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14.5.2025<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
Share on:<\/h4><\/i><\/a><\/span><\/i><\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>A<\/span><\/strong>uckland mum Clare Grove has never shied away from a repair or renovation, and this stunning 1910 Freemans Bay villa was no exception.<\/b>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>This home holds a lot of history, and like many villas in New Zealand, it\u2019s notorious for being high maintenance to upkeep.<\/p>\n
As a Londoner now living in New Zealand, Clare knew exactly what she wanted to do with her family home, leading to a three year transformation that is far from over.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe your home is where you can really show your character and personality. We\u2019ve all spent so much time in our homes over the past couple of years. It\u2019s lovely to feel safe, surrounded by treasures collected over time,\u201d. Clare says.<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cPlus, you don\u2019t have to spend a fortune to get an amazing look.\u201d<\/p>\n
Find out how Clare gave this home a gorgeous and classic look (all on a budget) as we take you through:<\/p>\n<\/div>
- <\/i><\/span>\n
Juggling life, kids and renovating<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>
- <\/i><\/span>\n
A look inside this 1910 villa<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>
- <\/i><\/span>\n
The intersection of DIY and BC<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>
- <\/i><\/span>\n
Which areas have been renovated<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li>
- <\/i><\/span>\n
Her takeaways for renovating on a budget<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Clare-Grove-1200px-1246.jpg\" "\\"Clare")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Clare-Grove-1200px.jpeg\" "\\"Clare")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>The gorgeous 1910 villa is decorated to perfection, showcasing one of Clare’s recent art pieces (right)| Photo: Clare<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/b><\/p>\n
Juggling Kids, Renovating and More<\/p><\/h3><\/div>
Clare is an interior designer, creator, and author of \u2018My Mummy Loves\u2019, a book series inspired by her love for fashion.<\/p>\n
However, don\u2019t judge this book by its cover, as Clare knows how to get her hands dirty when it comes to cosmetic DIY.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love picking up clever ideas from Youtube and trying them out at home,\u201d Clare says.<\/p>\n
\u201cI work part time for a home staging company, and the other couple of days during school hours I\u2019ve started painting canvases again \u2014 they\u2019ve been selling really well which is such a huge compliment\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s definitely harder to juggle things when you have kids, especially a renovation!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Clare-Grove-1200px-.jpg\" "\\"Clare")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Clare-Grove-1200px-0652.jpg\" "\\"Clare")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Meet Clare, mother of two, fashionista and avid DIYer| Photo: Clare<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/b><\/p>\n
Not Just Any Old 1910 Villa<\/p><\/h3><\/div>
This century-old home is especially unique for Clare, with stunning detail on the ceiling and hidden gems throughout, such as a freemasons mark on the fireplace and an old signature hidden nearby.<\/p>\n
The vision she had was simple: to combine tranquillity and elegance.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted my home to have a Victorian-inspired look, bringing a bit of England back to New Zealand with me,\u201d Clare says, sharing that she struggled with not being able to make regular visits home over the past two years.<\/p>\n
\u201cVillas can be a pain to live in \u2014 they\u2019re cold and have lots of issues, so I’ve been sorting the issues out one by one.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Post a job<\/span><\/a>Does your home need some love?<\/h2>\nTell us about your job, and we’ll find you the right tradies to choose from, usually within minutes.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>Post a job<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Clare\u2019s Clever Home Improvements <\/b><\/h3><\/div>When Clare first moved into the villa with her kids, she knew this home had great bones.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I was initially concerned about how much money I would need to spend on renovating,\u201d Clare says.<\/p>\n
\u201cI enjoy things that look expensive but also wanted to prove that you don’t have to spend loads of money.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s where the intersection of DIY and Builderscrack comes in.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Clare-Grove-1200px-0363-1.jpg\" "\\"Clare")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Clare-Grove-1200px-0532.jpg\" "\\"Clare")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>The scope: to add three floating shelves on each side of the fireplace| Photo: Clare<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\u201cThe Fireplace is Where We Congregate\u201d
\n <\/b><\/h3><\/div>Clare heard about Builderscrack a few years ago and has been using it since to outsource work.<\/p>\n
So, when she wanted to enhance the main area where her family comes together, she posted her job.<\/p>\n
The scope was to add three floating shelves either side of the fireplace in the sitting room, noting that outsourcing this job would give her more time to spend with family.<\/p>\n
\u201cRenovating can be quite tiring, and there\u2019s a lot of time spent on decision making,\u201d Clare says.<\/p>\n
Even as an avid DIY-er, Clare says that she still loves having an A-team to get certain projects done at a high quality.<\/p>\n<\/div>
\n\u201cIt\u2019s especially nice when you can trust someone to help,\u201d Clare says.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Clare-Grove-1200px-0591.jpg\" "\\"Clare")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/builderscrack.co.nz\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Clare-Grove-1200px-5445.jpg\" "\\"Clare")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>At one point, Clare’s home resembled a building site | Photo: Clare<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>Outsourcing the Project<\/p>\n
<\/b><\/h3><\/div>Clare shares that integrity is the most important factor that she looks for when selecting a tradesperson to undertake her jobs.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first people that get back to you (on BC) are the ones where you think \u2018right you\u2019re amazing!\u2019\u201d Clare says.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will always make sure they\u2019re reliable and arrive on time\u2026 and lastly, I look at who gives the best quote.<\/p>\n
\u201cI find showing the tradesperson a photo of something that’s been done before can be really helpful \u2014 similar to getting your hair done,\u201d Clare laughs<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
A<\/span><\/strong>uckland mum Clare Grove has never shied away from a repair or renovation, and this stunning 1910 Freemans Bay villa was no exception.<\/b> This home holds a lot of history, and like many villas in New Zealand, it\u2019s notorious for being high maintenance to upkeep.<\/p>\n As a Londoner now living in New Zealand, Clare knew exactly what she wanted to do with her family home, leading to a three year transformation that is far from over.<\/p>\n \u201cI believe your home is where you can really show your character and personality. We\u2019ve all spent so much time in our homes over the past couple of years. It\u2019s lovely to feel safe, surrounded by treasures collected over time,\u201d. Clare says.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cPlus, you don\u2019t have to spend a fortune to get an amazing look.\u201d<\/p>\n Find out how Clare gave this home a gorgeous and classic look (all on a budget) as we take you through:<\/p>\n<\/div> Juggling life, kids and renovating<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> A look inside this 1910 villa<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> The intersection of DIY and BC<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> Which areas have been renovated<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li> Her takeaways for renovating on a budget<\/p>\n<\/div><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div> The gorgeous 1910 villa is decorated to perfection, showcasing one of Clare’s recent art pieces (right)| Photo: Clare<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div> Juggling Kids, Renovating and More<\/p><\/h3><\/div> Clare is an interior designer, creator, and author of \u2018My Mummy Loves\u2019, a book series inspired by her love for fashion.<\/p>\n However, don\u2019t judge this book by its cover, as Clare knows how to get her hands dirty when it comes to cosmetic DIY.<\/p>\n \u201cI love picking up clever ideas from Youtube and trying them out at home,\u201d Clare says.<\/p>\n \u201cI work part time for a home staging company, and the other couple of days during school hours I\u2019ve started painting canvases again \u2014 they\u2019ve been selling really well which is such a huge compliment\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s definitely harder to juggle things when you have kids, especially a renovation!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Meet Clare, mother of two, fashionista and avid DIYer| Photo: Clare<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div> Not Just Any Old 1910 Villa<\/p><\/h3><\/div> This century-old home is especially unique for Clare, with stunning detail on the ceiling and hidden gems throughout, such as a freemasons mark on the fireplace and an old signature hidden nearby.<\/p>\n The vision she had was simple: to combine tranquillity and elegance.<\/p>\n \u201cI wanted my home to have a Victorian-inspired look, bringing a bit of England back to New Zealand with me,\u201d Clare says, sharing that she struggled with not being able to make regular visits home over the past two years.<\/p>\n \u201cVillas can be a pain to live in \u2014 they\u2019re cold and have lots of issues, so I’ve been sorting the issues out one by one.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> When Clare first moved into the villa with her kids, she knew this home had great bones.<\/p>\n \u201cBut I was initially concerned about how much money I would need to spend on renovating,\u201d Clare says.<\/p>\n \u201cI enjoy things that look expensive but also wanted to prove that you don’t have to spend loads of money.\u201d<\/p>\n That\u2019s where the intersection of DIY and Builderscrack comes in.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> The scope: to add three floating shelves on each side of the fireplace| Photo: Clare<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div> Clare heard about Builderscrack a few years ago and has been using it since to outsource work.<\/p>\n So, when she wanted to enhance the main area where her family comes together, she posted her job.<\/p>\n The scope was to add three floating shelves either side of the fireplace in the sitting room, noting that outsourcing this job would give her more time to spend with family.<\/p>\n \u201cRenovating can be quite tiring, and there\u2019s a lot of time spent on decision making,\u201d Clare says.<\/p>\n Even as an avid DIY-er, Clare says that she still loves having an A-team to get certain projects done at a high quality.<\/p>\n<\/div> \u201cIt\u2019s especially nice when you can trust someone to help,\u201d Clare says.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div> At one point, Clare’s home resembled a building site | Photo: Clare<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div> Outsourcing the Project<\/p>\n <\/b><\/h3><\/div> Clare shares that integrity is the most important factor that she looks for when selecting a tradesperson to undertake her jobs.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first people that get back to you (on BC) are the ones where you think \u2018right you\u2019re amazing!\u2019\u201d Clare says.<\/p>\n \u201cI will always make sure they\u2019re reliable and arrive on time\u2026 and lastly, I look at who gives the best quote.<\/p>\n \u201cI find showing the tradesperson a photo of something that’s been done before can be really helpful \u2014 similar to getting your hair done,\u201d Clare laughs<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/b><\/p>\n
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/b><\/p>\n
Does your home need some love?<\/h2>
Clare\u2019s Clever Home Improvements <\/b><\/h3><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\u201cThe Fireplace is Where We Congregate\u201d
\n <\/b><\/h3><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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