This 1910 Wellington home underwent a total renovation and now has a brand new front facade with major street appeal
Snapshot
Who lives here? Janet Hunt (manager Wesley Gardens Boutique Bed and Breakfast) and Dennis Hunt (engineer).
Where is it? Kelburn, Wellington.
Lived here for… Five years.
Janet, Which rooms have you renovated?
All rooms.
What was your ultimate goal?
To create a warm home, reinstating its period features while being fully modernised in a sympathetic way. To get as much light as possible into the home and make the living spaces feel more generous and connected.
BEFORE SHOT. The house was a flat with the front verandah closed in.
Describe the house before:
The home was a 1910 villa that had been converted into a house and flat in the 1950s. At that time, period features were removed and the front veranda was closed in. It was cold, dark and in need of repair and had very little storage. It had a very dank, dark, dusty basement and a bathroom with rotten floorboards. The floors were not level, the roof needed replacing and it was draughty with single-pane windows and no heating.
Describe the house now: Light, warm, sunny, comfortable and welcoming, with excellent storage.
List in bullet points what you did:
Created a family hub which is flexible, light, warm and comfortable.
Removed the flat and reconfigured the entire house so it now has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a separate multipurpose sunroom.
Completely re-lined, insulated and double-glazed the house.
Reinstated a period veranda connecting the house to the garden.
Future-proofed the home by adding a lift to connect the garage to the living level.
BEFORE: The dark, closed-in interior.
We love living close to Wellington’s CBD
but feel as if we’re in a quiet suburb miles away
Words by: Sharon Stephenson. Photography by: Nicola Edmonds.
EXPERT PROJECTS
Create the home of your dreams with Shop Your Home and Garden
SHOP NOW
