Avondale: Added Value

Lisa and Stephen toyed with a range of colours before deciding to paint the master bedroom in Resene Monarch.

66 Roberton Road, Avondale.

Lisa Chrastecky fell hard for a 1910 Avondale villa seven years ago, but hadn't sold her own home by the villa's auction date. Her heart sank as she stuck to the safe bidding limit she'd set herself, while another buyer won the atmospheric villa set in spacious grounds. 

"I was devastated. I couldn't get it out of my head. It had such a neat feel. To make matters worse I sold my own house just two weeks later," recalls Lisa. 

"Three months later I still hadn't found any other home that compared, so a friend in real estate decided to call the people who had bought this house. Their circumstances had changed and they were happy to sell to me. I thought 'Hooray - it was meant to be!' I was totally excited." 

Lisa's perseverance netted her a character-filled, three bedroom villa with a double garage on 739sq m grounds handy to the central city. However, some features screamed for an overhaul, like the pumpkin colour prevalent in the interior. 

"It was like someone had exploded a bomb of pumpkin paint in here," she grins. 

Inspiration (and a fair chunk of renovation experience) came in the form of Stephen Baggaley, Lisa's partner of two years. The couple have re-painted every room, made-over the bathroom, and landscaped and fenced the section. They've further enhanced the villa's character with period-style lighting and by replacing the master bedroom's mirror-door wardrobes with purpose-built closets. 

They reckon they are both perfectionists by nature, but say they found the process pretty harmonious. Lisa says a paint brush was hurled at a loved one only once. 

Their biggest challenge was choosing interior colours. They are delighted with the opulent effect created in the master bedroom, where the rich red of Resene Monarch contrasts with the white of the high, battened ceilings and the white custom-made wardrobes. 

Buster the cat lazes in the lounge, oblivious to the melee that occurred before it was painted Dulux Butter Blonde. Lisa says, "I had three girlfriends around and I think we just went crazy over glasses of wine because we were painting testpots everywhere." 

Stephen adds, "I was cursing when I was painting in here because I was trying to cover all the testpot patches and the paint they'd dribbled everywhere."  

The lounge leads to the kitchen/family room, where two sets of French doors open out onto north-west-facing decks. Around the corner is the totally refurbished bathroom with claw-foot bath. 

The couple renovated thinking they'd be in the house for some time, but plans changed when they stumbled on a bungalow more suitable for Stephens home-based IT business. Lisa says, "We are genuinely going to miss this place. It has been a fantastic home." 

Lisa's renovating tips Empty out rooms before starting any project. 

Try to finish a task before starting a new one. 

Pre-planning pays off, especially when estimating what time tasks will require. Don't set unrealistic timeframes. 

Discuss your plans with experts who are in the trade. They love to give advice. 

Keep a sense of humour, especially when renovating with your loved one. 

Vital Statistics 

BEDROOMS: 3

BATHROOMS: 1 

GARAGE: 2 

SIZE: Land 739sq m, house 142sq m. 

PRICE INDICATION: Similar properties in the area have sold for around $500,000. Auction Nov 19 (will not be sold prior). 

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 11.30-12 noon. 

CONTACT: Paul Raynes, Harveys, ph 846 3585, 021 922 982.

FEATURES: Early 1900s villa with vibrant interior, set off by timber floors and high, battened ceilings. Brand new bathroom with clawfoot bath. Easy outdoor flow through two sets of French doors onto north/west-facing deck. Mature, fully-fenced section with double garage.