James Ross: The owners, Monique and Jonathan, are young, creative professionals who wanted to retain the home’s charm but improve the layout, bring in more natural light and enjoy a warm and inviting atmosphere.

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We seek to produce work of substance and quality that’s a delight to its residents. We focused on resolving the planning, so that the spaces would logically connect and flow smoothly from one to the next. We didn’t add square metres to the footprint, so we needed to interrogate every element. We removed unnecessary parts and subtly refined others. 

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Once we resolved the layout, we focused on detailing and materiality that would enrich the atmosphere and experience of occupying the house. We wanted the new kitchen and en suite to feel like they had always been a part of the house. We tried to be pragmatic, but at the same time we wanted to pursue a design and atmosphere that would heighten the daily experience of living here.

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We used a simple palette of travertine and walnut. We wanted to limit the number of materials, to create a sense of calm throughout the home and enhance the seamlessness of the new configuration. From the beginning, we were thinking about travertine and walnut as we feel they have an unassuming, timeless quality that would complement the existing villa. We wanted the design to feel cohesive, without a clear delineation between what was added and what was existing.

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We used integrated Fisher & Paykel appliances throughout. The timber veneer is Smoked Walnut from Vidaspace. All Tapware is from Plumbline’s Progetto Buddy range in Brushed Stainless. The travertine bench top was fabricated by Bramco in Petone. 

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It shows that high-quality products and materials can be employed in small projects without costing the earth. The renovated home has a calm and restful atmosphere. There is a dramatic difference from before and after the renovation, and the clients have friends who can’t believe that it’s the same house. We are really happy with how everything came together.

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This story was produced in association with Fisher & Paykel.