Anyone who has teenagers will understand the need …
Driving up the street to the open home, the first our clients saw of this 1970s bungalow was a “boring rectangle of no consequence”. That impression couldn’t be more misleading. Once inside, the spectacle was an exquisite surprise. A sweeping view across the harbour to Rangitoto was framed by magnificent pōhutukawa. The real estate agent showed them photos of leaping dolphins he had snapped from the house’s deck earlier in the day.
Krissy and Jerry, recent émigrés from California, knew this much-loved property with its pool and that backdrop would be perfect for them and their two young daughters. “It was in such a beautiful natural setting; it felt like being on holiday,” says Kris.
And yet, after a year of living here, they found there were things they could change to make it more attuned to their family needs. The hallway was dark and awkwardly angled; there was no laundry or pantry and no guest space. They imagined remodelling the single garage into a suite for overseas visitors.
That was the start. But what began as a modest renovation grew to a comprehensive project to bring the house up to the highest standards of build quality and design.
The couple initially consulted with architects. “They told us they could create the plans but couldn’t advise us on costs until we hired a construction company,” explains Kris. Not very reassuring. With a clifftop site that borders council lands, the couple had an inkling the red tape might be tricky to negotiate. A design-and-build team became the wiser option.
When the pair met Box™ founder Dan Heyworth and head of design Tony Borland-Lye on-site, they agreed that the company’s modernist style would slot in nicely with their aesthetics and the footprint of the existing home. The design phase was a fun bit of exploration as the clients and team traded ideas about how to make the most of this 50-year-old home to suit the family’s lifestyle and highlight the beauty of the site. “At some point, we agreed that if Box™ wanted to play around with the position of the kitchen, we’d be open to it,” says Kris.
As it turned out, although all the changes have been made within the existing footprint, only one original wall remained the same. “Once you start peeling back the onion, you find many layers that need updating,” says Kris.
Yes, the garage was converted into a guest suite – but so much more. The feeling is lighter, brighter and more connected to the stunning sea-facing landscape since that gloomy corridor and a TV lounge that blocked the view is no more. In essence the bedrooms were flipped to face seawards and, opposite, a wall of sliding glass doors alongside the hallway allows an outlook to a lush garden that leads to the pool. “When you sit in the back garden, you can now see through the house to the sea,” says Kris.
Coming from California, the couple had an appreciation of mid-century design and there are hints of this here. Removing walls has crafted a vast open-plan living space where the dining room is backed by a wall of built-in display shelving and overlooks a sunken lounge with a bank of floor-to-ceiling sliders that access the sea view.
Pale timber floors team with light-wood cabinetry in the kitchen and hand-blown European glass pendants hanging over the large bench keep the mood relaxed and casual. “We really wanted the interiors to have a natural aesthetic to match the location, which is such a big part of why we love the house,” says Kris.
While prepping dinner, the couple can keep an eye on their kids cavorting by the pool, which has also had a makeover. Rounded orange coping tiles from the ‘90s have been replaced with white sandstone tiles and new decking to better match the new-look exterior. Clad in dark-stained vertical Weathertex and offset with white joinery, the house’s palette echoes the creosoted ‘coconut with a bite’ homes of influential architect Vernon Brown.
For the family, wraparound decks and a sheltered courtyard away from the seaward side offer ideal indoor-outdoor living. And that once unremarkable entrance? Well, a boardwalk now winds its way down from the road, past a new two-car garage with a large cedar door. It meanders through a freshly planted front garden of palms and cabbage trees to the front door. A true journey of welcome.
