Updating a classic
Renovation does justice to heritage home, writes
This grand old villa at 34 Clonbern Rd, Remuera, was starting to show its age when Niki Sutherland and Dan Vincent bought it five years ago.
But they’ve returned the 1912 two-storey classic to its former glory, albeit with many modern touches.
“We could see the house had good bones, but we needed to bring the character back,” says Niki.
They re-wired, insulated throughout, and replaced every window and French door with new joinery and thermal glass.
They updated the dcor, putting in top quality fixtures and fittings and restoring features like molding and wood panels.
The only room the couple didn’t touch was the kitchen. Previous owners had put in a Poggenpohl layout with a central island, Rangemaster oven, built-in coffee machine and pull-out pantry shelving.
It’s part of an open plan area that also includes a family room and dining area, which opens up to a deck via French doors.
There are two further living rooms — one for Niki and Dan, and the other for the couple’s daughters Pascale and Maddie. Both feature custom cabinetry.
The adults’ room doubles as a library. The kids’ room has been great for the girls — when they were younger it was ideal for birthday parties.
A “funny little granny flat” at the rear of the home was stripped out and re-purposed to include a powder room and laundry. There’s also internal access to a double garage.
Upstairs is reached via an impressive staircase, enhanced with new paneling and featuring the carved original newel post.
Niki and Dan’s eye for detail continues on the upper level, where white walls in four of the five bedrooms are enhanced by designer wallpaper.
As well as being a fan of wallpaper, Niki is also fond of marble and is delighted with herring bone patterned marble tiles in the master en suite.
One of the bedrooms is used as an office and has custom cabinetry plus French doors opening out to the wrap-around veranda that is also accessed from Pascale’s bedroom and the master bedroom.
Both the en suite and the family bathroom have heritage floor tiles and tapware in keeping with the era of the home.
Unlike the original leadlight windows around the front door downstairs, which had to be replaced, a beautiful stained glass window in the stairwell has been well-preserved. “We tried to keep as many of the original features as we could, and made sure the new things matched the villa aesthetic,” says Niki.