Two friends saved a 100-year-old villa from the scrap heap by shifting it 40km to the heart of one of the city's most popular suburbs.
Natalie van Peer and Katie Salter, the founders of home-staging company Ash Road, bought the dilapidated property in Helensville several years ago for $60,000 and then moved it to a vacant site in Grey Lynn.
The pair then set about restoring it to its former glory - and then some.
The three-bedroom home, now an exquisitely presented luxury home at 6 Francis Street with a CV of $2.65 million, is on the market for sale, and is a testament to the friends' passion for design and renovation.
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The Grey Lynn locals worked with Matter Architects, QBS builders and our partners to create a "well thought out and executed home that is perfect for modern family life or professionals alike".
The transformed home is now on the market for sale. Photo / Supplied
The project wasn't without its hiccups. The relocation of the villa involved removing the roof and inverting it, while the heritage overlay at the property meant the pair had to work hard to ensure their vision adhered to the style of neighbouring homes.
They also had to deal with a surprise discovery of asbestos in the ceiling, left over from a previous renovation.
The finished house is stunning. Highlights include a vaulted ceiling and an extension that flows outside to the lap pool - a last-minute addition.
The house at 6 Francis Street, in Grey Lynn, Auckland, several inviting spaces for entertaining. Photo / Supplied
The lap pool at the back of the house was a last-minute addition. Photo / Supplied
The friends said they were passionate about their work and had poured a lot of energy into transforming the house.
They also sought to future-proof it, installing intelligent lighting and underfloor heating and bringing a built-in sound system into the kitchen and dining room.
"PDL Iconic Wiser Connected Smart Dimmers have been employed to automate 80% of lighting in the home, including setting schedules for the outdoor lighting and setting scenes when away to make it look like someone is home," the pair said.
The listing agent, Bayleys' Edward Pack, said the home had been "meticulously finished to an exacting standard".
- 6 Francis Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland, is for for sale.
