An unexpected turn of events saw this Christchurch couple transform a house that didn’t tick all the boxes into their dream family home
Who lives here?
Steve Galbraith (owner and director of Galbraith Engineering), Shelly Galbraith (homemaker and casual ANZ customer-service representative), Millie, and Gus, plus Archie their ancient dog and Suki the cat.
Their story
In 2008, when Christchurch couple Shelly and Steve Galbraith were looking for a new family home, they considered buying a quirky, architecturally designed Port Hills home built around 1970. The angles, pitched rooflines, high ceilings, wooden interior linings, unusually shaped windows and multiple levels appealed to Steve but not so much to Shelly. Instead, they chose to buy a lifestyle property and set about taming the land and renovating the site’s 100-year-old cottage.
But along came a very large spanner in the works…
After the 2011 earthquake, their fully renovated cottage was so damaged it became one of the first in the region to be demolished. The pair rented for the next 18 months and began working on plans to build a new home on the site. But, in a surprising twist, just two weeks before their land was deemed unsuitable for a rebuild, the hill home Steve had always fancied came back on the market. They moved in at the end of 2013 and over the following two years worked tirelessly to turn Steve’s vision into a reality, modernising and modifying the stylish 1970s house into their ideal family home.
Style secrets for seventies-style homes
Try it out for style If possible, buy with a right to return. Many times we saw treasures we thought looked terrific on the shelf or shop floor, only to find the piece was not suited to our interior. Go with what you think you like but don’t be afraid to choose again if your first pick is not right.
Mix it up Try to retain original features where possible and, if necessary, soften or change the look by adding contemporary elements. The combination of old with new highlights and accentuates architectural and design features.
Discover the full story of this home here.
Words by: Ady Shannon. Photography by: Kate Claridge.
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On the street-entry level, a mezzanine lounge (left) opens to the pool and looks down onto the dining and living area.
New furnishings were especially chosen to suit the era of the home, which is early 1970s.
The fireplace, framed by soft couches and glass walls, is the perfect spot, Shelly says, for curling up with a good book all year round.
At the top of the steel-framed circular staircase, simple pendant lights do not interfere with the grid lines made by the interior cladding.
Steps from the dining area lead to a sun-drenched, sunken lounge where floor-to-ceiling windows offer magnificent views and a woodburner provides winter warmth.
The angles, pitched rooflines, high ceilings, wooden interior linings, unusually shaped windows and multiple levels were all part of the home’s initial appeal.
The galley kitchen has been entirely refitted with white joinery and black appliances although the original flooring has been kept.
In the dining area, a double-height atrium supplies volume, sunlight and views.
“It was a strange time in our lives when we bought this house,” Shelly remembers. “We had just been red zoned, thereby losing our home and a lifestyle that we loved.”
Three bedrooms and two bathrooms are located on the main, street-entry level.
The spaces have been redecorated to suit the style and era of the home with strong, geometric shapes evident in every room.
The family worked tirelessly for two years to turn Steve’s vision into a reality, modernising and modifying the stylish 1970s house into their ideal family home.
“It did need a lot of work and was clearly going to be a big project, but Steve had a vision and was excited about changing the house that nobody was a fan of, into a home that we’d be proud of. I knew that he would achieve this, and he has,” says Shelly.
“We had always wanted a pool, and we thought that as this area had all-day sun and was sheltered and private, we’d go for it,” says Shelly.
Sliding doors open to a generous deck and pool area where a table, chairs, loungers and an outdoor fire invite alfresco dining year round.
The view from the front deck looks out over the estuary and towards the Kaikoura Ranges.
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