Modern match This 1970s home has been given an elegant makeover

A NEW ZEALAND COUPLE DELVED INTO THE DARK SIDE FOR A SLICK AND STYLISH REVAMP OF THEIR 1970s HOME

Homes built during the 1970s have their challenges, and for Rebecca and Paul, the greatest one they faced when they bought their tired and dated abode in 2010 was having the living and dining room inconveniently positioned upstairs. “It was a nightmare when the kids were little because they always wanted to be outside, and it was difficult to keep an eye on them,” explains Rebecca. “The layout was all wrong for how we wanted to live as a family.” So when Rebecca, a fashion buyer with a degree in interior design, and Paul, who builds homes but also renovates, decided to join forces on a revamp, creating a home that made sense to the entire family was the priority. “It was designed with the children very much in mind,” says Rebecca. “I wanted to create a place where the children were happy to bring their friends, and so far it’s working really well. I love that I can be at the kitchen bench and watch the kids swimming. And they love being able to run inside and grab something to eat before heading back out to play.” The beating heart of the couple’s chic family home in Auckland’s south-east is the elegantly moody kitchen, which hits the sweet spot between style and functionality. When Rebecca dreamed up the colour story for the high-impact space, white was never an option. “I’ve always wanted to do a black kitchen,” she explains. “I like the glamour and drama of a dark palette.” Concealed from view when visitors enter the home, the new openplan living, kitchen and dining area flows seamlessly out to the garden and swimming pool through a wall of glass sliders. “When people come around the corner into this space, the sudden expansion often catches them by surprise,” says Paul. To add a little magic to their ideas, the couple engaged architect Paul Clarke from Studio2 Architects. “He was our second architect because the first one didn’t want us closely involved in the project,” says Rebecca who, together with Paul, stayed hands-on throughout the renovation process. The family stayed on site during the 11-month-long makeover, which, says Rebecca, “definitely took a toll”. Yet memories of those days are fading fast and Paul is already thinking about what they could do next. “We both enjoy the renovation process and there are plenty more projects in us,” he says. Rebecca is keen to embark on another building adventure, but it will take something special to lure her away from this beautiful home. “We love what we’ve ended up with,” she says. “For now we are enjoying what we’ve created here.”

KITCHEN “Our brief to our kitchen designer was to have a super-functional space with a central island bench that would serve as breakfast bar, workspace and cocktail bar,” says Rebecca, who engaged Colleen Holder of Colleen Holder Design to help bring the couple’s ideas to life. Black powdercoated aluminium shelves with oak dowelling are among the well-considered details (left and above left), along with custom-stained inky cabinetry and shelving. “My favourite part of the kitchen is the integrated fridge and the generous pantry hidden behind the tall cupboards,” says Rebecca. “It looks seamless but everything is super handy.” The striking wall of joinery extends into the adjoining sunken lounge, which is connected by a cleverly designed servery.

LIVING ROOM

The extension has a ‘mid-century modern’ vibe and brings serious wow factor to the home. Rebecca’s training as an interior designer is evident in her choice of cool blue tones in the patchwork rug from Source Mondial (above). “It was important to get the right rug, because you look down on this space from the kitchen and dining area,” she says. “I like the way the pale blues offset the warmth of the timber.” The Riva Studio woodburning fireplace set among folded steel tiles by Powersurge makes this a cosy spot during winter.

STAIRWELL

Copper downpipes from the home’s original guttering were upcycled for a feature wall. Beaten flat, the panels serve as a striking spine to the stairwell (left).

open shelving “THE WORKS REALLY WELL – IT LOOKS GOOD AND IS ALSO storage” HANDY FOR ~ REBECCA

MAIN BEDROOM

A resort-style vibe imbues the upstairs zone, with one end of the area devoted entirely to the ensuite and main bedroom (opposite).

Here, Rebecca’s interior designer flair and Paul’s talent as a designer-cum-builder are on show; they dreamt up the oak shelving on either side of their bed, introducing the warmth of wood to the room. “Our bedroom has a lovely calm feeling and I wanted to keep the furniture simple to highlight that,” says Rebecca. Pendant lighting from ECC makes a chic statement beside the upholstered bed from Designers’ Collection, dressed in bedlinen from EziBuy Home. Dark-stained oak flooring in the hallway (below, far right) leads through to the couple’s bedroom, creating a contrast to the pale timber of the vintage bench seat sourced from Corso De’ Fiori.

POWDER ROOM

Pendant lighting, such as the dazzling pair of lamps from ECC Lighting suspended above a custom-built oak benchtop (above, right), provides illumination and drama throughout the property. As well as using lighting to create mood in the powder room, Paul and Rebecca installed a wall of hexagonal tiles from Tile Space, in warm rich tones that are perfectly in keeping with the home’s sophisticated styling. “We’ve holidayed at a few resorts and I wanted to add that little bit of luxury to the powder room, which is mostly used by guests,” says Rebecca. The mirror is from Weekend Trader.

MAIN BATHROOM

Wall-to-wall glamour continues in the main bathroom (right), with a custom-built oak vanity topped with Caesarstone in Sleek Concrete the star of the show. Twin basins from Robertson Bathware are a perfect addition at teeth-brushing time for Isabella and Miller.