Maison Noir - Modern mountain home with feminine touches in Gibbston Valley wine region designed by Queenstown Architect Stacey Farrell
Maison Noir - Th owner of this Gibbston Valley home asked Architect Stacey Farrell to design for her baby grand piano and extensive art collection
Maison Noir - The interior wall construction designed by Stacey Farrell ensures separation and privacy for this new build in Gibbston Valley
Maison Noir - The modern wall details designed by Architect Stacey Farrell ensure a calm experience when living in this Gibbston Valley home
Maison Noir - The house in Gibbston Valley was orientated to capture the sun by Architect Stacey Farrell
Maison Noir - The different surfaces and textures specified by designing Architect Stacey Farrell ensured that the owner had wall-space to display their art collection
Maison Noir - The clean design of this bathroom in Gibbston Valley by Architect Stacey Farrell ensures an abundance of natural light
Maison Noir - The symmetrical forms of the house in Gibbston Valley near Arrowtown ensure that the design is anchored to the natural environment while taking advantage of the views curated by Architect Stacey Farrell

Maison Noir

At an altitude of 550 metres near Queenstown, nestled between the Nevis Bluff, Crown Range and The Remarkables, is Maison Noir. It is a home of quiet minimalism that doesn’t seek to upstage the terrain and frames the views in every direction.

The built form is inspired by local schist and rock forms like the Nevis Bluff. Schist plates of stone slide against each other, which was echoed with the form of the roof.

The materials palette works with natural tones and includes concrete internally as well as externally. The client wanted to house her beautiful and varied art collection, so much thought was given to where pieces went from the earliest design stages. 

The client nostalgically wanted to incorporate concrete breeze blocks, so these were given pride of place screening the entry.

This project was published in NZ Life and Leisure Magazine in 2022. Whimsy defines Mary Phillips' work and home in the Gibbston Valley (thisnzlife.co.nz)