Last year we got a call from Hannah, one of the owners of Zeffer Cider asking for our help to transform an old winery tasting room into their new cider taproom. Funnily enough, I’d just been reading about Zeffer in our local paper the day before, and was impressed with how well their young business was doing, sweeping up numerous awards, both locally and internationally. Of course we were only too happy to help.

Our brief was to provide a design concept for the overall feel of the space, helping with material selection, and also to design a moveable bar and fixed tap wall. The space is long and narrow and the idea was to be able to move the bar if they wanted to open the space up for events.

The original space had a lot of dark wood and the existing bar took up much of the space. The old floor boards were removed and the concrete floors polished. The ceiling was cleaned up, the walls painted and the introduction of lighter wood panelling brought texture and warmth.

Some of the windows on the back wall were removed to allow the tap wall to go in, and the dark wood door was updated with a lick of black paint. We love the finished result of the bar and tap wall, it makes a fantastic feature when looking through the arched door from the deck.

We designed the moveable bar alongside our resident interior architect, Briana Joll, who created these amazing 3D visuals for the client. We chose a chevron design for extra interest and a panel at the back that could be pulled out to prevent customers walking behind the bar.

The tap wall is exactly how we designed it with the exception of the taps themselves, which evolved from colourful handles to beautiful wooden handles.

The tiles from Tile Depot on the tap wall have the look and feel of exposed brick, but with all the benefits of porcelain tiles.

Our new bar design left more space along the window side of the building allowing the addition of small tables and stools to enjoy cider tasting at. The wood wall panelling echoes the panelling added to the entrance.

On a sunny day you can also choose to sit outside either at the tables or the large picnic blankets we provided Zeffer with.

The built-in office furniture at the back of the room was all removed and we designed a built-in bench seat to wrap around the corner.

We had the pottery lights over the bar custom made by Kim Morgan. We’d previously designed a wall light in a similar style that Kim had made for us, so knew they’d look fantastic in this space. We love their natural, organic aesthetic.

To make the most of the approach to the taproom, a previously stony area with a couple of trees was paved and turned into another seating area for customers.

Thanks to Hannah, Sam and the team for allowing us to share these photos with you. If you’re in Hawke’s Bay and haven’t yet visited Zeffer Cider, you should make a point of doing that really soon. Taste the beautiful range of award winning cider, fill your own flagon, or grab some bottles to take home with you. Winter hours are Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11am - 6pm; and in the summer they’re open 7 days, perfect for enjoying a drink and a picnic or platter in the sun.

The NZ House & Garden House Tours are the largest charity house tour in New Zealand, run in support of the NZ Breast Cancer Foundation, and this year I'm happy to announce that Hawke's Bay will be involved. “We’re thrilled to be launching the 2017 tours in Hawke’s Bay this year, giving locals and visitors the opportunity to step inside some of the area’s most beautiful and intriguing homes,” says Sally Duggan, Editor of NZ House & Garden.

The tour takes in nine homes scattered from Havelock North to Te Awanga and Haumoana. It includes a heritage-listed property built in 1926 and painstakingly restored by its current owners, and a spacious Andy Coltart-designed modern farmhouse with sweeping views.

Three of the houses on the tour have an artistic connection: a peaceful home alongside a creek designed by celebrated Maori architect John Scott for his artist daughter Ema which, she says, is like “living within a sculpture”; artist Dick Frizzell’s former home and studio at Haumoana, which Duggan describes as “a happy collision between Cape Cod and the Kiwi bach”; and artist Rae West’s haven, a rustic collection of humble buildings set around a central courtyard inspired by the owners’ travels in Mexico. We styled Rae's home for a photo shoot last year, so we're very familiar with this fantastic home.

Three cute but comfortable cottages at the beach settlement of Te Awanga prove that small can be chic. “The tiny-house movement is still going strong,” says Duggan, “and renovating former baches for living in permanently is an option that keys into this trend.”

A double-storey homestead that once stood proud on a Napier hillside and was relocated to become a family-friendly retreat in Clive, rounds out the line-up. “The homes on this tour truly reflect the diverse lifestyle that Hawke’s Bay offers,” says Duggan. “It’s little wonder that so many people are moving there from our bigger cities.”

The Hawke’s Bay tour will be held on Friday 24th February from 10am to 4pm. The tour Hub at Red Barrel Vineyard - 265 Te Mata Road, Havelock North - is open from 8.30am - 5pm so you can meet up with friends, and wind down here once you've finished your tour. You can also hear more about the work that The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation are doing, and meet the House and Garden Associate Editor Rosemary Barraclough from 12-2pm.

It's going to be a fabulous day raising money for a very important cause, we are so looking forward to being inspired by the variety of beautiful homes. If you haven't already, get your tickets here, and we hope to see you on the day.