Located in Marlborough’s Mahau Sound, pulls off the seemingly impossible: four bedrooms, three bathrooms, kitchen and comfortable living space in an area of just 131sq m.

Master Builders House of the Year 2011 - New Homes $350,000 - $450,000 National Supreme Winner

The design was a collaborative effort between architectural draughtsman Phil and owners Alex and Marcus Myring, and it’s as clever as a fox.

A 10.8m-long wall creates a triangular kitchen space between the sitting area at one end of the living room and the door to the master bedroom at the other. Folding doors conceal storage, microwave and extra bench space recessed into the wall along with fridge; everything else – hob, sink, oven, is incorporated in the 4.5m wedge-shaped island.

The house may be nifitily compact but the views are enormous and there are decks to north and south. Generally the smaller back deck is the more sheltered and from it you can look straight through the sitting area and across the Sound and the bush on the other side. The front deck extends across most of the living space. It’s angled, so the peak will always get the sun. It’s the little things that count.

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