Distance has never been a deterrent in the lives of Sally and Mike Brick, who are both lawyers who work from home for their respective US environmental and technology companies.
So when it came to getting this “fit for purpose” renovation up to speed, they dealt with its design aspects remotely too.
“We were used to working remotely so it wasn’t a foreign concept,” says Mike.
The renovated bungalow at 131 Vauxhall Road, Devonport, is being sold by auction on February 20 by Bayleys agent Linda Simmons.
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Neither did it matter that their Seattle-based interior designer Lisa Staton had never been to New Zealand, let alone seen this house.
They had earlier collaborated on two home renovations in Seattle, so everyone’s expectations on the needs of this house were clear.
For this design-savvy couple, the skills of Devonport architectural designer Paul Spooner together with Lisa’s input from afar gave them the best of both worlds. “It was a blend of advice from Paul and Lisa,” says Sally.
Paul re-worked the deficiencies in functionality within the existing footprint of the house that, according to aged handwritten title documents, dates back to about 1910.
He opened up the separate split-level living and dining areas and replaced small side steps with full-width timber steps. He also redesigned the rear entertainment area to include a lawn next to their refurbished in-ground pool.
In the kitchen, Paul extended the bench around the side wall beneath the two kauri shelves by the dining table, to integrate the two spaces.
These shelves tie in with the new lower level demolition kauri flooring that replaces chipboard flooring beneath old kitchen tiles and dining area carpet.
They also complement the kauri waterfall bench on the bar at the opposite end that Paul designed as a piece of furniture.
Paul’s touch is also in their choice of a dark exterior paint colour for a contemporary feel, with the front fence and gate in white for historical integrity.
“This house has the heritage charm of a transitional villa complemented with a contemporary fresh Scandinavian aesthetic,” says Linda Simmons of Bayleys.
Inside, Lisa Staton’s flair is in the photo shelf behind their couch, her paint choices, window treatments and matte, rather than glossy, finishes.
Final decisions via the internet were never an issue, says Sally. “I’d be sitting on the steps with four different tiles, talking to her on Skype and she’d say ‘Hold them up to the light.’ Then she’d say: ‘Yes, that one’.”
Sally and Mike’s first priority on moving here in 2015 was to update the front, rather than the back, of the house.
They turned the former master bedroom into a second lounge and created Sally’s home office out of a wardrobe.
They closed off the en suite and updated it, opening it off the other side to use as the en suite off their new bedroom.
In this generous room, they had space for a substantial walk-in wardrobe that rewards them with a little extra privacy off the main hallway.
This home’s flexibility has been perfect for Sally and Mike and their three teenagers. As their eldest leaves for university in Wellington, the rest of the family will be moving to Singapore for Mike’s job.
They’re leaving behind this enviable location close to both Cheltenham and Narrow Neck beaches while retaining a New Zealand base at Omaha.
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