SCHOOL ZONES:
Gladstone Primary, Kowhai Intermediate, Mt Albert Grammar.
CONTACT:
Andre Coppell, 021 300 794, or Cheryl Crane, 021 444 149 , Bayleys.
Cathy Willemsen was amused to hear her neighbours had bestowed a nickname on her home after it underwent a renovation that transformed it from a standard Californian bungalow into a large, gracious house.
"Apparently the locals started calling it Mt Albert Manor," she says. "Everyone commented on how big the house was and, even now, you still notice cars slowing down as they go past and people looking at the house. There was a lot of interest in what we were doing."
The 1920s house on a corner site that she and her former partner bought 16 years ago had seen better days, and they immediately set about renovating. One of the first things they did was move the front entrance from Mt Albert Rd to Kitenui Ave, changing the address in the process.
"In those days Mt Albert Rd was a lot busier, so it was easier to get in and out via Kitenui Ave."
What had been a side porch became the new front door, accessed by a sweeping flight of steps, and the original mud room and laundry made way for an elegant wood-panelled hallway. The old entrance and veranda were incorporated into the living room, which was opened up into a large space adjoining the kitchen after a wall was removed.
Another porch at the back of the house was extended, closed in and turned into a bedroom, making four on this level, and the family bathroom was moved and rebuilt in spectacular style.
Image 1 of 12: And that's before they see the pillars and Italian tiles of the Roman-style bathhouse
"This bathroom gets quite a reaction from visitors," says Cathy, pointing out the pillars and Italian tiles that have turned the room into a Roman-style bathhouse. "I'd bought a spa bath years earlier and had it in storage, and I had visions of lying in it and looking at marble pillars. It's crazy, and people either love it or they hate it, but it definitely gets them talking."
The bathroom also features a stained glass skylight and has been cleverly designed so the toilet and walk-in shower are hidden behind walls.
On the lower level a new double garage was added to the rear of the house, and the existing garage turned into a study, bathroom and bedroom that could also be used as a rumpus room. This space would be ideal for a massage therapist, counsellor, accountant, or anyone working from home as there is external access. The bedroom could be used as a treatment room/office and the study could be a waiting room.
Meanwhile, a single, standalone garage has been turned into a sleepout/kids' playroom complete with bathroom, and there's room for a pool in the large rear lawn.
The space above the new double garage proved perfect for an expansive north-facing deck that has great views of the city. This can be accessed from the master bedroom suite or another living room that could be used as an office or extra bedroom.
Keeping the original character of the 1920s house was important, and great care was taken to preserve features like architraves and leadlight windows, including those in cabinets in the lounge adjoining the living room.
One of the biggest undertakings was sanding black shellac off the woodwork, recalls Cathy.
"I was almost nine months pregnant with my son and living in all this dust and dirt - at times I thought, 'why are we doing this?' But it was worth it - the house was dark and dingy before, now it is light and bright."
It has been a wonderful family home, and having Mt Albert Grammar just a few minutes walk away has been a bonus for Cathy's children, Olivia and Brock. But the property is really too big for the three of them, so Cathy wants to downsize, leaving the "manor" to a new lord and lady.
