KEY POINTS:
When Bronwyn Stephenson first saw her Remuera home almost two years ago, her impression was a dark one: lots of timber, painted dark brown, orange carpet on the floors, walls painted dark blue or similar hues, patterned wallpaper extending from above a bathroom dado rail, over the ceiling and down the other side.
5 Ngapuhi Road, Remuera.
It looked, she said, like it had last been decorated some time in the 70s.
But she also saw something else: "What I liked most was the proportions of the house," she says. It had nice high ceilings, a spacious, welcoming entrance hall and easily flowing living spaces.
Having grown up with an architect for a father, trained as an architect and then worked for 20 years as a retail interior designer, Bronwyn knew to look past uncomplimentary wall and floor coverings to the spaces they camouflaged. And she liked what she saw.
So she and husband Ralph Goddard set about releasing the house from darkness. Their first job was to get rid of that orange carpet. What they found underneath was the first pleasant surprise - rimu floors.
Given that Bronwyn and Ralph were on a mission to make the house lighter, they decided to blond the wood rather than leave it dark.
The walls and curtains also went lighter. All through the upper level the walls shed their imposing colours for a peaceful shade called Half Tea. Off came the dark brown on the woodwork, on went the off-white.
And then came the second pleasant surprise. Bronwyn and Ralph had thought a complete kitchen revamp would be in order, but decided just to paint until they got around to it. Having painted, they realised the revamp wasn't necessary after all.
Their chosen colours blended perfectly with the off-white tiles and the existing benchtops. There was already more than enough cupboard space and a good-sized pantry and, now that it was lighter, the kitchen felt just fine.
Downstairs, however, was going to be a big job. The master bedroom was dark and dingy, the entrance to the walk-in wardrobe made an entire corner of the bedroom useless for anything else, the laundry cupboard was small and pokey with no room for shelving, and the rest of the space was one large, cavernous room.
Bronwyn called in the professionals and a new bedroom was created for daughter Louisa, with a pretty contrast wall of pale lilac for a girly touch.
The downstairs became a well-defined area, with two bedrooms, a bathroom and a large living area. It has a separate front entrance and with the simple addition of a kitchenette could easily become a self-contained flat, giving teenagers or guests their own space.
Outside the downstairs living area a new deck was built, the garden replanted and the lawn relaid.
And, for the final task, Bronwyn and Ralph created a sunny, tiled entertaining courtyard at the front of the house. Bronwyn says it gets the sun first thing in the morning and doesn't lose it until around 6pm.
It's now a lovely, light family home, with a real sense of comfort and tradition. Indeed, Bronwyn has mixed feelings about leaving.
"If we weren't moving to Melbourne, I wouldn't be selling."
VITAL STATISTICS
BEDROOMS: 4
BATHROOMS: 2
GARAGES: 2
SIZE: Land: 1/3 share of 1713sq m, house 170sq m.
PRICE INDICATION: CV $730,000. Auction December 6.
INSPECT: Sat/Sun 2-2.45pm, Wed 12.30-1pm.
ON THE WEB: www.uprealty.co.nz # 140557
CONTACT: Lisa Cowan or Richard Lyne, Unlimited Potential, ph 529 1478, 021 464 414 (Lisa), 021 687 000 (Richard).SCHOOL ZONES: Meadowbank Primary, Remuera Intermediate, Selwyn College.
FEATURES: 1930s bungalow recently redecorated throughout. Three living areas, separate dining, separate office, tiled entertaining courtyard. Downstairs could be turned into self-contained accommodation.
