Plan of the Month: Wanaka

A best-seller that’s anything but one-size-fits-all

When clients come to us wanting a home that makes the most of a bigger section — generous in size, stylish in design, and adaptable to their lifestyle — we often recommend the Wanaka.

As house builders in Canterbury, we’ve found our Wanaka plan works beautifully for clients throughout Christchurch and beyond. It’s one of our most popular design and build plans for good reason: it’s beautifully laid out, highly functional, and completely customisable. Perfect for farmers dreaming of their forever home, lifestyle block owners wanting room to spread out, or anyone after a true showstopper with ample space.

Whether you’re looking to build in Ashburton, Prebbleton, West Melton, Rolleston, North Canterbury, or anywhere in between, if you’ve got the land, the Wanaka is ready to make the most of it.

One plan, four sizes — tailored to your lifestyle

This month, we’re putting the spotlight on the Wanaka Plan and all the ways you can make it uniquely yours — whether that’s adjusting the size, reimagining the layout, or transforming the exterior style. It’s a design that adapts beautifully to the needs of every family and lifestyle.

Wanaka 262

 A well-balanced option with everything you need — open plan living, four bedrooms, great storage, and indoor-outdoor flow. Ideal for growing families or those wanting a spacious, functional layout. With multiple styles, from rustic to a modern the choice is yours and can be customised to your design style.

Wanaka 318

The Wanaka 318 takes our popular Wanaka layout and gives it more breathing room — with generous open-plan living, a gourmet kitchen, and multiple lounge spaces for entertaining or relaxing. Four spacious bedrooms, a separate media room, and seamless indoor–outdoor flow make it the perfect choice for growing families or those who love to host in style.

Wanaka 408

The Wanaka 408 delivers luxury on a grand scale, with four spacious bedrooms, a dedicated media room, and expansive open-plan living. Designed for seamless indoor–outdoor flow, it’s perfect for entertaining, relaxing, and making lasting family memories.

Wanaka Deluxe

 As the name suggests — this is the premium version. With grand proportions, striking design features, and added luxury throughout, it’s designed to impress while still feeling like home.

The exterior blends warm timber with sleek dark joinery and striking feature schist to create a true Otago-inspired look. From the horizontal slats in the entry gable to the twin chimneys framing the front view, this home is designed to impress from the very first glance.

Step inside and you’ll find that same attention to detail carried through — schist surrounds the chimney in the living area, complemented by a separate lounge and a rich dark timber feature ceiling for the perfect finishing touch. This is just one vision of what your dream home could be.

Exterior looks that transform the home entirely

You’d be surprised how different each Wanaka can feel — even with the same floor plan — simply by changing the exterior style. From modern roof pitches and bold cladding to Rustic country styles the Wanaka can wear many hats.

We’ve had clients go for:

A coastal look with white weatherboard and soft grey accents with the Wanaka 408

A sleek, contemporary finish using dark linea, Cerrano plaster and Schist.

And even Rustic country styles with rich timber tones, dark exterior features and grey schist.

It’s all about what speaks to you. You can take inspiration from past builds, mix and match exterior features, or work with our team of Christchurch home builders to create something completely unique.

Four unique Wanaka designs, each with its own stunning street appeal — all built around the same clever, functional layout you love.

Tailored inside and out

The personalisation doesn’t stop with size or exterior finishes. Many of our Wanaka clients choose to tweak the interior layout too — whether it’s:

• Enlarging the walk-in pantry
  
• Swapping out a bedroom for a second living
  
• Extending the outdoor entertaining space
  
• Adding skylights, feature ceilings, or architectural upgrades
  
• Or even moving internal walls to better suit the sun and site
  

At Hallmark Homes, we don’t believe in cookie-cutter homes. Every Wanaka we build is shaped around you, your family, your section, and your future goals.

See the Wanaka come to life

Every photo tells a story of how this plan can be reimagined — so if you’re looking for inspiration or wondering what’s possible, there’s no better place to start.

Ready to design your own Wanaka?

Whether you want to use one of our standard plans as a starting point or you’ve got a vision for something completely bespoke, the Wanaka gives you the perfect foundation to build from.

If you’re searching for design and build Christchurch specialists or trusted house builders in Canterbury, our team can help bring your dream home to life.

👉 Book your free design consultation today and start personalising your Wanaka.