SCHOOL ZONES:
Ponsonby Primary and Intermediate, Western Springs College, Auckland Girls Grammar.
CONTACT:
Luke McCaw, 021 950 145, Bayleys.
AUCTION:
On site 7pm, April 11.
*1 OSP
Amy Todd and Tom Fitzjames might be first-timers when it comes to buying and renovating a villa but they weren't scared to push the envelope.
Even before you cross the threshold you can tell this is no standard villa revamp with the legend '17 O'NEILL' emblazoned on the wall besidethe front door and pinhole lights set into the steps up to the front veranda.
Because of heritage rules the couple's home presents as a traditional bay villa with picket fence from the street.
Inside, builder Tom and stylist Amy have been working overtime on the house they bought about two years ago.
"We lived in it for eight months while we figured out what we wanted to do and got the plans through the council," says Tom, who has his own building company, Fitzjames Construction.
Amy adds, "We wanted it to be special and have a bit of originality. I was meshing together a whole lot of ideas I got from magazines and Pinterest."
They worked with the footprint of the house, which had been extended at the rear but lacked flow to the backyard.
With the help of designers Buildology, they formulated a plan to remodel the house, which was repiled and gutted before being relined with insulation in the walls, ceiling and underfloor.
With a central air-conditioning system and double glazing in the living area, the home is comfortable year-round.
To create more space, the brick chimney and fireplace were demolished but some of the bricks were recycled. They were sliced thinly and arranged to create a feature wall in the living room.
"We randomised them so there are all different colours and we even used some charred ones from inside the fireplace," says Tom.
To comply with heritage rules, the house still has to have a chimney, which is basically a box on the roof with more of the brick facade.
Originally four bedrooms, the house is now three bedrooms with the master having an en suite and large walk-in wardrobe.
At the front of the house, the master bedroom has shutters on its bay window and board and batten ceilings like the other two bedrooms.
Its en suite has a glass shower with multiple shower heads and there are large grey tiles on the floor and white railway tiles on the walls - a look it shares with the main bathroom, which has a standalone bath.
While the front of the house retains a traditional look, that changes when you enter the open plan kitchen, dining and living area at the rear.
"We wanted this to look different," says Tom. "So it is square stopped and more minimal looking." The dark stained floorboards in here have been matched with the original timber in the house, and there are also light and dark timber tones in the kitchen cabinetry.
A large Smeg oven range the couple bought some time ago has finally found a home in the kitchen, which has a breakfast bar/island sheathed in a marble-look printed tile.
