Hidden Treasure

Design flair and an eye for detail have helped to make handcrafted RDG jewellery a hit with celebrities here and in Los Angeles. Ken Robinson and twin sons Michael and David have made Robinson Designer Goldsmith jewellery a favourite with singer Natalie Cole and local entertainers such as singer-songwriter Boh Runga and rapper Savage. They have also shown their products off to celebrities at events based around the Oscars and MTV awards in the US. The same sort of quality control that goes into the Takapuna-based family business was brought to bear when Ken and wife Sandy started planning then oversaw the building of this three-level home. Ken, pictured below with actor William Shatner at a pre-Oscars showcase of his work in 2010, says designing it was a three-year process that began with them drawing plans for the house before passing them on to a draughtsman. Architect Darryl Sang also contributed to the design along the way. "Then we sat down with John D'Anvers over a beer at the old house just up the street and, as he does, he started sketching something out and came up with some really good ideas," says Ken. Sandy and Ken had also picked up plenty of concepts on their travels while staying in resorts and hotels. "We wanted to create a relaxed, resort-style feel," says Ken. "We didn't want to create a palace." A keen car collector, Ken reveals that they decided to remove the old home and build anew when he saw the potential for a huge basement garage. "The reason we built the house was for the good garaging and we took the house up from there," says Ken. The contour of the site also allowed construction of a water feature that runs across the front of the house beginning with a pond at the entrance, where steps seemingly float in the water. Tropical plants give this area the feeling of an oasis, reinforced by the two lofty phoenix palms. "Those are the only original trees remaining out here; we planted everything else," says Ken. "I liked them because they lent themselves to having a driveway winding through them." The home has been cleverly designed so that the main floor sits at street level for an easy flow right from the front door through the house to the rear patio with swimming pool. Rising out of its tropical setting, the home presents a dramatic facade with contrasting materials in a towering travertine marble wall alongside an 8m-high glass curtain wall. The glazed walls of the lounge in the northeast corner provide an enticing glimpse of the home from the street. An oversized pivot door creates a feeling of arrival once you cross the floating steps. It has been painted in Riverside Gold, the colour of the 1969 Chevrolet Corvettes driven by US astronauts. The resort-like feel is reinforced with a simple mix of quality materials throughout: American oak, glass balustrades and ceramic tiles used for flooring and in the bathrooms. A central atrium creates a sense of light and space with living spaces radiating from it. From here you can also enter the home theatre, or take the lift, which runs from the basement to the top floor master suite. At the rear of the home, the casual living spaces and kitchen open out to a patio protected by a LouvreTec roof and wall. This patio steps down to a lawn and in-ground pool, all framed by a formal hedge. With the family business having an increased overseas focus, Ken and Sandy are planning to travel more and keep a smaller base at Takapuna.