Suiting themselves

A larger house became imperative when Angela and Mark Frazerhurst began to think about having children. Although they were in the process of renovating their tiny Pt Chevalier home, they had always been aware that it would be too small for a family.

"We started to look around for something bigger to buy," says Angela. "Then we realised we already owned the perfect property for us." That property was a two-storey Auckland villa that had been divided into two flats and was rented out to students.

So they turned their attention to the rental and, with the help of an architect friend, worked on making the property suit their needs. Their first thought was to keep the house as two dwellings so they could occupy one level and rent out the other.

Later plans united the two flats into one residence with the kitchen and living areas upstairs, but this was changed at the 11th hour when the couple decided they wanted more connection with the north-facing garden. This means instead of an upstairs living area, they now have a massive upstairs master bedroom with a large, sunny deck. There are five bedrooms in the house, though they may serve other purposes. "It was really important we could have plenty of flexibility with the house," says Angela. " We use one of the bedrooms as the study and it's likely we'll turn one into a playroom at some stage."

For now, their 5-month-old son, Sam, is happily ensconced in a downstairs bedroom with a sprawling tree mural. Mark, who owns a construction company, took seven months off work with his crew to do the renovation, sometimes working 12-hour days, seven days a week. "Everyone delighted in reminding me of the old cliche that a builder's house is never finished," laughs Angela.

But Mark prides himself on attention to detail and seeing a job through. "You just can't cut corners," he says. "And with a villa renovation you've got to maintain the details between old and new when it comes to things like the skirting boards or ceiling panels, or it just won't look right."

However, one change they did make was to correct the age-old villa problem: lack of storage. They added walk-in wardrobes, access to attic storage, and a linen cupboard and full laundry. Surprisingly, there's no wooden flooring in this house.

Concrete tiles went down in the kitchen and bathrooms, while the rest of the house was carpeted."With two dogs and a baby we spend a lot of time playing on the floor and it's nice to have that comfort and use all our space, rather than just sticking to a rug like we'd have to if we'd chosen wooden floors," says Angela. About 18 months after the renovation, the couple felt their kitchen was "a little bit blah" so they decided to do something about it.

They called in graffiti artists Cut Collective, who had decorated the toilets at the advertising agency where Angela works. They transformed a previously blank wall, covering it with colourful stencilled flowers, native New Zealand birds and a picture of Pania of the Reef. "We're in the family phase now and this place feels just right for that."

Style tips

Flexible spaces: Design your rooms so they can serve more than one purpose. A bedroom should be able to become a study or playroom and change back to a bedroom.

Late changes: Don't be scared to change your plans late in the piece. Angela and Mark made changes at the last minute. Late alterations may hike costs but they'll give you a home that works better for you.

Ongoing project: Never think that your home is completed. Spaces will need refreshing or renovating as time goes on or your tastes change.

* Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden.