Showhomes > Blending old and new – with views

Blending old and new – with views

With a view that's nothing short of stunning, it's not hard to see why Allan and Anne Brown were attracted to this cliff-side property at Sumner Bay in Christchurch as soon as they laid eyes on it 18 years ago. But, when their family grew to include twin girls five years ago, they knew they were going to need more space than the original one-and-a-half storey house could provide.

“We started looking at other properties with the idea that we'd sell this place and move on,” says Allan. “But we couldn't find anywhere that we liked as much as this so we made the decision to stay here and renovate. It did involve a total redesign, but we knew that it'd be worth it. We didn't go quite so far as knocking the original house down, but it was definitely what you'd call a major renovation.”

It was a renovation which saw the original home's one and a bit levels become three, complete with large corner windows to make the most of that stunning view and a number of balconies to provide some valuable living space outdoors.

Architect Bruce Banbury designed everything around the property's steep site. The extension was built by Arthur Edwards of Ruben Homes.

“Bruce and Arthur have done a great job at blending old with new,” says Allan. “That was something we were very passionate about – we wanted a new home that looked like it had been there for years. We loved the old, traditional timber weatherboard look of the original house and definitely favoured that look for the new place over anything more contemporary.”

From experience however, they also knew that timber weatherboards meant high maintenance – especially given their coastal location.

“We wanted a finish that was long-lasting without us having to do too much work to it.”

When Allan heard about Linea® Weatherboard he realised he'd found the solution – they're capable of withstanding the harsh environmental conditions of the Christchurch coast, but they still provide that traditional finish he and Anne were striving for.

“Because of Linea's shadow lines, you can't tell the difference from timber boards. We love it because it really does look like the house has been here for 50 years, but inside we get to enjoy all the comforts of a new home.”

Adding scribers and traditional box corners – all in Linea Weatherboard – completed the effect.

While council height restrictions applied to the property, the design makes the best use of the available air space by flattening out the top floor.

“The original house had a traditional pitched roof that meant the room on the first floor wasn't very functional or useable. It was really just an attic room. With this design, our architect has given us a relatively low angled roof and flattened out the whole top level to make it a really open space with the best possible views, but it's still within the height restrictions.”

All of which means that Allan and his family now have a home which they plan to stay in for a very long time. “When we decided to renovate, we knew we had to make it worth our while. Because of that we made sure there would be enough space for us in the years to come. I think we'll be happy here for a long time yet.”