Described by her real estate agent as “a perfectionist serial renovator with meticulous attention to detail”, Nicola Beauchamp is about to sell what she believes is her final renovation project.
She bought the 1910 villa at 24 Onslow Road in Mount Eden, Auckland in 2016, even though she wasn’t really looking for property.
“I’d finished my current project and I was a little bit bored, so I was helping out a friend who was looking to buy,” Beauchamp says.
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24 Onslow Road in Mt Eden is divided into three apartments - one has one bedroom and the other two have two bedrooms each. Photo / Supplied
“When I saw this house I was immediately attracted to it. Even as it was back then it had great street appeal.”
The villa had been divided into three flats by the previous owners who had owned it for 40 years, and for Beauchamp, it was easy to see how it could be refurbished.
“It had good bones and there was no need for structural work, apart from removing one chimney which was taking up a lot of room. But it did require re-wiring and re-plumbing.“
The current owner lived in one apartment and slowly renovated the apartments. Photo / Supplied
Beauchamp claimed one of the top apartments for her own. It was the smallest of the three but it was beautifully sunny, it had a fireplace, and an open aspect to the street.
She lived in it as it was for a few years while she transformed the others into elegant spaces which retained their character features. She renovated her own apartment slowly, preserving the character features.
All three apartments are Healthy Homes-compliant with insulation and heat pumps, as well as soundproofing. Photo / Supplied
It has one large bedroom, an elegant sitting room with superb pressed metal ceilings and sash windows, polished wooden floors, a classic villa fireplace, a smart kitchen with dishwasher, granite bench, ceramic hob, rangehood and laundry cupboard, a bathroom with bath and shower over, a verandah and a garden area with a patio for entertaining.
The other two apartments have similar attributes, and each has two bedrooms. All three are Healthy Homes compliant with insulation and heat pumps, soundproofing, contemporary kitchens and bathrooms.
Character features like this classic villa fireplace have been preserved. Photo / Supplied
Occupying a prime corner site, the 704sqm north-facing section has also benefited from Beauchamp’s skills.
“When I bought it, it had a few scrubby trees. I took them out and used hedges to divide up the space at the back so each apartment could have its own patio and clothesline,” she says.
“I planted new, bigger trees including citrus, and put a picket fence around the section, and the layout encouraged people to really use the outdoor space.”
Parting with Onslow Road will not be without regrets for Beauchamp. She says it has been a very easy place to live, particularly during lockdowns when she has worked from home.
The apartments have contemporary kitchens and bathrooms. Photo / Supplied
“It’s a lovely place to work, and I adore being so close to Eden Park,” she says.
“There’s a school on the opposite corner – schools make great neighbours – and so many of the people who walk past here stop and comment on the house. It really is a unique property.”
Ray White agent Jamie Morrison, who is marketing the property, agrees. “I’ve never come across anything like this during my time in real estate. The attention to detail and the finishing are amazing.”
24 Onslow Road, Mt Eden, Auckland has a set dale of sale of March 31.
