- 6/8/2025
Grand Designs New Zealand Season 9 Episode 7
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00:01OK, here we go.
00:06On Grand Designs, I often come across people
00:09who just want to get stuck in,
00:11do things...
00:14Oh, my mic fell off.
00:17Do things for themselves
00:19without just relying on professional help.
00:22Now, I understand that, especially with tight budgets.
00:25And people who might just think
00:27they've got the necessary skills.
00:29But on something as challenging as a house,
00:33some things are just better done with the professionals.
00:42But I'm happy to be proved wrong.
00:59The small community of Lowburn on the Canterbury Plains,
01:1250 kilometres north of Christchurch,
01:14offers the promise of a quiet country lifestyle
01:17for those wanting to drop down a few gears.
01:20Finally, we get out and you get on the horse and ride them.
01:24Yeah, it's nice. Nice day for it, too.
01:26Beautiful.
01:27Gary and Fiona Lehmont moved to Lowburn from Auckland in mid-2023,
01:33leaving the fast lane way behind.
01:35Was this a successful move?
01:39Yeah, absolutely. It's lovely.
01:42Lovely and peaceful, isn't it?
01:44Gary and Fiona have been together for more than 30 years.
01:48Their first meeting was memorable,
01:50but could have gone terribly wrong.
01:52I was staying at my brother's house in West Auckland.
01:56On the floor, feet crossed,
01:58and Fiona knew my brother's wife.
02:01So she walks in, walks past me on the floor,
02:04walks up to my brother and says,
02:06what is that thing on the floor?
02:08Because I had long hair and a beard,
02:10and he said, it's my brother.
02:12And so I asked her on a date.
02:15Fiona must have somehow seen something,
02:18because she said yes,
02:20with one non-negotiable condition.
02:23If you're going to come out with me, you need a haircut.
02:25Before you know it.
02:29Since that auspicious beginning,
02:32the couple have shared adventures near and far.
02:35I got a job bungee jumping,
02:37and then from there we went to America
02:39for about a year.
02:41Bungee jumping over there.
02:42Came back and shacked up on her parents' property.
02:46In a shed.
02:47In a shed.
02:50Over the years, though,
02:52that adventurous lifestyle
02:53was overtaken by professional responsibilities.
02:56Fiona worked as a hairdresser,
02:58while Gary chose a frontline career
03:00serving the community.
03:04I did 24 and a half years in the place
03:06and got out about two years ago.
03:12Gary spent many years in search and rescue.
03:14A difficult, demanding job,
03:16often in life and death situations.
03:20You do it because you want to help people.
03:22When someone's lost, you don't just ignore it,
03:24you go and do your best to find them.
03:26Gary was frequently away from home
03:29and sometimes overseas for months at a time.
03:32Being apart from Fiona,
03:34weighed heavily on them both.
03:36I think the hell's got a good contour.
03:38It's been a puffin' down roller coaster, really.
03:44When a job consumes your life,
03:46you've got to make a decision what comes first
03:48is more important.
03:49Whee!
03:50The couple decided it was time for a change,
03:54now or never.
03:56They wanted to move south
03:57and eventually found a classic
03:59ten-acre, four-hectare lifestyle block
04:02here in Lowburn.
04:03It came with a barn which they could upgrade to live in,
04:06while Gary worked on a long-time dream.
04:10I'm trying to design a house.
04:12I always thought,
04:14I like the idea of a stealth bomber.
04:17I know that you can't live in a plane
04:19that's really thin and skinny like a stealth bomber,
04:21but I'm trying to create this image
04:24of the wings coming back from the main centre cockpit.
04:29I don't know if it's Fiona's idea.
04:33I can imagine it progressing now into something which you'll like.
04:37So, hopefully.
04:42Okay, holy shit.
04:46I had no intention of living in a plane.
04:48I hate planes, to be honest.
04:52He's always wanted to build something new
04:54and something that he's designed.
04:55But, you know, putting something like that into reality,
04:59I mean, that wasn't part of what we really wanted to do.
05:03Well, it wasn't what I wanted to do.
05:06We're in the later part of our life
05:08and I wanted things to be a little bit easier,
05:10not more complicated.
05:12Now, I'm not sure Peaceful Lowburn is quite ready
05:21for a stealth bomber home,
05:23or whether Gary's design is even buildable,
05:25let alone conducive to matrimonial harmony.
05:28So, what am I walking into?
05:30The only thing I can see
05:32is whatever they're building is now underway.
05:35Hey, Gary. Tom.
05:39Nice to meet you, Matt.
05:40You too, and Fiona.
05:41Fiona. Hi, Tom.
05:42Hi.
05:43This is a lovely bit of land.
05:46You've started without me.
05:48We couldn't wait.
05:49No, no, these things can't wait.
05:51There's a few different angles going on here.
05:53It's not a rectangular, simple shed.
05:56No.
05:57You're not an architect at ASU?
05:59No, usual story, keep drawing at school,
06:02but I can draw a picture.
06:04Yeah.
06:05And imagination, I suppose.
06:07Initially, it was shaped like a stealth bomber
06:09with the front cockpit out and the wings out the side.
06:12Then you realised you were building a house?
06:14Then we realised building a house.
06:15Plus the engineer sort of came along and said,
06:17yeah, that's going to cost a fortune.
06:19Right.
06:20We've had to compromise a little bit,
06:21flatten it out a bit,
06:22but we've still got the initial shape.
06:24And Fiona, were you involved in the decision
06:26to build an aircraft?
06:28I'm very much very simple.
06:31I could live in just a small little two bedroom house.
06:34But when he drew this and I saw it on paper,
06:36I thought, well, that could be quite neat.
06:41Ultimately, Gary's stealth bomber design had its wings clipped,
06:45but the house does still retain a layout composed of a main body
06:48and two wings.
06:50Enter wing one through a glass front door into the entrance hall,
06:55past the guest bedroom and bathroom,
06:57and through a sliding barn door into the living space.
07:01Kitchen and dining feature up-cycled wooden joinery
07:04and a quadrant-shaped island unit.
07:06While outside, there's a sheltered barbecue area.
07:09Two giant exposed trusses take the ceiling height
07:13to an impressive five metres in the centre of this single-level home.
07:18An aeroplane propeller will be repurposed as a circulating fan.
07:22And, suspended between the trusses,
07:25rope netting provides an unconventional extra level
07:28for the adventurous.
07:30The walls are clad with Oregon boards of varying width,
07:33topped with a strip of contrasting corrugated court-end steel.
07:37The ceiling is also Oregon and features large skylights.
07:41Flooring throughout is polished concrete
07:44with rugs for colour and comfort.
07:46The entire northern wing is taken up with the master bedroom,
07:50en-suite and walk-in wardrobe.
07:53The exterior weatherboard cladding is milled from slow-growing,
07:57120-year-old cedar.
07:59The angled centre section is largely glass,
08:02a cockpit with expansive views to the Southern Alps.
08:05Sliding doors open to more outdoor living space,
08:09complete with his-and-her baths.
08:11Overall, the house is full of interest.
08:14But, with recycled materials and a rustic theme,
08:18combining everything into a cohesive and balanced whole will be a challenge.
08:23You're backing yourselves to be able to design a house.
08:28And are you building it yourself?
08:30No, we've got a builder who happens to be our neighbour.
08:33Well, that's handy.
08:34Yeah, very convenient.
08:36Hopefully, he won't be late for work.
08:39I will assist.
08:40I'll be building the garage.
08:41It's a cost-saving exercise as well.
08:43So, he will build the house to lock up stage,
08:46and then we're doing all the interior.
08:49Fiona, where are you in this?
08:51Oh, I'm helping build the garage.
08:53Okay.
08:54Yeah.
08:55So, you're the labourer?
08:56Yes.
08:57Oh, there'll be a few arguments, aren't there?
08:59I won't say that it'll be perfect, but...
09:01It takes a lot of years of marriage to create the perfect argument.
09:04Yeah.
09:07How much is this going to cost?
09:10Well, let's start with the land.
09:12How much did you buy this section for?
09:14That was 700,000.
09:16We would hope to put no more than another 800,000 to that.
09:19So, around 1.5, 1.6 million tops
09:23to have it finished and landscaped and living in it.
09:26And that's comfortable, that figure, for you?
09:28Yes, it is.
09:29Well, it just means if we go into our reserves...
09:32We might have to go back to work.
09:35We might have to go back to work.
09:37What's the next stage? How quickly will this house go up?
09:39He's predicting three months fully closed in.
09:42Right, windows, roof, all the work that we've done.
09:45The refrain has come in two and a half weeks' time.
09:47From the start to the end, six, seven months.
09:50Six, seven months.
09:51Okay.
09:52Two months in,
09:54I'll let you know whether I think that's going to happen.
09:57You're welcome to your opinion, Tom.
10:03Something about Gary and Fiona, isn't there?
10:05I mean, they seem so strong-minded, determined, capable.
10:09So much so that they've designed a house
10:12without the aid of an architect or a paid designer.
10:14And that intrigues me, frankly.
10:16I mean, they're convinced that they're going to end up with something brilliant,
10:20but surely they're missing something.
10:22That critical design thinking and questioning
10:25that a paid professional brings to the equation.
10:28This process that they've chosen will have to prove itself.
10:32Although Gary and Fiona have no children, their four-legged family has come south too.
10:47That's it.
10:50This is Tessa, my heading dog.
10:55American quarter horse Dougie and pony Vino also relocated from Auckland.
11:01It was quite a journey for them to come down here.
11:05And they're loving their home as much as we are.
11:11But with Gary and Fiona turning the existing barn on site into their temporary home,
11:15the first new build here was, in fact, a stable block, full of the sort of rustic charm the couple so enjoy.
11:26So it's all done out in Oregon timber and a nice old copper pot that I found that we decided to use as a sink and some old brass tats, etc.
11:38And it's just how we want the house to go, how we want it to eventually look, hopefully.
11:44Of course, this sort of aesthetic is entirely appropriate in an agricultural building.
11:51But injecting rustic flare into a modern new build house is a different challenge.
11:56And so I wonder, will this potentially disparate combination work?
12:06It's a mere month since I first visited Gary and Fiona.
12:09And so much for me being dubious about their tight timeline, the build is off to a roaring start.
12:17It must be the super long ones that go through the house, right through across the bedrooms.
12:21This will be assembled by next Friday.
12:24I have no idea what they're for.
12:27Stuff is happening really fast. It's just awesome.
12:30So it makes you confident that everything's going to go nice and smooth.
12:34No problems. Not going to be any problems.
12:37Gary may have had to tone down his original design, but he plans to keep many bespoke elements, including that fan, a little piece of aviation history.
12:48Up here somewhere.
12:50If we get it working, we'll be the propeller.
12:55He's also taking on building the timber feature trusses that take centre stage in the living area.
13:00This was Fiona's dream to have these in the house. So this is Fiona. She wanted cathedral trusses. So, and this timber is beautiful.
13:11Oregon is a firm favourite of Gary and Fiona's. A native to North America, it also grows well here in the South Island, where it's often called Douglas Fir.
13:19Gary has certainly lavished a lot of love and attention on his trusses. But the speed of the build means they're needed on site much earlier than expected.
13:30Tomorrow.
13:31I've managed to do one. So tonight will be a bit of a push. If I finish before two or three in the morning, I'll be happy.
13:40So that's where we're at.
13:41The builders are setting a cracking pace and Gary simply has to keep up, even if that means all night on the tools.
13:50But something tells me on this build, this won't be his last.
13:54At Gary and Fiona Leermont's new build at Loboen in North Canterbury, the steel portal frames are being crammed into position.
14:13But the builders are also keeping close tabs on Gary. He's been up most of the night trying to finish work on the two giant feature trusses.
14:22They're due to be lifted onto site today, while the crane's here and bolted onto the portal frames.
14:32The really, really exciting thing about today is seeing these beams from Gary going in.
14:37He's running behind schedule at this point, but hopefully he can get his eye into Gary and get these bolts in.
14:42But while Gary's under the pump with his trusses, he's still got his eye on the steel portal installation and something looks a bit off.
14:59Gary's understanding is that the framing should align perfectly with the portals, and since it doesn't, they have to quickly decide what to do next.
15:20So what appears to have happened is that big tall frame, you see up there, is about 90mm too tall.
15:36Todd's not worried about it too much because the guys who made the frames are going to have to come back in either today or probably next week and take 90mm off the top of the frames.
15:47Despite the misalignment, Gary's trusses can still be craned into position today, so the pressure is still on.
15:54Gary's steely determination wins the day and the trusses are all set to go, but there may be a late cancellation.
16:01It's down to Builder Todd to make the call.
16:02I think we're going to have to hold off on these trusses because it's, um, it's a big deal.
16:03It's a big deal.
16:04It's a big deal.
16:05It's a big deal.
16:06It's a big deal.
16:07It's a big deal.
16:08It's a big deal.
16:09It's a big deal.
16:10It's a big deal.
16:11Gary's steely determination wins the day and the trusses are all set to go.
16:15But there may be a late cancellation.
16:18It's down to Builder Todd to make the call.
16:24I think we're going to have to, um, hold off on these trusses because it's, um, got wet
16:31outside.
16:32Yeah.
16:33A little bit of school.
16:34Have we got plenty to keep damaging all these with water stains and things?
16:37We call it a day today.
16:39Right.
16:40I'll start jacking this up.
16:43So, it ends up largely a day to forget for Gary.
16:47At least as far as his trusses are concerned.
16:50Now he's going to have to stump up for another day's crane hire.
16:54On the plus side, his build is still way ahead of schedule.
17:02At this stage, most people would be off for a well-deserved nap.
17:06But not this guy.
17:07For Gary, taking a break usually means doing something else.
17:12Always something to do on the car.
17:15Fiona has her animals.
17:17Gary has his cars.
17:20What you see behind us is my 1928 Model A Ford.
17:24So, this has been my long-term project for about 23 years now.
17:28So, it's been on the road 20.
17:29I've got a 47 Chevy over here to work on.
17:32Ideally, there'd be a 1934 Duesenberg sitting in here as well, but I can't afford that.
17:39They say that everybody needs a good hobby, and you might think rebuilding a couple of classic cars is more than enough.
17:48But Gary is also still volunteering with the police, despite retiring after 24 years of service.
17:54When I was in search and rescue, I think it was 2013, we set up a charitable trust, about four of us.
18:02It's called WanderSearch.
18:04And WanderSearch provides equipment for the police to use and Landsat people to use to track people who have gone missing.
18:13When they go missing, we have to try and find them.
18:16So, these are the roof aerials for cars.
18:18So, for example, these might be kept at a police station with a receiver.
18:22The police search and rescue guys will go out first.
18:24I still do a bit of the making and tidying up and putting all the wires and everything on and producing them.
18:28So, it's my little charitable trust.
18:32Good little project.
18:34And an honourable one, too.
18:37Gary's a man of many talents and committed to putting them to good causes.
18:47It's just a few short weeks since I was first in North Canterbury visiting Gary and Fiona's property here at Lowburn.
18:54In that time, Gary's built the huge trusses for the living space and is now onto the garage.
19:01Progress on the house itself is nothing short of miraculous.
19:08Absolutely gobsmacked at the progress here.
19:10I mean, look, a fully framed building.
19:13There's enough complexity here, isn't there?
19:22The angle of the front wall, integrating these lovely trusses.
19:26All of those things add up to time on site.
19:29And yet, well, there hasn't been any.
19:34House building doesn't often go this smoothly.
19:37But they seem to be proving that it can.
19:40How did you do it?
19:44It just grew overnight.
19:45It just grew?
19:46Really quick.
19:47That's how I would explain it.
19:49I think the builders have only been on site for 20 days of building in total.
19:56They, in theory, should have all the rafters done today and all the fascia boards done today.
20:02So if I stand here long enough, this house will, as you say, will grow before my very eyes.
20:07Yeah, it will.
20:08And despite her initial apprehension of the design, Fiona's come round.
20:15I wouldn't change a single thing, to be honest.
20:18It's actually surprisingly coming in very nice.
20:22So, yeah, very happy.
20:23It means surprisingly.
20:24Well, you just never know, do you?
20:26Fiona's right to be a bit cautious.
20:32The builders have done most of the work so far.
20:35But as soon as the house is closed in, they'll leave and the interior fit out will be solely the couple's responsibility.
20:42A big challenge and lots of work for sure.
20:45But hopefully, a bit of fun along the way.
20:48Through here, we have our, like, a third bedroom lounger.
20:53This is going to have a suspended net in here, which you climb up from the ground, up and over a big strut plate through there.
21:02There's skylights in the ceiling.
21:04When you want a nice place to read a book, you just throw a squab up here, climb up the net, go to sleep in here.
21:09If the guest wants a room, it's the warmest spot in the house.
21:12This is, this is a grown-up's den, isn't it?
21:14That's right.
21:15And it's also got the added advantage of...
21:22Chardonnay.
21:23Must be where our wine sits.
21:25One of these things.
21:27Slightly off-the-wall idea here.
21:29How did Gary convince you into nets and ladders and...
21:34Is it...
21:35Well, let's just...
21:36Is this going to be good?
21:37Let's just wait and see what happens.
21:39Right.
21:42I'm really enjoying Gary and Fiona's quirky approach.
21:47But what influence could that have on the bigger picture?
21:50The overall feel of this house.
21:53Success here depends so much on achieving balance and cohesion.
21:57And while offbeat originality can work wonders, it can also be hit and miss.
22:12It's May, a mere three months since Gary and Fiona's build came out of the ground.
22:20Preparations are being made for the windows going in.
22:23The roofing iron is on.
22:24And the insulation, electrics and plumbing won't be far behind either.
22:28The couple is also steadily taking delivery of new features and fittings.
22:33Fireplace has arrived.
22:35It's bright orange.
22:36They'll go...
22:38Right here.
22:40I can imagine here that you're laying in bed.
22:43You look straight through there.
22:44You'll see the fireplace.
22:45And they'll be flickering away and stuff coming through the doorway.
22:50When the house is closed in, the rest of the build will be up to Gary and Fiona.
23:00That doesn't leave them much time now to make some important decisions on the interior design.
23:05So in here somewhere, in our filing system.
23:11It's here somewhere.
23:12Kitchen.
23:13Right, there we go.
23:14The kitchen layout.
23:15Pretty simple.
23:16I think we're on the right track with the centre island.
23:18I think with the core 10 wood and maybe a bit of cedar paneling at the end off the house, bringing the outside in.
23:25I'm thinking that I'm going to go for a paprika colour.
23:28There's a lot going on here, with the colours and materials under consideration being both rustic and resolutely individual.
23:39These stripes here, that'll be horizontal Oregon tongue and groove, rough sawn.
23:45This strip through here will actually be vertical core 10 corrugated iron.
23:50And if you can imagine an orange fireplace sitting there.
23:54Yeah, that'd be really cool.
23:55As far as the interiors go, Gary and Fiona are on the same page.
24:01And for them, that's all that matters.
24:04Do we care what other people think?
24:07No, because obviously if you're going to sell it, you want to create something to sell.
24:12But we don't want to sell it.
24:13We just like these features.
24:14We like the wood.
24:15And we're building for us.
24:18I think if you have a visitor...
24:20You don't light the orange fire.
24:22Tell me, bugger off.
24:23Yeah.
24:24OK, that's fine, but I've got to say cohesive interior design is rarely achieved by simply throwing in everything you happen to like.
24:39So I'm launching what could be described as an intervention and taking the couple to Littleton for some friendly advice and hopefully inspiration.
24:48Come on down and have a closer look.
24:50This is Littleton Landing is what we've termed this.
24:54Pippin Wright Stowe's award winning family home is built around a clever modular structure.
24:59Both house and garden contain an eclectic collection of repurposed elements ingeniously put together.
25:05Now, I love these.
25:07Gorgeous.
25:08Yeah, what are they?
25:09Ah, so they're the pile casings from the redoing of the wards in Littleton.
25:14There were just piles and piles of these down at the porch that were left as offcuts.
25:19You've got all these different heights and this may appear random, but actually I'm sure Pippin has considered that this is designed randomness so that it doesn't feel like a sort of hodgepodge collection of stuff, right?
25:33Most people would probably consider those pipes junk.
25:36Yeah.
25:37But they actually look fantastic.
25:43This theme continues inside where the house celebrates materials and fittings that have been found, scavenged or sourced second hand.
25:52The kitchen, for instance, features equipment salvaged from the earthquake damaged Christchurch Hospital.
25:59There's sort of the IV drip, you know, for the IV bags that you'll be hanging your saline solution on.
26:08They're designed to hang stuff up, so why not a pot?
26:12This is above the bed head in the maternity ward in the hospital.
26:16Look at these catches up here, Fiona.
26:18Yeah.
26:19And I bet they feel really kind of mechanical and tactile to use.
26:23Analog.
26:24Yeah.
26:25You know, from an environmental point of view, there's something really lovely that starts to have that kind of circular thinking go on.
26:33You know, what you guys are doing and kind of using materials in your build has a beautiful quality, which is about, you know, repurposing things and adaptive reuse and so forth.
26:44But, you know, it's not going to go straight to the dump and have to have that moment where you're sort of like, you know, what's going on in this world?
26:50We're just buying stuff and dumping it.
26:53But using repurposed elements in a new house is not just about reducing waste.
26:58Although some are basic or industrial, they have age value.
27:01Their durability is already proven.
27:03And they also have character and beauty you simply can't find in fresh, mass-produced offerings.
27:09However, not overdoing it is the lesson here.
27:13The most common thing that I've had working with all of my beautiful clients is that they're wanting to do a lifetime of ideas and thinking and Pinterest and mood boards in one project.
27:26What I always try to do is sensitively kind of peel away the stuff that's not needed so that you're not getting too much in one go.
27:33You're not solving all the world's problems in one design.
27:36I really recommend, like, spending a bit of time each week going, all right, what is it that we're trying to do here?
27:42What are we wanting to get out of it?
27:47Bottom line, less is more.
27:50A message I really hope Gary and Fiona take with them.
27:55And it's given us so many ideas to do.
27:58I'm going to write down a lot after this.
28:01Oh, yeah.
28:06What I think we've seen here is not just an aesthetic, not just a set of design principles, but actually the culmination of a whole career's worth of clever design thinking.
28:17I'm inspired.
28:18Hopefully Gary and Fiona are as well.
28:20And so they can now go away and prioritize so that their house has some of the cohesion and brilliance that we've seen today.
28:41Midwinter and a brilliant blue sky day on the North Canterbury Plains.
28:45In Gary and Fiona's new house, the roof is on and the windows and skylights are all in.
28:52But the progress also means the builders will be gone soon, leaving the couple on their own to handle the interior fit out.
29:00A job that's looming uncomfortably large and seemingly more expensive than they planned for.
29:06We have to make sure we try and get the best price for us.
29:11Because if we spend all our money on the house and not be able to live afterwards, then it would be a pointless exercise.
29:17The whole point of coming here was to have a new property, a new house, and be able to live without working.
29:23And that has to be the number one goal, otherwise we've failed.
29:27Clearly then, overspending is not an option.
29:31And without expert help for the interior work, the pressure on having to do it themselves is steadily increasing.
29:38On top of that, living in a converted shed on site is wearing very thin after 14 months.
29:45Especially for Fiona.
29:47I'm personally not in a rush, I could take another six months.
29:53But I can see her saying to me without saying a word that she's getting over living in that shed.
29:59So, yeah.
30:02As a welcome distraction, Fiona and Gary decide to take a road trip to reconnect with each other.
30:11And, as Pippin suggested, try to more finely focus their interior design plan.
30:17Look at that.
30:18Yeah.
30:19That looks really cool.
30:20You can see that outside.
30:21Oh, look, it actually spins.
30:24This is Three Creeks of Berks Pass, in the heart of the Mackenzie country, with a veritable treasure trove of retro collectibles on offer.
30:33Imagine your cane chair in the lounge hanging on that.
30:39That fuel pump would look good outside the shed.
30:42Yeah.
30:43Although their house went up at walk speed, it slowed right down when Gary and Fiona took over the interior work.
30:51It's fair to say it's been overwhelming.
30:55We had an idea of what we wanted on the inside, but making it work was a little bit complicated.
31:02We got to the point where we've got to get out of here.
31:05Yeah.
31:06And we just locked the house up and left.
31:08It has been a journey.
31:10It's been a different journey.
31:12It's been an exhausting journey and an interesting journey.
31:20In addition, all the pressures have brought back some unwelcome memories of how life and work used to be.
31:29One of the main reasons for moving down was to get away from a life that consumed us.
31:35And the job I had, obviously, with the search and rescue aspect of it, not only do you do your own job, that didn't replace your standard role, but search and rescue is on call.
31:45So you go out to dinner, sit down, have a meal put in front of you, and then the page goes off.
31:51The next thing, two or three days later, you're still not home.
31:53And it was consuming me.
31:54And when a job consumes your life, you've got to make a decision what comes first and what is more important.
32:05It did take a lot of his time away from us.
32:12So, yes, there is a bit of reconnecting because we're living together more.
32:18You know, we're in each other's space a lot more.
32:21It's nice, eh?
32:26Gary's infectious enthusiasm and energy has seen him achieve a lot over the years.
32:31While Fiona's patience and support has undoubtedly been a steadying influence.
32:36I just hope they end up with the house they want and deserve.
32:53It's August and the 120-year-old cedar is looking great as exterior cladding.
33:01Although Gary thought the house would be almost finished by now, the interior work has held them up.
33:06And there's still plenty to do inside.
33:08That's not where I find the couple, though.
33:11They're busy in the barn curating their many treasures for recycling and repurposing.
33:17Hello.
33:18Oh, hi, Tom. How are you?
33:21You too.
33:22Gary.
33:23Yeah.
33:24Well, good. Well, I made it through.
33:25This is like an Aladdin's cave, isn't it?
33:27It's pretty busy, isn't it?
33:28A lot of junk, Tom. It's just...
33:30Well, you say junk. I think there's some lovely things here.
33:33I mean, what's this?
33:35Oh, these are my set of drawers for the vanities that I'm making.
33:39They're off the old sign machines.
33:42Okay.
33:43Look at that. That's beautiful, isn't it?
33:45We've got a coffee table we're working on.
33:48Yeah.
33:49That's a stonking piece of timber, isn't it?
33:50Look at that lovely cast iron bit of weight to that, isn't it?
33:54Well, I can see the functionality of pieces like the table and the sewing machine vanity.
34:03I'm struggling somewhat to see the purpose of this giant hand.
34:07Unless it's for scratching my head.
34:09You know, I've never seen one of these before.
34:11You couldn't just say no.
34:12She was just standing there going, yes, take me.
34:15What it tells me is that you are people of eclectic taste.
34:19And so combining all of these different elements, found elements, I mean, that's going to be the trick, isn't it?
34:26The interior of the house itself is still pretty much a blank canvas.
34:32But Gary and Fiona are poised to start filling it in, beginning with the walls.
34:39We're going up to that here with the woodwork, up the top of this baton.
34:44So the Oregon's up to there?
34:45Yeah.
34:46And above that is all the core 10 steel corrugated right around.
34:51Okay.
34:52There's a bit to do.
34:53What's your time frame?
34:55Well, we've got about 13 days before the plumber and the sparky come up.
35:0113 days?
35:02To actually clad all the walls where the fittings go.
35:07These 13 days, does that feel like a stress?
35:10Cheapable?
35:11Oh, crikey.
35:12We've got to do it.
35:14That's all there is to it, really.
35:16I can't get too emotional about it because it's just got to be done.
35:20So it is what it is, and we'll get there.
35:24It takes some stamina by the sound of it.
35:27As long as we come out the other side okay, which I'm sure we will, it'll be fantastic and we'll be here to enjoy it.
35:34And just look out there, right?
35:36Yeah, exactly.
35:37I mean...
35:38That's all you need to do.
35:39What else do you need?
35:41It'll be worth it in the end, yeah.
35:44Sure.
35:45All I can do is wish this intrepid couple all the very best and look forward to the finished house.
35:55But before I leave this time, there's one more thing I've been aching to do.
36:02There's a touch of eccentricity here.
36:04But with eccentricity, there's subjectivity, isn't there?
36:08Will Fiona and Gary's fit out be convincing, cohesive?
36:13We'll just have to wait and see.
36:15Embracing this serene, laid-back landscape and lifestyle here in Lowburn was exactly why Gary and Fiona decided to move here.
36:36They wanted to relax, slide gracefully into retirement and reconnect.
36:41And so I'm curious to find out whether their stealth, bomber, rustic, very personal home has come together to serve its ultimate purpose.
37:06Well, now, these are lovely.
37:14Lichen-coloured roof, matching spouting and even the corner flashings.
37:20I like this already.
37:23There they are.
37:24Hello.
37:25Hi, Tom.
37:26Nice to see you.
37:27You too.
37:28Hi, Fiona.
37:29Hi.
37:30Gary, g'day.
37:31How are you?
37:32Yeah, I'm alright.
37:33You guys are looking very cool.
37:34Look at this place.
37:35We've got this.
37:36Yeah, very cool.
37:37Well, I was going to say, it's all very subtle and beautiful here.
37:40Apart from the pink socks, Gary.
37:42Okay.
37:43Come on in.
37:44Absolutely.
37:49It's great seeing the Oregon here on the ceiling.
37:53I mean, that must have been neck-breaking work.
37:56Yeah, it was.
37:57But it's come out really well.
37:59It has.
38:00It has indeed.
38:01And I do like having a grand opening into a grand space.
38:10This room is amazing.
38:12It's kind of like a kid's playground, isn't it, with a net and the propeller and a suspended chair.
38:17Yes.
38:18Why can't older people have fun?
38:27I don't know how you get up to the net.
38:29That's what I'm wondering.
38:30Oh, there is going to be an attic ladder.
38:32Built from unobtainium and car parts?
38:35No, no.
38:36Exhaust tubing.
38:37Exhaust parts.
38:38Well, inventive.
38:39As is many of the things here.
38:43I mean, this island unit is a one-off, right?
38:46Yeah.
38:47All our leftover materials for the build.
38:49Yeah.
38:50Yeah.
38:51And then another piece of non-generic kitchen architecture here.
38:55Look at that.
38:56Yeah.
38:57Didn't really want a standard range hood.
38:59One I bought, which was silent, just needed a bit of touching up and a bit of grooviness,
39:04I suppose.
39:05I think we finished at about three this morning.
39:15What impresses me here is although Gary's original stealth bomber concept has inevitably
39:20been diluted, enough of its angular geometry remains to make this house unusual and dynamic.
39:27Playful, too.
39:28Yeah, I am.
39:30I think I'd trust this.
39:33I wouldn't.
39:34Yeah.
39:35And I get to appreciate that view.
39:38I think this is the cockpit, right?
39:40Yes, Lord Tom.
39:41This is the captain's seat.
39:42Yeah, yeah.
39:43But you can let me down now.
39:46And I think I understand this giant hand now.
39:50As the hand is saying, relax.
39:52Soundless.
39:53Yeah, yeah, yeah.
39:54And you do, don't you?
39:57Gary's design sketches may have looked rough on paper, but they've been carefully brought
40:04to life.
40:05The couple's material choices are well judged and complimentary, and they've cleverly reduced
40:11the color palette to support the rustic theme, not overpower it.
40:16There's a restraint and refinement here, and I'm very pleasantly surprised.
40:23So this is all clad in the Oregon.
40:27Ceilings, walls.
40:28And they're the singer sewing machine base.
40:31It's fantastic, isn't it?
40:32Full of all of your hard work.
40:34Yeah.
40:35It's happy, it's warm.
40:36Who wouldn't want to have a shower in there?
40:41These are pretty unique for corner cups.
40:44Yeah, we wanted round corners.
40:46Yeah.
40:47The frames came square.
40:48Had to think of a solution.
40:50The mill basically gave us a quarter of a tree.
40:53We cut out the back and shoved them on.
40:55Yeah.
40:56Yeah, yeah.
41:04I have to say, this is a very sort of Instagrammable trendy scene.
41:07I can see this on a good glamping campsite.
41:10It's like a classic ski chalet.
41:12You can sit there, have a beer, have a wine.
41:14Yeah.
41:15G and tea.
41:16And perfect bath for the view.
41:18So, we've gone from plain to barn to ski chalet now.
41:22Well, it's like a little fun place for us.
41:24So, all the things we like, we try to put in here.
41:27I think it's brilliant.
41:28Thank you, Tom.
41:29Thank you, Tom.
41:30Awesome.
41:31Appreciate that.
41:35I have to say, I sit here with great enjoyment, but slightly mystified.
41:38Did you guys go to art college?
41:40Or, you know, there's a great designer's eye amongst you two.
41:44No art college, just tech drawing at school, art at school.
41:47I like drawing things.
41:49Yeah.
41:50And I can imagine things.
41:51And so, have you got what you want?
41:53Does this feel as good as you thought it would?
41:55Oh, yes.
41:56Oh, yeah.
41:57This is gorgeous.
41:58I think this is fantastic.
42:03The dream here was more than just about the house.
42:05It was about this new lifestyle.
42:07But it was hard work.
42:08There were times where you probably wanted to ride off into the distance, right?
42:14There was a moment there where Fiona looked at me and says, we should just hire someone.
42:19I don't actually think that we could have hired someone because it would have cost us a fortune.
42:23The plan was to have a house, a property, and money in the bank to live on.
42:28If we didn't have the money in the bank to live on, then we'd go back to work.
42:31Yeah.
42:32Right, so are you going back to work?
42:34No.
42:35So you're kept within 700,000?
42:37Yeah.
42:38Yeah, and with the house, but there was always a slight contingency, and we have gone over that slightly.
42:43Go on, put a figure on it.
42:451.6?
42:46Yeah, 1.6 in total.
42:48One point, that's not the house, that's everything.
42:50That's everything.
42:51Stables?
42:52The property.
42:53Yeah.
42:54All the fencing, everything that we've done here, the house, is all in that figure.
42:57Remarkable.
42:58And buying the land?
42:59Yeah.
43:00For this, we think it's pretty good value.
43:04You sit here, and you've got that view, and it just feels like you're just flying to the horizon.
43:09It's just gorgeous.
43:11Better than what I imagined, so.
43:12Now we're going to settle down a bit, and I'll play with my cars, and she'll play with the horses.
43:17Wow, and that's the whole point.
43:18Yeah, looking forward to it.
43:22Do you know what I love about this house?
43:28It surprised me.
43:30The beginnings were a bit unorthodox.
43:32Yes, a self-designed stealth bomber house.
43:36Frankly, in the wrong hands, that could have made for a disaster.
43:41But actually, what Gary and Fiona have created is a really attractive and persuasive piece of home design.
43:47And how did that happen?
43:49Well, there were clues in Gary's ingenuity, the couple's creativity.
43:54And what's more, they've got style.
43:58And so, they now have that longed-for sanctuary.
44:02CLOSED CAPTIONING
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