After looking for some time for a site that ticked all the boxes for our family home, this Beach Road situation had the potential I was after and Sarah took a leap of faith, confident we could sort it out...

One friend asked on his initial visit ” How did you manage to convince Sarah to buy this?" 

It was an early 70’s Beasly built block basement house with a dark brown brick second storey and brown decramastic tile roof reminiscent of ‘pizza hut’ roofs complete an overgrown garden with no two matching plants and carpeted catwalks. What is often described as being “in original condition” but with harbour views, well peeps anyway.

I saw a different picture.

I saw the opportunity to create a black bach in the pohutukawa trees by the beach with enough space for our family of three boys. The licence to do our own thing architecturally whilst making the most of the existing structure – a phrase I often hear myself repeating. After many sketch design incarnations the design was refined to the inserted garage block element scenario. The idea was to keep it simple and contextual and cost effective.

The original structure has been re-roofed, re-clad, re-wired, replumbed with all new services and fixtures, insulated, double glazed, re-lined, to make it seamlessly new. with a simple palette of materials and most importantly no renovation hangovers to let the project down.  Sarah has her own style which is very present in the interior details which complete the picture and furnish the house as our own, with a bit of fun thrown in. It functions well and as the grounds mature will get better with time thanks to a great team effort by all involved. We have a fantastic family home to enjoy everyday. 

The list of things to do keeps getting things added to it, next is the raised vegetable garden for spring…