Nestled in a quiet corner of Swanson, a tired cottage was crying out for a makeover. Luckily this Auckland couple was in the market for a DIY project
A forlorn cottage is given a new lease of life for just $30,000
When renovation rookies Kristina Rapley and Ashton Lines-Sherwood were looking at getting into the Auckland property market in 2014, they soon realised they weren’t going to get what they wanted immediately.
“We had to start thinking long term,” Kristina says. “We couldn’t afford something amazing, but if we found a bargain and put some work into it, there was the potential to make a lot of money.”
The idea was to find a house that needed some serious TLC and the pair would spend every spare minute they had renovating it, in the hopes that when all was said and done, they would have enough in the kitty to afford a bigger, more long-term home.
“This was all Ashton’s idea, I should point out,” says Kristina. “I didn’t have a DIY bone in my body and quite liked our clean and tidy rental close to the city!”
When the couple visited the first open home for the two-bedroom 1950s cottage beside a golf course in Swanson, West Auckland, they knew it was the one. “It was hideous, almost uninhabitable,” remembers Kristina. “The wallpaper was peeling off the walls, there were stickers all over the windows, the carpet was ripped to shreds, the layout was all wrong – it was perfect!”
[gallery_link num_photos=”1″ media=”https://www.yourhomeandgarden.co.nz//wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2017/02/img12-13.jpg” link=”/inside-homes/6-top-tips-renovating-resale” title=”Kristina’s top tips for renovating for resale”]
Eric Thompson of Pacific Coast Kitchens discusses fit-out
What were you hoping to achieve with the fit-out?
Kristina & Ashton didn’t have a lot of wall area to work with so bench space and storage were at a premium. The layout of the original kitchen also didn’t make the most of the view, so I installed an island on industrial castors which gave them a good chunk of bench space and looked out at the view. We also managed to fit in three drawer units, a good sized pantry and incorporated the rangehood and more storage in some overhead units.
Budget
$30,000
Ktichen – $10,000
Bedrooms – $5000
Lounge, study nook – $5000
Outdoor – $10,000
Supply shop
Kitchen
– Laminate cabinetry and wood laminate bench top from Pacific Coast Kitchens.
– Subway tiles from Mitre 10 MEGA.
– Taps from Mitre 10 MEGA.
– Knobs, handles and sink from Heritage Hardware, sourced through Pacific Coast Kitchens.
Lounge, study nook
– Original rimu floorboards throughout, sanded and polished.
– Study nook window from a demolition yard.
Outdoor
– Decking and picket fence from Mitre 10 MEGA.
– White paint – custom colour by Wattyl.
The home’s unique location on the golf course meant it had stunning views (with no upkeep!) and Kristina and Ashton knew it would be their main selling point come auction time.
The first thing to go was the old carpet, revealing gorgeous rimu floorboards underneath, which they had sanded and polished with a matte finish.
The kitchen makeover was the biggest transformation and quickly became the couple’s favourite room.
“Eric from Pacific Coast Kitchens did such an amazing job. We especially love the island on castors,” says Kristina.
Kristina added plenty of greenery with a few pops of colour for interest.
Flowers in every room were a must for Kristina.
Kristina’s favourite part of the process was getting the house ready for the real estate photos.
The kitchen and living areas open up to the deck and enjoy extensive views of the golf course.
Kristina and Ashton noticed that nobody used the front door, which was at the back of the house, so they removed it and put in a window, turning it into a study nook.
After noticing that many houses they visited during their house hunt lacked storage, Kristina and Ashton reconfigured and extended the master bedroom wardrobe.
Kristina brought living greenery and linen bedding in soft hues into the bedrooms to create a calm, relaxing space.
One of the biggest changes to the property was knocking down the small deck with high railings and building a bigger deck to wrap around the north side and connect to the front door.
They painted the interior in a custom colour mixed by Wattyl, a cool, bright white.
Sanded rimu floorboards and white walls throughout ensure a cohesive look.
Kristina kept a buyer in mind when they were choosing all of their furniture and furnishings – a first home buyer or an older couple looking to downsize.
Photography by: Helen Bankers.
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