Meant to be
A warm welcome awaits within a spacious and gracious old home in Wellington
BACKGROUND
Sometimes the best opportunities arise when you’re least expecting them, which is what happened to real-estate agents Amanda and Ben Stevens.
Back in 2011, the couple and daughter Matilda (before Cecelia and little Lottie came along) were living in a neighbouring Wellington suburb when Ben sold a 101-year-old Ngaio home to renovators looking for a property to do up.
“It was in a bit of a state, split into two flats with a dingy 1970s addition,” recalls Ben.
The buyers undertook a thorough renovation, opening up the back of the house and replumbing, repiling and rewiring, but then decided to move to Christchurch in 2013.
“We weren’t really looking to move but when the owners asked me if I knew of any interested buyers, I realised this house would be perfect for us,” says Ben.
It’s no surprise the couple, who met at Massey University, were captivated by the 150-squaremetre home: it has four bedrooms, a light-filled living space and the kind of sunny, flat section that can be hard to find in Wellington.
“We love the space, the natural light and the flow from the house to the garden, which means I’m able to supervise the kids while I’m cooking,” says Amanda. “It was the back of the house that really won us over.”
ADDED EXTRAS
Although the previous owners had completed the bulk of the renovation, there was still ample room for the couple to add their own touches.
The first thing they did was get Wellington architect Tim Lovell to create a front porch, which not only offers shelter from howling southerly gales but also provides privacy from the neighbouring house (which the couple recently bought to use as an office).
They also added a two-square-metre wall between the dining and living areas. “I wanted to create different zones in the large, open-plan space,” says Amanda. Not only does the wall add greater definition, it also provides floor-toceiling shelving for Amanda’s many cookbooks and the jugs she’s collected over the years.
In the adjacent children’s area, Amanda had a concealed cabinet built to hide the TV and the children’s toys and, on the opposite wall, added doors to a recess (once a built-in wardrobe) which is now used as a crafting space.
The pair also reroofed the house and had the American oak floorboards repolished. KITCHEN
Amanda loves to cook, so having a generous space to work in was important to her. The 3.7-metre-long bench was made by the previous owner’s father from off-cuts of various timbers, including matai and rimu, and provides ample room for foodpreparation and storage.
“We had it sanded back and polyurethaned to make it more user-friendly for a family of five,” says Ben.
Although not initially a fan of the red grout used for the splashback tiles, Amanda has since been won over. “The grout was imported from Italy and I love the way it provides a pop of colour.”
INTERIOR STYLE
The fun really kicked into high gear when it came to decorating, says Amanda. Although she trained as a food technologist, Amanda has always loved interiors and often helps to dress and style the houses the couple sell.
Her style is to mix old and new, with an emphasis on textures and fabric. In the living room, for instance, the new grey sofa and grey and white rug contrast with a 1950s leather club chair (imported from France by French Revolution in Wellington) and a small wooden suitcase (which belonged to Ben’s greatgrandmother) used as a side table. Amanda was lucky enough to inherit several large cupboards and chairs from her godmother who brought them back from Wales, including the 1950s chair in the children’s area which Amanda recently had re-covered in pink Warwick velvet.
The plush blue velvet sofa, also in the girls’ zone, comes from Wellington store The Axe. It’s a perfect foil for the floral wallpaper which, if you stand back, comes to form a skull.
“I found the wallpaper online from Scandinavian company Mr Perswall and had it made to fit this space,” says Amanda. “Even though it’s the kids’ area, it makes it more sophisticated and somewhere they enjoy bringing their friends.”
In the large family bathroom, Amanda added a wall of the dramatic black-and-white-striped wallpaper she had used in her previous home.
ARTWORK
The couple’s eclectic art collection includes pieces found on overseas trips as well as those bought from Wellington artist Judith Royal, whom they met when they sold her house.
The over-sized marquee ‘S’ light was sourced from Etsy’s US site. “It was wired up for American voltage, so I had to get an electrician to rewire it,” says Amanda.
LANDSCAPING
Outdoor entertaining is important to this couple, who wanted to make the most of their generous garden which enjoys all-day sun. They added concrete paths and planted the borders with a range of lowmaintenance plants.
The compact garden shed is used by Amanda to store all the soft furnishings and other items she uses to dress houses for sale. THE END
Although this couple are tempted by the beautiful houses they see every day, they admit this one perfectly fits the needs of their growing family.
“Next on our list is changing the exterior of the house to add more street appeal and make it better match the interior,” says Amanda. “But at the moment, this house works really well for us.”
AMANDA’S STYLE TIPS
> Beautifully dressed beds can have a great effect on buyers, and Amanda loves to repeat the look at home. It’s easily done with euro cushions and lovely linen, providing a real sense of luxury for family and guests. > Amanda favours good-quality fabric in natural materials and particularly loves white duvet covers which are easy to bleach and allow her to simply and inexpensively change a bedroom’s look.
> Old furniture can’t be beat in Amanda’s view. She hunts for pieces on Trade Me and in vintage shops.
> Incorporating items with a history, especially those from family, is also important to her. A crocheted rug from one grandmother, a handmade elephant toy from another, and small toys from the couple’s childhoods are now part of their daughters’ lives.
> Rather than follow trends, Amanda sticks to what she likes and isn’t afraid of liberal splashes of colour. •
“We love the space, the light and the flow from the house to the garden, which means I’m able
to supervise the kids while I’m cooking”