11 Marae Road,
Greenhithe
KEY POINTS:
It's fitting that the Warns share their charming Greenhithe home with a quartet of animals that once were unwanted - their house was a bit of an orphan, too, before they took it in hand.
These days, the elegantly refurbished north-facing home of Bevan and Hilary Warn and their four pets exudes character and flows nicely, amalgamated by the thorough overhaul they've undertaken.
But when they bought the place to do up 18 months ago, it felt piecemeal and unloved, after people had made a series of changes to it over the years.
Bevan says, "It had been a loved house once, but I'd say that was about 60 years ago. When we took it on, parts of it were unfinished and it seemed like we inherited everyone's projects from different decades. There was some wallpaper that looked like it was from the 30s or 40s, a 70s bathroom with shag-pile carpet and I think the kitchen was from the 50s."
Hilary adds, "The grounds were a shambles and the back porch was partly rotten, with an old heart-shaped spa-pool with water in it that looked like it'd been sitting there for 20 years."
The Warns liked the contemporary leadlights at the front entrance and the idea of getting their teeth into the project. Bevan is a spouting installer, Hilary works in a homewares store and they both enjoy throwing themselves into renovations.
They're a fan of older dwellings and knew they could nurture the weatherboard home's character.
They're uncertain of its exact age - much of it was built in the 50s but they suspect part of it may be older and it was extended with an upper-storey about 30 years ago. Bevan laughs, "And now we've brought it into the 21st century."
The front of the two-storey home has quite a cottagey feel. A welcoming front porch and the leadlight front door introduce the large entranceway, with the hub of the home behind. The lounge, dining room and new kitchen all face north and so are good spots for Pepe the toy poodle, Heidi the Munsterlander and moggies Jordan and Daisy to soak up the sun.
Splashbacks of red tiles enliven the new kitchen's dark granite benches, white cabinetry and stainless appliances.
Two pairs of French doors plus sliding doors ensure living flows easily to the new, expansive rear decks where you can admire how copper guttering and downpipes enhance the exterior. Past the lounge is the single-storey end of the house, where an oversized hallway offers the versatility of an extra seating nook.
The rear bedroom (which Bevan uses as his office) is an absolute sun trap. The bathroom next door has been totally overhauled to be smart and enticing. The Warns use the good-sized, front-of-house bedroom as their guest room.
Stairs off the entranceway lead upstairs, where a partial wall in the large gabled room defines the master bedroom from its own sitting room. It has a refurbished en suite, generous wardrobes and opens onto its own north-facing balcony.
Smart neutral decor consolidates the home.
The sizeable and private backyard is a delight. There's a level lawn for the dogs to frolic on and a big flame tree provides scale to the tidy garden with a backdrop of bush and hill views.
Having more than 1000sq m of land allows for generous off-street parking to support the internal-access, single garage.
With renovations complete, the Warns are ready to take on another project.
