Additions to a Wellington home look like they were always part of the plan.
Sometimes being in the right place at the right time is all it takes to change your life.
About 12 years ago, Kirsty and Joe Healy were considering settling down in New Zealand when a Wellington home they both admired came on the market. That made up their minds.
So the couple bought the Eastbourne home, which had been designed 20 years ago by architect Gus Watt for one of Joe's friends.
The couple had been living in London as well as Wellington's Hutt Valley but were keen to have a family and felt the cedar-clad home in one of Eastbourne's bays would be an ideal family home.
Set within a steep valley of native bush, it is constructed on poles so it sits among the treetops, with sun flooding into the living rooms and wide views of the harbour.
Over the years, the couple have filled the home with personal touches that add to its rustic charm. Old treasures include an unused "Give Way" sign bought from a road contracting company and an old boat that Kirsty bought from a school fair.
"I thought it might be nice to plant herbs in it if it didn't float, but it does so the boys like to take it out on the water."
A few years after they bought the house, with 2-year-old Jack on the scene and Flynn on the way, the couple decided to remodel it for their changing needs. "We wanted to keep the X-factor of the original design," says Joe.
A three-storey addition provided a garden shed on the ground floor, a home office and an en suite guest room, a pergola and a 3m extension to the living room.
"Pushing out the lounge increased its bush and sea views and big glass doors gave direct access to a new deck," Joe says. A pergola on the eastern side of the deck allows the family to eat outside when the sun is too strong.
"The addition looks like it's always been there, adding an interesting dimension to the front of the house," he says.
Three years later, more living space was needed, so walls were removed to incorporate what was the laundry into the kitchen, doubling its width and creating a new hub for the home.
The separate kitchen and laundry doors were replaced with large french doors to improve flow and take in the view.
Now the home provides a base from which Joe and Kirsty can run their businesses. It is also a sanctuary for the couple and a playground for their sons Jack, now 9, and Flynn, 7.
Style tips
Structural integrity: Despite major renovations, the house retains its original character because Kirsty and Joe worked with the architect who initially designed their home.
New life: Instead of buying new furniture, the couple reupholstered a comfortable old sofa and gave it deep buttons for a different look. They also covered some century-old dining chairs with calfskin.
Defined areas: In the boys' bedrooms, the Healys opted for a mainly neutral colour scheme with splashes of blue, red and yellow.
Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden. See the latest issue, on sale now, for the full story on this home.
