Keith and Esther's Sunny Beachside Home - in the City

Published: 08 Mar 2012

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Light, bright and full of charm

Once a two-bedroom, 1940s brick-and-tile state house, the original form of Keith and Esther's Point Chevalier home is barely recognisable these days. After an architectural makeover, it is now a sunny, modern four-bedroom abode. There is even a rooftop deck so that Keith and Esther can enjoy a view of the harbour. Inside, the removal of some of the original walls has allowed for open-plan living areas, which have been painted in Resene Blanc to offset the many timber features and keep the space light and bright.

Although this is a city home, the beach across the road has exerted its influence - Esther admits that she chose Resene Tapa for half of the house's exterior because it reminded her of the changing colour of the ocean. And for the other half? The aptly named Resene Sea Fog.

How long have you lived in your home? We have lived here for 21 years. We were attracted to the area, and the proximity to the beach, great schools, yacht club, tennis club and parks. Being north of Meola Road, it is also very quiet.

What did you want to achieve with the renovation? To open up the space and create outdoor entertaining areas. We needed more rooms for our growing family.

What was the biggest challenge? As the house is on a narrow site, our architect cleverly designed the extension to make the most of the available space. We still have plenty of lawn and garden left, which is great.

What was the greatest success? The use of the honed concrete blocks and polished concrete floors - not only very practical, but stylish as well. And the rooftop deck - we love watching the sunset over the harbour, and the views to the Waitakeres.

Which space in the house do you get your greatest satisfaction from? The kitchen space really works, and the back deck is very sheltered and usable all year round.

What is your advice for someone trying to achieve a similar look? Engage a good architect to explore the possibilities - many of which you may not have considered - and give advice about costs. Pick a reputable builder who understands the materials you are building with, and how to take care of them the whole way through the process.

What colours did you use? Inside the house, we used Resene Blanc throughout. It is a very warm white that seems to work well in all the spaces. It also brings out the white specks in the concrete blocks. In the bathroom, we used Resene Black White; it is a very clean white that looks great in the bathroom. We also used it for all of the window frames. All of the internal doors are Resene Napa. For the house's exterior, we used Resene Sea Fog on the weatherboards and greeny-grey Resene Tapa at the front (where the bricks were plastered over). I’ve always loved the way that water changes colour depending on the weather, and this inspired me to choose Resene Tapa. For the fence, I wanted a contrasting colour to the grey of the concrete, so I chose Resene Bokara Grey, which is a very warm, deep browny-grey.

Get the look:
Protect interior timber joinery from wear and tear with a protective timber clear coat, such as Resene Aquaclear. Over time, timber joinery can become faded. You can rejuvenate the colour by stripping back the joinery to bare timber, applying Resene Colorwood in the colour of your choice, and finishing with Resene Aquaclear. Resene Colorwood is a semi-transparent stain that will colour your timber while allowing the natural grain to show through.

Let there be light

One of the two living area, painted in Resene Blanc.

Block and white

The modern bathroom (with one wall of concrete blocks) has been painted in Resene Black White, with the door painted Resene Napa.

Shades of grey

Concrete block walls give an "industrial chic" edge to the house's new extension. Soft white Resene Blanc walls provide balance, while bringing out the white flecks in the blocks.

Tangerine dream

The pairing of orange and grey works brilliantly in this bedroom. Walls are Resene Blanc.

Modern makeover

The house's weatherboards have been painted with Resene Sea Fog, while the plastered-over bricks are Resene Tapa.

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Resene Bokara Grey

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Resene Black White

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