a point of difference to the interior, as did the black-stained MDF toe spaces and negative details, says Geldof. Black glass mosaic tiles created the backsplash. Two Liebherr fridges, one with wine cooler, supply ample storage and the Miele combi and Scholtes oven were included to give total flexibility. The result is a striking, highly efficient kitchen, she says.

An overhead metal beam, a Lighting Slot blade from Aesthetic Lighting, contains florescent lighting and appears suspended in space. At night, red LED lighting comes on in either side of the wall units.

Even functional areas, such as the laundry, have special touches. A wooden trapdoor in the floor swings up to reveal stairs leading to a wine cellar. Push it down and it closes softly on gas struts.

A home theatre room opens off the passageway. Landscaping, by Echo Landscaping, features native plants and grasses. When mature, they will allow the home to nestle harmoniously into the landscape.

What’s special

Design: Architect Sebastiano Broadhead, Christchurch.

Builder: Gerald Harraway, Wanaka. (Master Builders Association Supreme Award – Southern Region).

Construction: Timber frame, cedar cladding, Colorsteel Dimond V Rib roof over steel and wooden beams, gibbed with acoustic panels; Smartwood aluminium-and-timber joinery, all double glazed; polished concrete floors.

Heating: Infloor piping, water heated by solar and diesel; custom-built central open fireplace.

Kitchen: Ingrid Geldof Design, Christchurch.

Landscaping: Echo Landscaping, Wanaka.

Other features: Wine cellar, home theatre room, multi-room sound system, steam sauna.