The Brown House

Residential

Project Type: Residential

Architect: Lisa Webb, LWA Studio

Photographer 1: Biddi Rowley

Photographer 2: Lisa Webb, LWA Studio

Lighting Design: Madison Nixon, Inlite

Construction: Henry Brown & Co. Ltd

The Brown House is a story of resilience and considered design.

After the 2020 Ōhau wildfires destroyed their original home, the clients set out to rebuild something simple, strong, and deeply connected to the landscape. Working with architect Lisa Webb of LWA Studio, the house was designed to feel calm, intentional, and functional.

Lighting was key to bringing that vision to life. The scheme mixes warmth and materiality with moments of character, using decorative pieces to highlight special spaces while architectural fittings provide practical, unobtrusive light. Every fitting was chosen to work hard, without overcomplicating the design.

A close collaboration between lighting designer Madison Nixon and the Inlite team paired hero pieces from Marz Designs and Wästberg with Inlite’s architectural range. The result is a home where light shapes the architecture, enhances the textures, and makes the spaces feel personal, layered, and connected to the surroundings.

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Window Seat Statement

Above the window seat in the main living area, the Terra 00 Pendant by Marz Designs hangs with quiet sophistication.

The warm walnut and a chartreuse ceramic shades of the pendant complement the velvet daybed and timber walls, while still allowing the natural wood and curated artwork to shine.

Master Bedroom Feature

In the master suite, Wästberg’s W201 Extra Small s3 Pendants deliver a minimalist yet impactful bedside lighting statement.

Their compact scale creates intimate pools of light, combining decorative elegance with practical reading illumination.

Adaptive Track Lighting

Inlite’s Charm Track Spot system was the perfect solution for the living, dining, and kitchen areas with gabled ceilings.

Its flexible, unobtrusive design provides both ambient lighting and precise artwork highlights from a single power source.

General & Exterior Lighting

Subtle task lighting from Inlite’s Deep Starr Adjustable, paired with warm 2700K Hero Eco lamps, was carefully integrated throughout the interior and exterior soffits. The result is functional, unobtrusive illumination that maintains a gentle connection to the natural environment.

The Brown House exemplifies thoughtful, restrained design. Its carefully balanced lighting scheme brings warmth, clarity, and comfort to a home shaped by adversity, showing how creative, collaborative strategies can deliver both emotive impact and practical function; even within challenging budgets.