Trends New Zealand Trends Volume 31 No 6 New Zealand | Page 19

Makeover magic
Keeping an exposed brick chimney intact not only melded the traditional with
the modern in this renovation, it also helped meet heritage requirements
Traditional villa-style homes
in older areas where there is a
conservation overlay can make
renovations challenging.
But heritage requirements
can also turn potential negatives into positives as this
project demonstrates.
Architect Chris Holmes of
CAAHT Studio Architects says
the master suite was probably a bedroom or living area
in the original house – it has a

double-sided fireplace on an
internal wall.
“At some stage in the 1980s
the fireplace was exposed and
painted white. Because the
local heritage requirements
demand that the top of the
chimney remains unaltered on
the outside of the house, it was
easier to keep the fireplace,
than rebuild a new structure
within the roof to support the
bit on top.”

Holmes says the space was
gutted and the white paint
soda-blasted off the bricks.
“The bricks have a visual
warmth and a rough texture
that introduce a rustic feel.
This contrasts the sleek, contemporary look of the bank of
cabinets that line one entire
wall of the bedroom. The
owners, who worked closely
with our team on the design,
enjoy the juxtaposition and the

Preceding pages: The original
double-sided fireplace in this
renovated villa has been retained and
is now a feature of the master suite.
Facing page and above left: A bank
of modern cabinets lines one entire
wall of the bedroom.
Above right: Futura plywood with
an exposed endgrain defines the
edges of the cantilevered vanity. The
woodgrain has a subtle warmth that
complements the exposed brick.

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