After years of crisp white walls, shiny new fittings and freshly poured driveways, Mark and Kate Major thought they knew what kind of homeowners they were. Their first two properties were new-builds – practical, low-maintenance and designed to suit modern family life. But when they stepped into the grand entranceway of a 1927 Californian bungalow in Wellington in 2022, they felt an instant pull.
“It was such a ‘wow’ moment,” recalls Kate. “I remember walking through the front door and being completely floored by the entranceway, dark timber and stained glass. We’d been looking for a new house for over a year and missed out on seven homes before we saw this one. We both had a feeling that this was going to be the one for us from the moment we walked in.”
Home profile
Meet and greet: Kate (head of HR) and Mark Major (technology sales manager) and their children, Evie, eight, and Harrison, six, and their cats, Abby and Benny.
The property: A 1927 four-bedroom, two-bathroom, three living areas, brick Californian bungalow in Wellington.
Neither of them had ever lived in a character home. The idea of taking on a 98-year-old property was a little daunting. But two years in, the couple and their children, Evie and Harrison, have fully embraced life in this special place.
The brick bungalow, rare for Wellington, was built in 1927 for Henry Stewart, son of Charles Stewart. His timber, glass and hardware company still has a building standing on Courtenay Place.
The house has been carefully maintained over its nearly century. It still boasts loads of original details, including bevelled glass internal doors, stained glass windows, and solid fireplaces. The house also features light fittings and screeds of nut-brown timber panelling. Kate is pleased she resisted her initial urge to paint.
“Before we moved in, I thought one of the first things we’d do was paint the dark wood in the lounge rooms white. I am so glad we didn’t. I couldn’t imagine changing it now. The richness of the wood is one of the things that makes the house feel so warm.”
The living and bedroom areas had already been beautifully repainted by the previous owners. The kitchen, however, was a different story.
“It was a complete 1990s throwback,” says Kate.
“Broken terracotta floor tiles, dated cupboards and a ginormous pot rack hanging from the roof – we removed that within a week of moving in. The space was great, but the finishes weren’t. I knew straight away we’d need to tackle that room and fix the flow.”
The rest of the house had already charmed them, with tonnes of natural light and a gorgeous view that takes in Miramar, Brooklyn, and Mt Vic. It also has a safe, family-friendly backyard with a cubby house that’s almost 20 years old.
“For our first Christmas in the house, my dad’s gift to the kids was building a new deck for the cubby. They play on that deck more than in the cubby – they absolutely love it.”
Despite being an old dame, the house offers a family-friendly flow, with plenty of space for everyone.
“The floor plan is so flexible. The original internal doors mean we can shut or open spaces as needed,” says Kate.
“And despite being an old home, there are modern practical elements that we appreciated – all bedrooms have wardrobes and the home has central heating, as well as the lovely wood fireplace in the lounge.”
After living in the home for two years, the couple was ready to address the dated kitchen. The brief was to create a kitchen that was quality, timeless and blended into the rest of the house.
Kate’s retired plumber father led the project alongside his builder mate Mike Wiggins, with Mark putting in the hard labour of carrying two skip-loads of tiles out to the driveway. The couple were keen to retain key original features – the quirky servery, the stained-glass internal window that provides light to the staircase on the other side and the solid brick fireplace that the oven now sits within. But Kate says the solid butcher’s block that had been there for 30-odd years had to go.
Now, the centrepiece is the solid walnut island, which matches the home’s doors and timber detailing. It was a splurge – an additional $3000 – but Kate found a way to offset the cost.
“It was spendy, but I felt strongly that this was the right move for the house. Dad suggested I list the old kitchen on Trade Me. It was partly rimu and solid wood, so he thought it would sell for at least $1000. I sold it within 24 hours for $3500 – what a result.”
Drawers beneath the island store pots and pans, while the overhanging breakfast bar is where the kids eat breakfast each morning. The old internal servery is now a more useful drinks cabinet on one side and a glass cabinet on the other.
Kate was stumped with what to do with the flooring. She wanted something that tied in with the rest of the house and all the dark wood. Designer Charlotte Minty suggested a checkerboard tile floor, which now links seamlessly with the entrance and bathroom. The colour palette for the cabinetry, however, was more of a last-minute choice.
“We were at our joiners finalising our colours and I surprised Mark by changing the entire colour palette,” Kate laughs.
“We’d loved the colourway of beautiful dark blue and brass that the designer had presented, but as we got closer to finalising everything, I became more and more unsure. I felt like it would make the kitchen stand out too much and would date. My hope with the cream and dark wood colourway is that it’s timeless, plus it ties in seamlessly with the rest of the house.”
For a family used to contemporary design, adjusting to a period home required a shift in perspective.
“Our previous houses were very minimalist: everything white, lots of clean lines,” says Kate.
“That doesn’t work here. Once we realised we’d be keeping the original dark timber, everything started to fall into place. Each room has a colour palette that ties in with an original feature. The lounge room is greens and blues from the stained glass and the sitting room is light colours to let the original features of the dark wood detailing really shine. But I think it’s important not to worry too much about any style rule books – just do what works for you and what you love.”
Visitors tend to comment first on the lush, slightly wild cottage garden.A kōwhai tree is a particular highlight. It draws a daily chorus of tūī, with up to seven in residence at a time.
“When we first moved in, I told our gardener I wanted a simple, minimalist look. Now we’ve completely leaned into the cottage style – nothing is uniform and each spring we’re surprised with new blooms,” says Kate.
Looking ahead, the couple hope to eventually renovate the main bathroom and add skylights in the kitchen. They also plan one day to create an outdoor kitchen area and a new deck. But they’re in no rush.
For now, they are focused on enjoying the home – both for what it is and what it represents.
“Before this house, a house was just a house to us,” says Kate.
“We always liked where we lived, but we were never truly attached. A month into living here, that changed. I truly adore this home and can see why it’s been so lovingly cared for over the years. It feels like such a privilege to be its custodians. We want to keep it beautiful so it can be loved by families for another hundred years.”
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