Arrowtown Residence — OS-Grey Schist Blend

In February 2025, three stone masons began a six-month journey in Arrowtown, cladding a 450m² family estate in OS-Grey Schist Blend. Working through Central Otago’s extreme seasons—from 29°C summer days to -6°C winter mornings—they hand-selected and dry-stacked every stone.

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Timeline: Six months on site, February to August 2025
Team: Three master stone masons, two living on-site in a caravan
Climate: Summer days 6:30am–8:30pm; winter limited to 10am–3pm
Stone: OS-Grey Schist Blend with subtle earthen highlights, dry-stacked with tight precision joints
Setting: Between two golf courses with mountain backdrop
Client experience: Warm hospitality, tea and fresh pastries on site

Two of our masons set up a caravan on site—their home through heat and freeze alike. A third, living nearby, joined them each morning. The work shaped their days; the landscape shaped everything else.

“Working with OS-Grey Schist Blend in a dry-stacked format demands patience and precision. Each piece must be carefully selected, positioned, and fitted. We sourced additional stone throughout the project to ensure we could achieve the tight, seamless finish our clients deserved.”

In summer the long Central Otago daylight allowed work from early morning well into evening, though the midday heat demanded a slower pace and careful hydration of the stone beds.

Winter reversed the equation. Frost lingered until mid-morning and returned by mid-afternoon, compressing each working day into a narrow window where temperatures permitted proper stone setting.

The property itself became part of the experience. Nestled between two golf courses with views across rolling hillocks and natural schist reefs, the site welcomed regular visitors—wild rabbits and quails who watched our progress with curiosity.

The clients were equally generous, regularly appearing with cups of tea, coffee, and fresh pastries. Those small rituals of hospitality became one of the defining memories of the build.

OS-Grey Schist Blend, with its subtle grey and earthen tones, proved the ideal material for this setting. Its natural variation creates a living façade that shifts with the light—cool and quiet in morning shadow, warm and textured under afternoon sun.

The dry-stack panels serve as visual anchors along the home’s elevation, breaking up the clean lines of long-run metal and grounding the architecture in its surroundings.

Achieving tight, professional joints in a dry-stack format requires an eye for how each stone will sit with its neighbours. We hand-selected pieces continuously, sometimes sourcing additional material rather than compromising on fit. The result is masonry work we’re genuinely proud of—a finish that honours both the stone and the clients’ vision.

The photographs here trace that progression—from raw landscape and first courses through to the completed residence, a home that feels both substantial and sensitive, modern yet timeless.

“This is a very special, private place. A treat and a retreat. We would gladly work with these clients again, and we know they will enjoy this wonderful home for years to come.”

For us at Original Stone, this project represents everything we value: quality craftsmanship, client relationships built on trust and respect, and stone masonry that will endure for generations.