KEY POINTS:
The perfect time to inherit a renovation is after the previous owner has done all the expensive jobs like re-piling and rewiring, so all you need to do is the fun stuff.
That's exactly the lucky break Jo Bell and her husband Chris Jones got when they bought a two-storey, two-bedroom 1890s villa in Auckland's Eden Terrace about five years ago. They had been looking at other central Auckland suburbs such as Grey Lynn and Ponsonby, where they hoped to make their money go further by buying a modern home rather than a villa. But their dreams were constantly dashed by builders' reports that said the homes they were looking at could be leaky buildings.
They'd been house-hunting for nearly a year when they stumbled on an old-fashioned charmer in Eden Terrace. It was the perfect first home for them, being structurally sound but requiring only interior renovation - a project its creative new owners gladly accepted. "We just needed to do cosmetic things to bring it into the new century," says Bell, who runs her own company, Switch PR. She and Jones, a graphic designer, began compiling a list of jobs that needed doing.
Top of the list was reviving the dated decor - salmon-coloured carpet throughout, terracotta tiles in the bathroom, a cobalt-blue kitchen, and an exposed brick chimney and double fireplace that took up a lot of room between the living and dining areas. Careful not to overcapitalise, they planned their improvements carefully.
The kitchen was a classic example: essentially nothing was wrong with the layout, it was just tired and dated. So they simply spray-painted the bright blue kitchen cabinetry a more modern-looking grey and off-white, and installed a Quarella benchtop, updated handles, appliances and put in a glass splashback.
Removing the brick chimney and replacing it with a flue created more space in the dining room. Without spending a lot of money, they dramatically changed the look of the home by replacing the cream, yellow and pastel colour scheme with modern greys and neutrals with chrome accents.
The new colours formed a nice contrast to the floorboards, which the couple gave a dark stain. While their house may be small, Bell and Jones found plenty of ways to make every nook and cranny useable.
A cavity beneath the stairwell in the bathroom became storage space, for example, and the attic was made serviceable. The couple took a similar approach to Bell's office, which is shut out of sight when not in use. She runs her company from a sunny alcove off the dining room, where her workstation can be folded out from or packed into a slim, wall-hung cabinet. It's a nifty solution that means she really does pack up for the weekend.
Although she and Jones have loved every minute of their five years in the house, and are proud of everything they've achieved, Bell's burgeoning business has now outgrown its closet. So they're reluctantly trading up to a home that offers similar character and beauty on a grander scale - and a whole new renovation challenge.
Home work
Low key: If you work from home but don't have a dedicated office, try to use an inconspicuous corner or alcove.
Lock and leave: If you have to set up your office in a living area, think about buying a custom-made unit that opens to become a work station and closes up when not in use.
Spatial awareness: Enough space can be eked out of stairwell cavities, landings or hallways to set up a home office, but make sure you have good lighting and access to power points and phone jacks.
Themed look: To make your home office feel part of your living space, use the same storage systems - whether they be baskets, wooden boxes or tins - that you have in the rest of the house.
Colour conscious: Making sure your desk, chair and shelves are the same colour will create the illusion of space by making them less conspicuous.
Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden. For more on this home, see the issue on sale now, or visit www.yourhomeandgarden.co.nz.
