Holmes Architecture

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Holmes Architecture

Holmes Architecture is a team of architectural specialists designing bespoke new homes, multi-unit developments, renovations, & commercial builds.

Architectural Design

27/05/2026

RnR Studio proves that small, well-designed spaces can have a big impact.

Created as a discreet backyard retreat, this standalone studio was designed to provide accommodation for our client’s visiting mother while also incorporating practical utility space for the existing home.

Set within the tight footprint of an existing villa backyard, the design responds with a compact, efficient layout that delivers privacy, comfort and function without compromise.

Earlier this year, changes to New Zealand’s granny flat legislation made projects like this more accessible for homeowners - creating new opportunities to add flexible living spaces without the time and cost of traditional consent pathways.

Whether it’s accommodation for family, a guest retreat or creating more usable space on your property, thoughtful design is what makes every square metre work harder.

Learn more: https://www.holmesarchitecture.co.nz/portfolio-rnr-studio/

10/05/2026

Small footprint. No compromises.

Designed within an existing 36sqm footprint, Lockdown Baby rethinks how compact living can work - layering living, sleeping, and light into a highly efficient 55sqm home.

Proof that tight sites don’t limit design - they sharpen it.

Learn more: www.holmesarchitecture.co.nz/portfolio-lockdown-baby/

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26/04/2026

Small footprint. Big thinking.

Larchwood Heights is a 90sqm holiday retreat in Queenstown designed to do more than just sit pretty. Built as stage one of a larger vision, this compact home is future-proofed to become a double garage - without compromising on architecture.

Black steel and cedar wrap the form, suspended above a terraced site with a cantilevered deck framing uninterrupted views of the Remarkables and Lake Wakatipu. Inside, it’s all about contrast - raw concrete, ply and industrial finishes balanced with warmth and restraint.

A tight footprint, handled properly.
Proof that good design doesn’t need excess - just intent.

Learn more on our website: www.holmesarchitecture.co.nz/portfolio-larchwood-heights/

07/04/2026

Donovan House is defined by clarity and restraint - a home where material, light and form work together to create a calm, grounded presence.

A strong, linear composition is softened by a refined palette of timber and dark cladding, anchored by a textured concrete block entry that becomes both threshold and focal point. By day, the architecture sits quietly within its setting. By night, it comes alive - with carefully integrated lighting drawing out depth, warmth and detail.

Inside, the journey is deliberate. The entry sequence creates a moment of pause before opening into light-filled living spaces, balancing openness with privacy.

Simple moves, executed well - a home designed to feel considered at every scale.

31/03/2026

Wha Street is a considered response to density - delivering multi-residential living without compromising on quality or character.

Set within an established neighbourhood, the design balances privacy and connection through a series of carefully composed forms. A restrained material palette of warm timber and dark cladding creates contrast and depth, while skylights and openings bring natural light deep into each home.

Simple in form, but highly resolved in detail — these homes demonstrate how thoughtful design can elevate everyday living on a compact site.

26/03/2026

Seaview Warehouse // A pragmatic, high-performance industrial facility designed to be efficient, adaptable, and built to last.

Yes, we design beautiful homes and spaces - but sometimes practicality and durability are what matter most.

Designed by Holmes Architecture and delivered alongside Holmes Construction, this project is driven by function - with precast concrete panels and exposed structural steel creating a robust, low-maintenance form.

A high-stud, clear-span warehouse maximises flexibility, supported by an integrated office and amenities block. Circulation, access, and natural light have been carefully considered to support day-to-day use.

Efficient to operate. Built to last.

Learn more about this project: www.holmesarchitecture.co.nz/projects

12/03/2026

Lane Stefanski House

Subtle cues from the relaxed modernism of Palm Springs, interpreted for the Wairarapa landscape.

The home is composed as a series of low-lying pavilions arranged around a sheltered courtyard and pool. This configuration creates a protected microclimate, allowing north-facing living spaces to open out to the sun while remaining sheltered from the region’s prevailing winds.

Deep overhangs and covered walkways extend the living areas outward, reinforcing the connection between house, courtyard, and landscape. A restrained palette of natural materials grounds the architecture in its rural setting, while the simple horizontal forms emphasise the expansive surrounding views.

The result is a calm, inward-focused home that balances openness and shelter, designed to support relaxed living and a strong connection to place.

Architecture: Holmes Architecture
Photography: Andy Spain

Learn more about this project on our website: www.holmesarchitecture.co.nz/portfolio-lane-stefanski-house/

06/03/2026

Woodside Bed & Breakfast | Wairarapa

Set against the vast Wairarapa landscape, Woodside Bed and Breakfast is designed to sit quietly within its surroundings – long, low and anchored to the land, allowing the Tararua Ranges to take centre stage.

Organised into two distinct wings, the home balances private living with guest accommodation. A central indoor–outdoor courtyard forms the heart of the plan, connecting kitchen, dining and living spaces while creating a natural threshold between hosting and family life.

Warm timber joinery and panelled ceilings run throughout the home, extending from interior spaces into the covered outdoor areas and reinforcing a strong sense of craftsmanship and continuity. Large-format glazing opens the house to its rural setting, drawing light deep into the interiors and framing uninterrupted views across the landscape.

Designed to support both lifestyle and hospitality, Woodside Bed & Breakfast is a thoughtful response to modern rural living - where architecture, landscape and hosting come together.

Learn more about this project and more: www.holmesarchitecture.co.nz

26/02/2026

Strength Nation – Masterton

A bold, purpose-built gym designed to match the mindset it houses.

Set within an industrial park, the design leans into its context - strong form, black vertical cladding and a confident street presence. By night, the building glows; by day, it stands firm.

Inside, scale drives the experience. A large-span structure opens up uninterrupted training zones, supported by a clear, functional layout that allows movement between weights, classes and recovery spaces.

Black-on-black finishes, exposed structure and geometric lighting create a space that feels disciplined, focused and powerful.

Designed by Holmes Architecture, delivered our group partners Holmes Construction, Renalls Joinery and Infinite Landscapes

Details and finishes from our friends at Inspire Living

See more on our website: www.holmesarchitecture.co.nz/projects/

Strength Nation Masterton

17/02/2026

From palette selection to real life.

We recently visited this Holmes Architecture home in Churton Park for another site walk, and it’s always a great moment seeing the vision start to take shape beyond the drawings and samples.

What began with material palettes and early concepts is now becoming a home you can stand in and experience. Watching the transition from idea to reality is one of the best parts of what we do.

More photos to come as this project continues to progress.

www.holmesarchitecture.co.nz

Address

25 Victoria Street, Petone
Lower Hutt
5019

Website

http://www.holmesarchitecture.co.nz/

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