Designing a Home That Works for the Land
How to make your lifestyle block home feel like it belongs
When you’ve purchased a hectare or more of land, you're not just building a home — you're shaping the way you’ll live with the land for decades to come.
At Customkit, we specialise in helping Kiwis design barn-style, timber-framed homes that feel like they truly belong. The difference between a good build and a great one often comes down to one key thing: designing with the land, not just on it.
Here’s what to think about when planning a rural home that works in harmony with your landscape.
Make the Most of the Views
New Zealand’s rural scenery is unmatched — rolling hills, coastal glimpses, native bush, or wide-open paddocks. One of the greatest advantages of a lifestyle block is being able to wake up to those views every day.
Tips:
Place living areas and decks on the north or northwest side to capture afternoon sun and long-range views.
Use large gable-end windows or sliding doors in the main living area to frame scenic outlooks.
Consider views from the kitchen sink, bedrooms, or even the bath — these small moments matter.
Understand the Wind and Sun
In rural locations, exposure to wind and sun can dramatically affect comfort and energy use. Good design will work with these forces, not fight them.
Tips:
Check prevailing wind direction using local data or by talking to neighbours.
Use buildings, hedges, or fencing to create sheltered outdoor areas.
Design rooflines, verandahs, and eaves to control sun exposure – let light in during winter, and shade it in summer.
Privacy Without Isolation
One of the joys of a rural property is having no close neighbours — but that doesn’t always mean total privacy from the road, or from other buildings on your land.
Tips:
Orient your home to reduce visibility from roads or driveways.
Use landscape features like planting, mounding, or fencing to create privacy zones.
Consider views outward as well as what’s seen from your home.
Where the Animals Go Matters
Planning to have sheep, horses, alpacas, or even a few chickens? The layout of your home and paddocks can make life easier (or harder) depending on how well you plan it.
Tips:
Keep stock paddocks downwind of outdoor entertaining areas.
Position driveway access to allow for float/truck access to stockyards or stables.
Ensure animals are fenced well away from gardens and decks — curious noses can do damage!
Native Planting That Enhances
Well-placed planting can tie your home to the land visually, reduce wind, and bring back birdsong — but it needs to be strategic.
Tips:
Use native trees and flaxes to soften edges of your home, without blocking key views.
Create windbreaks where needed — species like pittosporum, kānuka or griselinia are hardy and fast-growing.
Leave open sight lines from your home across the land, especially from the living and outdoor areas.
Designing With the Land: Where We Come In
At Customkit, our architectural designs aren’t “one-size-fits-all.” We’ll help you orient your home for sun and views, place key features like windows, decks or garages logically, and ensure the layout works with your paddocks, fencing, and long-term plans for the property.
A Customkit home doesn’t just sit on your land. It becomes part of it.
Ready to Begin?
We’d love to help you design a home that makes the most of the land you’ve worked hard for.
Download Our Brochure for design inspiration
Talk to our design team about your site
Or send us a message with your vision
