A month in lockdown gives you a lot of time to think about what your ideal home could look like.
And for many Kiwis, the ideal closest to our hearts is the traditional villa - or a modern version of one.
Built any time from the 1880s to just after the First World War, villas moved from working farm homes to start filling up our newly growing towns and cities.
Here OneRoof has checked out some charming villas in all sorts of sizes and states of repair for you to plan your dream home.
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Welcome home to Tauranga
This immaculately renovated look-alike villa was built in 1977 on the shore of Tauranga’s Welcome Bay.
With its blue and white trim, the modern villa still has the look of original charm while being completely suited to comfortable waterfront living.
The Tremains Real Estate agents marketing the property, Brent Bastin and Andre Stewart, say the current owners have improved the property for the new buyers to enjoy.
The three-bedroom and one-bathroom 120sq m
home has an open kitchen with plenty of storage and a big window allowing natural light to come in when cooking.
The house also has a separate lounge which opens up to its own deck and two bedrooms extend into a veranda providing them with extra space.
On the 576sq m site there’s plenty of green space at the back and a garage with built-in storage.
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Transition to Devonport
One of Devonport's original villas is on the market. Photo/ Supplied.
The four-bedroom restored residence on 39 Allenby Ave is one of the beachside North Shore suburb's early villas, built around the 1910s.
Sitting on the freehold 539sq m section near the golf club it is in walking distance to the beach and Devonport village.
Bayleys Devonport agent Linda Simmons, who is selling the property by auction on May 28, calls the restoration “supremely stylish”.
“Around the turn of last century, Allenby Ave was recognised as the street where the era's very best craftsmen meticulously created residences to showcase their wide variety of skills and offerings,” she says.
The heritage home has big bedrooms, a grand hallway, one bathroom, a family living room as well as a formal lounge which links to a north-facing sunroom and open plan kitchen.
The house also has an enormous attic which could be made into a master suite or a storage room.
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Head for the Wellington hills
This modernised Wellington villa is sold by negotiation for $849,000. Photo/ Supplied
A crisp mint paint is making this cottage stand out from the rest in Wellington suburb of Berhampore’s Edinburgh Terrace.
Drenched in sunlight, the three-bedroom and one-bathroom home sits on a freehold 504 sq m site.
Built in 1910s the villa blends best of both worlds’ keeping elements of its original charm and modern style.
The kitchen island facing an open dining and lounge area has a fresh mint tone and the colour carries out to the hallway with a bright splash of green in the bathroom.
Marketing the Wellington property Lowe and Co Realty agents Amy Allen and Anji Foster say the owners are leaving the home in much greater condition than they found it.
“The little details thought of in the renovation process are evident from the moment you reach the bespoke leadlight front door, through to the tiles in the Pinterest worthy bathroom, with stunning colour and lighting choices throughout,” they say.
The property is walking distance to zoological gardens, a park and a golf course with restaurants and shops nearby.
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Work this over in Whanganui
The house listed for $249,000 needs a lot of attention, agent says. Photo/ Supplied
At the other end ofthe scale, this Whanganui home at 119 Koromiko Rd is not a shiny renovated villa but the 1970s has what we all like to think of as potential.
But the best thing about the 160sq m home built in 1970's colonial style, is its bargain basement price: it's asking a mere $249,000.
LJ Hooker property agent Tim Hocquard honestly says the property is a renovator’s dream.
"It needs plenty of work, but these are as rare as hens teeth,” he says.
He suggests a painting job, new carpet and the original wooden windows might need attention (or replacement with modern double glazed ones).
On the lower ground floor, there’s a large bedroom, and a room partially fitted as a bathroom, with a living room a kitchen and dining area on the ground floor.
The property has the tandem garage and workshop area, with the laundry and the kitchen under the covered porch outside.
But on the plus side, Hocquard says, the house is close to the hospital, several schools, public transport, and shopping centre.
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Or build the dream on Waiheke's most exclusive estate
Views from Waiheke Island's Wawata Estate site. Photo/ Sponsored
If you’re not keen to renovate a villa or buy one that already done up, you can build one from scratch at this Waiheke site.
A piece of coastal residence surrounded by native bush is in the exclusive Wawata Estate, on the Palm Beach side of the island. Properties on the estate, which range from 3000 sq m to nearly 3 hectares, with this one on the market from $2.1m.
Ray White agent marketing the property Matthew Smith says it provides the joys of country lifestyle without the burden of maintenance: the properties share convenanted native bush, restored wetlands and landscaped board walks, all maintained by estate staff. Buildings on the estate will meet convenants that ensure everyone's bush and sea views are protected.
The estate already has an underground set up for power, fibre, filtration drainage and water supply for future homes.
