Long awaited

Light-filled living areas open on to a covered terrace. Photo / Supplied

When Peter and Cris Roberts bought their home in the Auckland suburb of Waterview three years ago, it looked like something out of a retro Playboy shoot.

Although from the outside it was just another brick 1950s house in a quiet cul-de-sac, inside it was a throwback to the freewheeling 1970s.

Among the features were plastered archways, a semi-circular cocktail bar, Tudor-style doors with ornate knockers and a double-sided brick fireplace. "It was amazing, a kind-of 1970s set-up - it was quite a pad," says Cris, a fashion designer who has her own label, Pearl. "Crazy," remembers Peter, "like the home of the Baroness of Waterview, with plastic leadlights and round-top doors.

It was bizarre, but quite wonderful in its own way." The couple quickly started work on a major makeover plan for the waterfront home, which sits on 2352sq m of rambling garden that merges with the marine reserve.

After a year of planning, they couldn't wait for the renovations to get underway. The builders were booked and ready to start. There was just one problem - the architect hadn't delivered the drawings on time.

But rather than turn the tradesmen away, Cris and Peter - who runs a film and television post-production house - decided to push on with the alterations. "The builders just about had a heart attack because we had no plans," says Cris, as she stands on the wraparound deck with views of the mangrove-lined inner harbour.

"They were terribly patient with us. I applaud them for what they went through; no plans, nothing, they just did it." Yet even with a great team, the job took much longer than the couple anticipated. "We thought it would be six or seven weeks," says Cris. "Take the time people tell you and double or triple it."

Six months later they finally shifted in. The home's original open-plan layout had to be modified to create privacy and sound barriers. One side of the double fireplace was enclosed into the new kitchen wall; the other fireplace now warms a sitting room. Light-filled living areas open on to a covered terrace.

In summer, when the dark cedar doors and windows are rolled back, the house opens like a tent. "I love clean space so you can move around without feeling cluttered, but I like privacy as well," Cris says. The couple have not only tackled a major renovation, they've also adjusted to life with an elderly relative.

Peter's father David needed their care and has moved in with them as part of a network of family in the suburb. Peter's 13-year-old son Oskar and his mother also live in Waterview, and Oskar can now roam between his mother's and father's homes one street apart and his cousins' home next door.

When David moved in, he brought a collection of antique, mid-century, and 1960s and 1970s furniture that now fills the house. The huge, curved white leather sofa in the living room is one of the few new pieces of furniture the couple has purchased.

As well as building a home for their art collection, Cris and Peter want to lift the terrace roofline to leave the view unobstructed and to add an extra room for when Peter's other sons, Beau and Finn, come to stay. They would also like a glassed-in space open to the garden, with solar panels on the roof.

While they still have a way to go on their project, Cris is happy with the results so far. "It's beautiful. Last Sunday, for the first time in over a year, I sat down for an hour with a book outside on the deck - which I never, ever have time to do. It was so amazing, so tranquil."

Style tips:

Light touch: Make sure you deliver light into the right places. Big doors and windows create a sense of space

Solid harmony: When rebuilding or extending a brick home, get an exact match on the existing bricks. Even if they are more expensive the effect will be worth it.

Shelf life: Built-in book shelves make a design statement. Stained plywood can give you a quality look at low cost.

* Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden. For more achievable home ideas that you can create at your place, see the latest issue, on sale now.