Villa with room to breathe
Never say never, say the family who can’t resist the charms of a Victorian villa, writes Donna McIntyre
Having sworn “never again” after moving a villa on to a previous property, Levonne and Jason Bridger were happy to switch to living in a 1970s dwelling on this Waimauku lifestyle property they bought in 2005. Well, they were, says Levonne until they fell for the architectural charms of a 1920s villa in Greenlane that was looking for a new patch of land to call home.
They reasoned they could renovate and extend the villa whereas that task would have been difficult with the 70s home because of its location on the 10.1 hectare block. And so, began the process of bringing the villa to 703 Peak Rd.
“Jason spent ages peeling back the edges of the pressed metal ceilings in the hallway,” says Levonne. “They literally cut the villa right down the middle and brought it out on two trucks, put it on the foundations and put it back together.”
She, Jason and their two daughters moved into the villa once its renovations and extension were completed in 2009. Set on the hillside, it now has commanding views over the countryside.
“We restored all the pressed metal ceilings, they are absolutely beautiful and different in each room,” says Levonne.
“The exception was our room, it just had chipboard so we have done wood and batten in there as well as the new part of the house.
“There are only two windows in the house that we didn’t replace, that aren’t double glazed, and those are in the pantry and the en suite.
“We had the air foam insulation put in the walls, under the floors and the ceilings.”
Because they were extending the house, they put in a walk- in wardrobe and on suite off their main bedroom.
“And out the back we built an extension that is the kitchen, dining, another seating area and a laundry/ utility room.”
The extensions’ new country- themed kitchen has a central island bench with storage, topped with granite bench, and a Falcon range with gas hobs and electric ovens.
Coming up the steps of the front veranda, the front door, with leadlight, opens to the hallway. On the right is the main bedroom. On the left is a spare bedroom/ study. Next to the main bedroom, are theIR daughters’ bedrooms. And, going down the hallway, you have the main bathroom and then the main lounge with a gas fireplace and its french doors opening to the return veranda.
The hallway continues to the extension where the villa’s original bathroom is now a walk- in butler’s pantry. Next are the kitchen, dining and lounge. The extension’s freestanding wood burner can operate as a wetback, and a heat transfer system pumps hot air into the hallway outside the bedrooms.
From the kitchen, more french doors open to the rear deck. “We live out there,” says Levonne. “It is so sheltered, we have the spa pool, the barbecue and a TV.”
The house is wired for sound and cable TV as Jason specialises in high- end TV and audio visual systems.
“We sit in the spa and watch TV on the deck or have music blaring through the place,” she says.
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The villa and the 10.1ha property has served the family well. They have the pool and a rumpus room — for the drum kit and piano, library, projector TV and sound system, and gym equipment. The original dwelling would be an ideal home business, says Levonne, and there is also a tennis court but it needs resurfacing.
Now the girls have left home, Levonne and Jason are looking to downsize.