A homemade reno in Auckland’s Mangere bridge turned out to be the best option for this family. We get the details behind their mid-century inspired home
Meet and greet
Grant Leslie, builder, Stephanie Creagh, photographer, Frankie, 13, and Otis, 11, plus Chloe the dog.
Problem
- The home was small and felt cramped.
- Storage space was limited.
- There was just one living area and a single toilet in the house.
Solution
- The kitchen-dining room and lounge were switched around to make better use of the space and connect to outdoor areas, creating a feeling of spaciousness.
- A hot water cylinder was removed and the cupboard repurposed as storage. The new addition includes generous built-in storage.
- The garage was demolished and a new carport and second living area built in its place, complete with ensuite and laundry.
[gallery_link num_photos=”12″ media=”https://www.yourhomeandgarden.co.nz//wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2018/08/AuccklandReno3.jpg” link=”/inside-homes/renovations/auckland-couple-dont-regret-taking-the-reno-plunge” title=”Read the full reno story here”]
How much did you spend on your reno?
Stephanie: $220K in total, with Grant doing all the building work.
Spending tips when renovating?
+ Be realistic about what your budget can cover, remembering that a lot of it goes on ground works and structures you don’t even see.
+ Try to have a clear vision of what you are trying to achieve and how you want the house to work and flow.
+Don’t be swayed by other people’s opinions.
+ Try not to make changes along the way. Each change costs money and time.
+ Good tradies! We were so lucky to have the most amazing tradies.
+ Be flexible. We had to make compromises, like our strandboard flooring (glued and pressed wood flakes), which was a much cheaper alternative to floorboards.
Expert Q&A with Grant Leslie homeowner and builder
What was the biggest challenge you faced with the build?
Staying mentally strong and committed, knowing I only had weekends to complete the project. The flipside to this was coming home each night and visualising what I would be achieving in the weekend ahead; that really drove me. We’d been contemplating moving or renovating for such a long time that finally making it a reality really pushed me on.
Which aspect of the renovation are you most proud of?
Looking at my home as I pull into the carport each day makes me happy. The entrance area really appeals to me; it has a real sense of ‘coming home’. The other thing that makes me proud is how much the family enjoy the house now. It is awesome to see Steph enjoying the new kitchen and bathroom she’d waited so patiently for. And the boys, as they grow older, will be able to escape their embarrassing parents by retreating to the rumpus. The time and energy put in by the whole family has paid off and we are proud of what we’ve collectively achieved.

Grant and Stephanie wanted a black-stained exterior although they knew this could heat the house up in summer. To offset this, Grant came up with the idea of a long-run roof in the colour Titania, a cooling white.

Open shelves on the island’s inward-facing side mean items are within easy reach of the cook.

Yellow and charcoal cabinet doors give this clean design a lemony lift.

The kitchen and dining area changed places with the old lounge. This switch allowed the new, roomier kitchen and dining area to connect to the northern deck, giving the family some indoor-outdoor flow.

The couple engaged the services of architectural designer Jonathan Holmes of Colin Holmes Design. The brief was to create a spacious, open-plan dining and kitchen area, a separate living room, two bathrooms, laundry, rumpus room and three bedrooms, all to be fitted within a 170-square-metre floorplan.

The home also reflects Stephanie’s love of greenery and plants. “I grew up in Titirangi surrounded by native bush, so I love greenery, but native bush doesn’t work in Mangere Bridge – it’s too dry out here,” she says.

The old kitchen became a new sunken lounge, with a two-step drop from the dining area; this den-like retreat is where the family love to escape to every evening.


The art in the main bedroom is a favourite image from a series of botanical photographs taken by Stephanie.

A plywood feature wall brings warmth and a beachy vibe. “We wanted something bright and strong to ensure the Resene ‘Alabaster’ walls didn’t make the room seem boring or sterile,” says Stephanie.

Otis’ room contains more splashes of yellow – an accent colour in the home, picked for its cheerful, summery feel.


Words by: Esther Gordon. Photography by: Helen Bankers.
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