Built for Life

After nine homes between them, Alex and Miranda built their most considered house yet – a modern farmhouse finished, inside and out, in a carefully layered mix of Hardie™ fibre cement cladding products.

There’s a quiet confidence to a home designed by people who’ve been through the process many times before. Alex and Miranda have lived in nine houses combined. Their Hamilton residence, called Iwa (te reo Māori for nine), reflects everything they’ve learned along the way.

“We built this house for us to live in and enjoy, not for the market,” says Miranda. Sitting on a 713m² section, the 238m² home showcases the defining features of contemporary farmhouse design – a pavilion-style gable roof, an understated colour scheme, layered textures and carefully composed sightlines. The uniting element? Hardie™ fibre cement cladding, applied throughout with a sophisticated feel for texture.

Outside, Linea™ Weatherboard paired with battens creates sharp horizontal detailing, while Hardie™ Flex Sheet with battens adds a striking vertical counterpoint. Painted in Resene Triple Black White, the combination builds a street presence that changes character as sunlight moves across the batten pattern throughout the day.

The exterior also features an open corner without supporting pillars that leads to a covered outdoor living area and a secluded pool, framed by corten steel garden beds that keep the landscaping sharp. Solar power and a fully electric setup mean the home performs just as impressively as it looks.

Indoors, Hardie™ Groove Lining painted in Resene Alabaster covers the living room ceiling, entrance and bathrooms, extending that exterior design vocabulary to the home’s internal spaces.

Alex and Miranda describe the finished look as ‘traditional modern’: streamlined architectural forms paired with cherished vintage belongings, among them mid-century chairs shipped over from the UK in the late 1960s. Sunsets pour through the west-facing windows, and a raked ceiling gives the living space added volume. As evening sets in, the lower lounge ceiling creates a cosier feel.

“The versatility of James Hardie’s range was central to everything,” says Olivia Mael, sales consultant for Design Builders Waikato. “Linea™ Weatherboard brought horizontal rhythm and Hardie™ Flex Sheet with battens introduced vertical contrast. Together, they created depth that colour alone could never achieve.”

“Thinking creatively with the Hardie™ fibre cement product mix allowed us to create strong vertical lines, shifting shadows and a high-contrast finish that gives this home real presence from the street.” Nine houses later, Alex and Miranda have finally discovered exactly what “completely our own” means.