An adaptable property

The new house has minimal windows at shoulder height. Photo / Supplied

When Brent Holder bought a block of industrial land 17 years ago he never would have guessed how it would cater for and adapt to his changing lifestyle.

The property at Napier's Port Ahuriri used to belong to a tobacco company and Brett bought it with the intention of housing both himself and his collection of classic cars in one of its two large warehouses. "I wanted to be close to my babies," he laughs. He figured the investment would pay for itself, with commercial tenants in the other warehouse and a steady income from a daycare centre on the property.

So he made himself at home in one of the warehouses, sleeping in a 1940s art deco caravan that he was in the process of restoring. Meanwhile, the port was developing a thriving social scene with bars where fishermen mingled with young and hip newcomers.

Brent's bachelor pad became a popular place to continue partying, although it was increasingly congested with books, CDs, DVDs, old televisions, dentist chairs, surf-skis, cars, pool tables, forklifts (to change the light bulbs), cabinets and hoists.

Then partner Kirsty Edwards came along, and she and Holder moved into the spacious offices downstairs and converted the smoko room upstairs into a lounge and kitchen.

Years later, the couple decided to make their home more comfortable, and had an architect design them a three-bedroom apartment within the warehouse. But the project stalled when Ruby (now aged 2) was born. "Split-level living among a diverse range of unfinished projects was simply not practical with a baby," says Holder.

At this point, they decided it would be quicker to build new, which is how they come to be living in a stylish kitset home beside one of the warehouses. With its black weatherboard walls, the new home looks appropriately shed-like in its industrial setting.

"We didn't make any concessions to the street," says Holder. "We like the warehouse look. It is basically one big living area connected across the middle by an open hallway to the bedrooms and bathrooms. It opens to the side and the front is stark with minimal windows at shoulder height. The roofline replicates the existing buildings."

Edwards adds: "We wanted it to be really simple but with good indoor-outdoor flow. The surfaces had to be durable because later, when the apartment is completed, the house will become an investment property and we will rent it out."

And so will begin another phase in the life cycle of a highly adaptable property.

Style tips

Solid facts: Brent Holder and Kirsty Edwards opted for concrete floors because they are so easy to look after. Instead of the usual polyurethane they chose an environmentally friendly finish that doesn't show marks or need topping up.
Splash out: Invest in the best quality bathroom fittings you can afford, and look for those that are water efficient.
Price drop: If you like the look of an expensive wallpaper but can't afford to do a whole room, use it on a statement wall.

* Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden. See the latest issue for the full story on this home and other ideas for your place.