Michelle and Michael’s top tips
+ Mull over ideas over time if you can. Living in a home before changing it helps you decide the things that will make the most difference to liveability.
+ Constantly seek inspiration from books, magazines and online. + Be open to changing your mind. + Mix new and old things to give your home warmth and interest. + Let your home express who you are as people.
Honesty box
What areas of your renovation did you save on? Doing the interior painting and back landscaping ourselves. Choosing simple fittings for the laundry/bathroom.
What did you splurge on? Custom-made solid rimu doors to match existing original doors and custom-made French doors and windows.
Can you tell us about the best lessons learned? Make sure you have great communication with builders and other tradespeople to avoid misunderstandings.
Did you have any renovation or DIY disasters? Thankfully, no.
What’s one thing you would change about your home if you could? Insulation between the walls – not standard when the house was built in 1930 and the new rooms are much cosier with it.
What was the most memorable experience you have had in your home? Raising our two children in the one home, which we have tweaked over time to suit our changing needs as they have grown up.
What was the budget: About $220,000 for the latest renovation/ extension. That figure includes reroofing and repainting the entire house.
Shops
Replica Eames chair, ottoman, replica Eames walnut Yanagi butterfly stools and grey modular couch Nood, nood.co.nz Velvet couch Dawson and Co, dawsonandco.nz Glass table Freedom, freedomfurniture.co.nz Smeg fridge Kitchen Things, kitchenthings.co.nz Fisher and Paykel appliances Noel Leeming, noelleeming.co.nz Samsung The Frame TV Harvey Norman, harveynorman.co.nz
Contacts
Custom joinery Seaboard Joinery, seaboardjoinery.co.nz Building Alex Jeffery, Jeffery Construction, jefferyconstruction.co.nz Floor tiling Auckland Tiling, Aucklandtiling.co.nz