From original to magical

When Louis Niven bought his 1930s bungalow on the slopes of Northcote Point, his friends teased him that the kitchen, bathrooms and fittings were all pretty much original — in other words, the house was falling down.

But the sales manager was determined to buy a house before he turned 30, and this deceased estate fitted his budget.

It was one of two built by a local builder and had last been on the market in the 1960s. It was cold, the rooms were disjointed, the basement garage was pretty rough.

Ten years ago, when partner Kat Heath moved in with Louis, the charms of the add-on kitchen, a freezing room the couple called “the hatch”, a loo on the back porch and a pretty awful bathroom began to wear thin. The arrival of daughter Lola, now 7, prompted the renovation.

“We found architectural designer Dean Salter, who works just up the road,” says Kat. “He understood how to make the most of the footprint.

“He was good at working within the existing roofline, rearranging walls and then adding the bits that gave us the extra bedrooms and sitting room.

“He came up with the idea of digging down on the ground floor for the guest bedroom, rather than going up in the roof.

“Having lived in the original house all that time, Louis and I really do appreciate what Dean did.”

The couple and baby Lola moved out of the house for six months, returning to celebrate in one super party Lola’s first birthday, a housewarming, and their engagement.

The new layout worked better than they could have imagined. Salter converted the original dining room into a generous front entrance and stairwell to the ground floor.

He added period details to the new front steps and porch. The old kitchen and service areas of the lean-to were rebuilt to create a modern kitchen and dining room. By pushing out a small extension Salter created a generous living room.

Bifold and french doors and windows, detailed to match the bungalow style but double glazed for warmth, open the L-shaped space to a deck and terraced backyard with lawn for the kids (Lola was joined by brother Sebastian, now 5).

The use of clipped hedges and sculptural planting is repeated in the front yard, where olive trees, paving and hedges create a private courtyard off the downstairs bedroom.

There’s parking for guests behind the security fence, and a path leads to the new side entrance porch.

Anita Maes from Bella Cassita kitchens worked with architect Salter to create the sort of entertaining kitchen/dining layout Kat longed for.

There is a stainless steel gas cooker and dark granite benches. Louis and Kat like wood, so Maes added a wall of warm oak on the pantry and at the back of the bar to complement the original wood floors, now sanded and restored.

At the front of the house, the original sitting room was turned into the master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe and tiled en suite.

From the bedroom’s bay window there are views of the water and glimpses of the city.

Lola’s bedroom is the former master bedroom; Sebastion’s is above the downstairs guest bedroom. Also downstairs is a double garage and storage room.

Sebastion’s bedroom has become a hang-out space for the whole family when fireworks light up the city, as the wall of windows provide grandstand views of Sky Tower and beyond.

Kay says Louis’ out-of-town parents have made the guest bedroom and bathroom their Auckland base. “They call it 26A,” she says.

But the in-laws will have to make other plans now. Louis and Kat and the kids are moving to Nelson to build a country lifestyle.

Kat has enjoyed living in Northcote Pt — walking the kids to school, the neighbourhood shops, historic pub, the parks and beaches.

“Out of all the places we’ve lived, this is the best in Auckland,” she says.

“We don’t want to leave this house, but someone else will love it.”

26 RICHMOND AVE, NORTHCOTE PT, AUCKLAND

4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2* carparks

SIZE (more or less ): House 220sq m, Land 465sq m.

AUCTION: Sept, 6, 6.30pm (unless sold prior).

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 1.30-2pm.

SCHOOLS: Northcote primary, intermediate, college.

CONTACT: Brooke Barrass, Harcourts, 021 131 0566 or Jordan Selwyn, 027 671 5882.

*Plus 1 OSP.