Home profile
Meet and greet: Tyge (house flipper) and Christina Dellar (homeschooling mum) and their children Valor, nine, and Zeph, six.
The property: A 327sqm six-bedroom homestead set on two park-like hectares in Stillwater, Auckland.
Christina Dellar is a devotee of rom-coms – the kind where the heroine finds herself in a beautifully designed home and the perfect happy ending. So, when she and her husband Tyge stumbled across their dream house in Stillwater, Auckland, and it felt like stepping into a scene straight from a Nancy Meyers film, she was all in.
With its sprawling grounds, classic charm and hint of potential, this was the house that Christina had always imagined for her family. Cue a little makeover magic from the seasoned renovators and they’ve created their own fairytale ending.
Almost two years ago, the Dellars’ house hunt led them to this 327sqm homestead set on two hectares of park-like grounds, which came with weeping willows as well as a pond. The six bedroom home, which had two lounges and a home gym, wasn’t perfect, but Christina and Tyge saw beyond the tired decor and orange-stained wood.
“We instantly fell in love. The house had great bones, but it felt a little dated. We knew that with some fresh paint and thoughtful updates, we could bring it back to life and create a home that felt fresh, homey and bright,” Christina recalls. “It felt right the minute we drove down the long, tree-lined driveway; it felt like we were being transported somewhere special.”
The house itself had a distinctly American feel, something that resonated with Christina, who hails from the US. And then there was the expansive kitchen, which doesn’t take much imagination to picture it being the centrepiece of a heartwarming bustling family scene of a chick flick.
“It was love at first sight with the kitchen. The big windows, the open layout, the space for friends and family to sit while I cook – it’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a kitchen.”
For Tyge, the spacious property and large swimming pool sealed the deal. “My parents raised me in a South African home with a pool and it was such a highlight of my childhood. I wanted the same for our boys, Valor and Zeph,” he says. “I also loved that the living room has a traditional open fireplace, which isn’t common any more. You can’t beat an open fire in the evening.”
Christina and Tyge have a business and YouTube channel called Demo to Reno, which documents them as they do up homes and flip them – that’s 12 houses, at last count. (A lovely family bought their project featured in Your Home and Garden March 2022 as their first home.) As you’d expect, the couple wasted no time rolling up their sleeves and making this house their own. The first and most impactful change? Paint – and lots of it.
“Nothing transforms a space quite like fresh paint. We partnered with Resene to bring a crisp, bright feel to the interior. We have been taking our time painting each room and space. The project is still ongoing as this house needed a lot of love.”
“We will paint the wood trim over time and the exterior – that will require a lot of hours and paint,” says Tyge.
Christina’s love for classic romantic films has heavily influenced her interior style.
“I adore the homes in Father of the Bride, It’s Complicated and The Holiday. They’re light-filled, warm, homey and elegant – exactly the vibe I wanted for our house.”
The dining room was wallpapered in a Hampton-style print to create a cosy while elegant atmosphere. The kitchen also received a facelift with new handles, fresh paint and statement pendant lights. Carefully chosen lighting fixtures were added throughout the home, one of Christina’s go-to methods for improving a space. “It never ceases to amaze me how much impact a beautiful pendant light can have on a room.”
They designed each room fit for purpose. The main bedroom is a haven of tranquillity. It features crisp white linen-covered furniture to lounge in, soft neutral tones as well as that four-poster bed. “It’s our space to unwind, so I kept it fresh and calming,” Christina explains.
They designed the dining room, on the other hand, for celebration. “With bold wallpaper, beaded pendant lights and a large cabinet filled with beautiful glasses, dishes and candles, it was made for hosting. We found the perfect dining table at Early Settler: it’s big enough for Tyge’s whole family – 12 people – and its oval shape also feels warm and welcoming.”
Small details, like keeping the original brass door handles throughout the house, reflect Christina and Tyge’s appreciation for character and charm.
“We’ve learned that not everything needs to be replaced; sometimes restoring is just as beautiful.”
Wallpaper was key to harnessing that beloved Nancy Meyers look.
“We always thought of wallpaper as something in Nan’s house, but today’s designs are stunning and unique. Using wallpaper gives you an instant transformation.”
As a self-proclaimed thrift lover, Christina enjoys mixing high-end pieces with secondhand treasures, saying the op-shop finds are what gives their home “the lived-in feel”.
The Dellars’ home is more than just a beautifully styled space. It’s an inviting place where we host gatherings and make memories.
“We’ve hosted countless pool parties, dinner gatherings and later, cosy nights by the fire. Our favourite memory so far has to be Christmas when we had 14 family members staying with us. We swam, feasted and even had an outdoor movie night. It was everything we’d dreamed of.”
The outdoor area got a small makeover this summer. The couple painted the entire deck white, added a pergola over the spa and bought comfortable outdoor furniture to sit poolside. The family use the pool year-round – even for cold dips in winter.
There are still projects on Christina and Tyge’s list, including completing that massive paint job, but in the meantime, they’re enjoying soaking up time in their beautiful home as it is.
“This is it. We’ve lived in four houses in three years and this is the first house that truly feels like home. It’s truly our happy ending.”
Home truths
What is your favourite room or spot in the house? The sunroom is a really special room with a high glass ceiling. It’s the perfect spot for morning coffee or an evening cocktail. Still, my favourite is sitting in there when it rains.
What about this house works best for your family? Having land has been a game-changer for our family and for raising high-energy boys, especially since we homeschool. It has brought so much peace to us. Just walking out from the kitchen onto what feels like a park has taught me that it’s as much about where the house is as it is the house itself.
Best reno decision? The wainscoting is my favourite thing we have added. It’s the beautiful wall panels that give so much character. We might be painting over the wood but we are adding character back in with these wall panels.
Any reno regrets? We tiled our front porch with crazy pavers and, in hindsight, we’d choose a different tile. But this is our forever home, so we know we can change it down the line.
What are you most proud of about your home? The house makes us the most happy when we can share it with our friends and family. This was never a house for just us four. It’s made to be open and filled with our loved ones.
Shop Tyge and Christina’s Auckland homestead style
See more images of the Auckland homestead below
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