Renovating the house with its leadlight windows and fireplaces was a big job but worth it. Photo / Your Home & Garden
When a North Island family moved south and were unable to find a house to suit their needs, they moved one on site.
When Jo and Paul Robertson moved from Tauranga to North Canterbury, they struggled to find a house they liked.
After a fruitless search for a new home, they considered building a new one.
"We found a 4ha block of land with expansive views, but it wasn't cheap and
to build what we wanted would have meant a huge mortgage," Jo says.
But then she saw an ad in a local newspaper. "There was a house for relocation advertised with photo and description," she says. "I checked it out online and got really, really excited."
And that was despite the fact when they had relocated and renovated their previous home, it was something they vowed never to do again.
"It was so much hard work," Jo says. "Old houses swallow up so much cash and nothing is straight. We went to see it and knew we had to have it. Even though it was going to be a major job and we never thought we'd be going down that road again, we knew the end result could be incredible."
What attracted the Robertsons to the two-storey weatherboard house topped with Welsh slate was its character and sense of solidity. It also boasted big spaces, wide skirting boards, wood panelling, leadlights and a rimu kitchen with granite bench.
The 246sq m house was moved in three parts in April 2008 and then began the long process of reinstating fireplaces, adding more insulation and fixing the plumbing and wiring before the couple and their daughters, Keighley, 9, and Hollie, 7, could move in.
Jo is a dab hand with a paintbrush but her major influence on the interiors is fabric-related. In the Robertsons' home, fabrics aren't confined to dressing the windows but can also be seen in cushions, upholstery, lampshades and tablecloths. Business trips to England and France for her fabric business allow Jo to pick up various bits and pieces for her home as well.
Jo's favourite fabric is an old French print of subtle florals on heavy linen, used on the drapes and roman blinds in the master bedroom.
Getting the look right inside is just part of the work ahead for the Robertsons, who plan to build a garage in keeping with the home and work on a formal garden.
"There's a lot that will keep us busy for a long time," says Jo. "It may not be finished, but we really love it already."
Style tips
Re-cover time: If your lounge suite is getting old, consider re-covering it rather than throwing it out, especially if it's good quality, comfortable and you like its shape.
Fabric first: When redecorating, always choose fabrics before paint colours. It is much easier to match paint to fabric than vice versa. Paint colours are almost limitless but unless you have an unlimited budget, fabrics are not.
New hue: Painting old furniture can give it a new lease of life.
Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden. See the latest issue, on sale now, for more achievable home ideas.
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