From Hamptons-inspired townhouses to the dual interior schemes of The Gardens apartments, every detail has been thoughtfully crafted to celebrate individuality, functionality, and refined elegance. These homes aren’t just beautifully built—they’re designed to evolve with their owners, offering a canvas of rich textures, high-performance materials, and subtle luxury. Whether you’re drawn to classic coastal charm or a more urban edge, discover how these interiors set a new benchmark for modern living with character.
For the townhouses in Kauri Grove, senior interior designer Kate O’Connor of The Look was inspired by the timeless appeal of the Hamptons style with its blend of coastal elegance, relaxed sophistication and enduring charm. She wanted to create spaces that capture the spirit of the coastal design and also offer flexibility so future owners can bring their personalities into their homes.
A Home For Every Personality
O’Connor wanted each townhouse to feel inherently distinct, places that allow for individuality once homeowners move in. The overall architecture embraces the coastal aesthetic, but with details that give them their own character while still feeling cohesive within the overall project.
Some townhouses are more traditional, with deep, rich tones in the wood flooring and classic architectural details. Others have a modern interpretation, with lighter finishes and a brighter overall feel. “Our goal was to create spaces that would feel welcoming to people with different tastes and lifestyles, leaving room for future homeowners to bring their personal vision to life with their furniture and artwork.
Rich Materials, Thoughtful Details
As with all homes in Kensington Park, the design approach emphasises materials and finishes that tell a story. The Hamptons coastal style at Kauri Grove thrives on natural, high-quality materials, with subtle variations that give each townhouse its own character. The palette of light, airy tones – warm whites, soft greys and sandy neutrals – was chosen to echo the surrounding native bush landscape and evoke a sense of tranquility. These colours help to create an open and peaceful atmosphere, offering a serene backdrop for each owners’ furnishings.
“One of the key elements of my design is the careful integration of textures. Beautiful finishes like natural wood flooring, earthy tiles and stone countertops create a foundation that is both elegant and inviting,”
Kate O’Connor
European Oak floorboards from Vidaspace were selected for their colour and depth of character; they are sustainably sourced, and incredibly durable with a hardwearing Ultra Matte UV lacquer finish. Options from a deep, velvety, rich chocolate to a greyed-off blonde were the design starting point for the interior schemes.
For the kitchens, durability was paramount – StyleLite TruMatte cabinetry’s soft matte finish is resistant to scratches, stains and moisture, non-porous for an easy-clean surface, and fingerprint resistant. The Silestone Quartz benchtops’ low-silica mineral surface, composed of premium minerals and recycled materials, gives a sustainable and high-performance surface, in colours with subtle veins and textures, and the splashback tiles compliment these.
Bathrooms have a slightly more contemporary edge, with large-format tiles selected for their elegant textural depth of pattern and colour, and paired with slightly deeper paint tones for the tongue-and-groove feature walls.
Fixtures such as cabinetry handles and bathroom accessories match the high-quality, brushed nickel tapware, and the fluted baths and basins and back-lit recessed shelving above the baths and in the showers add a WOW factor to the bathrooms.
Lighting can change the feeling in a room, creating warmth or a subtle glow. LED strip lighting in recessed shelving and under the toe-kicks of the kitchen create an atmosphere of luxury. Kitchen pendant lights – from fluted opaque to handblown amber glass shades – are a key feature, providing task lighting and adding flair to the open-plan kitchen / dining / living areas.
The Power Of Potential
The spaces are designed to feel open, inviting, and adaptable, with enough flexibility to accommodate a variety of personal decorative styles. By focusing on the details, from the rich materials to the subtle variations in finishes, the interior designs offer both sophistication and individuality, setting foundations for each townhouse to become a deeply personal and stylish home – one that captures the essence of the Hamptons style, while leaving room for the unique expressions of the homeowners.
For The Gardens apartments, interior designer Karen Fergusson has created two very different interior design schemes, each with a range of options to enable homeowners to personalise the final appearance. The Scandi-coastal design features natural, light-coloured surfaces for a clean, simple look, while a second scheme with darker finishes creates a more sophisticated urban vibe.
Quality Rules
Composite marble was selected for benchtops and seamlessly carries through to the splashbacks in the kitchens, offering the luxury look of marble but with the strength and wearability that residents expect in a top-quality apartment.
In apartments with the coastal design scheme, walls are painted in a natural warm white, Dulux Cardrona, and white and grey-veined marble benchtops are teamed with natural, light oak-veneered cabinetry and top-of-the-line Miele appliances. Natural timber floors – using 190mm-wide boards for a modern appearance – compliment the elegance and simplicity of the look.
Urban Chic
Apartments with the more sophisticated urban interior scheme feature the same high-quality materiality, but feature dark-stained timber cabinetry and marble benchtops, and walls are painted with Dulux Okarito, a cooler shade of white, to offset the darker tones.
Fergusson sourced the New Zealand-made Mr Ralph collection of decorative pendants to highlight the island benchtops and add an elegant and stylish aesthetic to the living spaces. To vary the look, the apartments have either black, white or clear-glass light fittings.
Both the master and main bathrooms are finished to an equally high standard with stone-finish tiles on the floors, large vanities and extra-large mirrors to create a generous and luxurious feel.
Every Detail Counts
Every detail has been considered, with large fitted wardrobes in the master suites, heated towel rails in bathrooms, excellent storage options throughout the apartments, fully fitted laundries and all the mod cons you would expect to find in a premium home.
Timber decks create a softer aesthetic and work well with the planter boxes that provide a soft edge to many of the terraces. White-painted sliding timber louvres on the terraces ensure residents can enjoy their privacy while they relax outside.
Kate O’Connor, Senior Interior Designer of The Look, is available for private interior design consultations which can be arranged through the Kensington Park sales team or at thelook.co.nz
Karen Fergusson is available for interior design consultations and can be contacted at karenfergusson@xtra.co.nz.
