RANDOLPH ST RENO

The renovation of my simple 1940s weatherboard home began as a straightforward extension idea. The existing layout had a separate east-facing lounge; a dark kitchen in the middle of the plan; and a small single bedroom and generous laundry looking onto the backyard. The only connection to the garden was via a poky porch. The plan was to extend the home’s length by just 2m, retaining maximum north-west outdoor living space. This allowed the living area to be relocated to the west side, creating an L shaped open plan living area, plus a new master bedroom with ensuite. I wanted to modernise the home while preserving the character features we loved including rimu tongue and groove floors, doors, architraves, and skirting. Renovating this home brought up many challenges. We found work that wasn’t up to code, like a window that had been widened without the lintel being increased. The existing kitchen floor had to be relevelled so it would line up with the new extension work. The lathe and plaster walls that we intended to keep, began crumbling. Not long after demolition started, the first Covid lockdown was announced, leaving us 60m2 to live in. Luckily, we still had the kitchen! What eventuated was a total gut and strip to studs, including a new roof. In hindsight this was a blessing, as it allowed wool insulation to be installed in every wall, and all new linings. The result is a welcoming, efficient, and family-friendly home that feels pretty special.