Half the space but more fun

Downsizing to an Edgeware townhouse has been life-changing for Leigh Aston and her family, discovers Sue Allison.

For a family who swapped a rambling bungalow in Rangiora for a pint-sized pad in Christchurch, a smaller house has meant a fuller life.

Eighteen months after their move to the Edgeware townhouse, Leigh Aston says there isn’t one thing she misses about living in a bigger house.

‘‘The secret of happiness is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.’’ That quote is from Socrates, but 21 centuries later, Leigh echoes the Greek philosopher’s sentiments: ‘‘Living in a small space forces me to be more thoughtful about what I bring into my home. Everything is a treasure.’’

The 74 square metre inner-city townhouse, half the size of their former abode, is home to six: Leigh and her partner, Cory, their 19-yearold son, Finn, Bobo the Persian cat and dogs Mojo and Morris.

‘‘In our old house we had rooms we hardly ever went into,’’ says Cory. Here, they use every inch. Two bedrooms and a bathroom sit above an open-plan kitchen-living area which opens to a sheltered courtyard that acts as a second living room. ‘‘We didn’t have indooroutdoor flow in our older bungalow,’’ says Cory, who is enjoying the mow-free patch of artificial grass and easy-care vertical garden in Warehouse pots screwed to the fence. The connecting

36sq m double garage is a bonus, rare for a townhouse and extra space for the dogs.

The couple, who had bought the townhouse as a rental in 2015, shifted to the city when Finn finished high school. By the time they moved in, it was crying out for a makeover. Other than re-jigging the dark corner kitchen to let in more light and maximise storage space, they made no structural changes but replaced the threadbare flooring with a serviceable grey carpet and set to work with paint brushes and fabrics to brighten the interior.

‘‘All the walls and ceiling had been a yellowy-white and it felt dark and oppressive,’’ says Leigh. ‘‘It made such a difference when Cory painted it.’’ They opted for a mainly monochromatic palette of yellowfree whites and pale greys, a neutral foil for the flashes of vivid colour in their art work and furnishings. ‘‘I’m lucky Cory is in touch with his feminine side and doesn’t mind a bit of pink,’’ says Leigh, who also likes to fill the house with flowers and potted plants.

They modernised the bathroom with black and white tiles, and covered the wardrobe doors of the master bedroom with smoky mirrored glass to give the illusion of space.

Downsizing their possessions was a bit of a mission, says Leigh, who admits having to fight her hoarder genes. They had three garage sales, filled up a skip and donated the rest. ‘‘We got rid of so much stuff and thought we would miss it, but we don’t.’’ They even jettisoned their rarely-used dining table, replacing it with a portable trestle-table that they store in the garage and set up in the courtyard when they entertain.

However, she maintains one doesn’t have to be a minimalist to live in a small house. ‘‘We’ve still got a lot of stuff.’’ The skill is in