A Grand Designs build on a remote island needed ambient striplighting delivered fast
Property developer Sky Mason spent $1.5 million building a nautically themed home on Slipper Island. The project featured on the 2017 season of Grand Designs New Zealand. The finished home had to feel like a relaxing retreat. Every room needed to feel calm and considered with nautical accents. The developer envisioned a soft, even glow throughout the home. And the lighting needed was not just another element to add to this project. Instead, Mason wanted it to be embedded in the ceilings to link the rooms together. It would cover:
- The kitchen and dining area
- Living spaces and hallways
- Bathrooms and bedrooms
So the lighting needed to complement the architecture rather than compete with it. Sourcing the right luminaires for the Island was the challenge. The products had to arrive within a couple of weeks. Getting anything to a remote Island location on that timeline is a real pain point for most suppliers. There was no room for delays or back-and-forth. And the contractor needed a reliable lighting supplier who could move efficiently.
Specified, assembled, and dispatched with a complete striplighting solution in two weeks
Our first recommendation was the SL7600 LED Superstrip. It is a flexible, high-brightness LED ribbon that creates smooth, continuous lines of light. Its discreet dimensions make it ideal for tight ceiling profiles and joinery applications. The second was the HLP4140 LED mounting profile. This surface-mount extrusion is designed for exactly this kind of linear striplighting application. It comes with an opal PMMA acrylic diffuser that softens the direct LED output into a warm, even glow.
We supplied the lighting system assembled, so the team could install it quickly on site. They were cut to size with end caps, the diffuser, and factory-soldered tails. The entire order was specified, packed, and dispatched to meet the tight deadline.
Whether it is an off-the-shelf product or a custom solution, our experienced team is capable of supporting any project. We work with electrical engineers and contractors at every stage from quote to delivery.
Soft, even illumination across every space in a solar-powered, award-winning retreat
The Slipper Island, Whakahau home now features seamless ambient lighting across every space. The SL7600 Superstrip sits inside the HLP4140 profile with an opal diffuser. The geometric forms echo the nautical feel. And the soft glow illuminates rooms with subtle golden hues. All rooms flow together with the streamlined profiles embedded into the ceiling. A feature in itself, the lighting provides an illusion of navigational pathways.
The lighting system also suits the Island’s off-grid character well. The home runs entirely on solar power. LED lighting draws far less power than traditional alternatives, making it a smart fit for any solar-powered build. For the contractor, the outcome was a smooth supply experience. Products arrived on time and performed exactly as expected. For the homeowner, it meant a holiday retreat that looks and feels exactly as it was imagined.
The home went on to win the Master Builders House of the Year in 2018.
Products used in this project
A surface mount extrusion with an opal diffuser that turns ceiling striplighting into a clean, seamless glow.
SL7600 single colour LED Superstrip
A flexible, high-brightness LED ribbon built for tight profiles, joinery and ambient light.