Stormcloud[reg]

Road trip to Richmond

29 October, 2019 by

Though they had never been to Nelson before – when purchasing their next renovation here, Alice and Caleb were confident that this location would be well worth the road trip! When they were scouting out Nelson, anyone who spoke about the location had the same response – people loved it. Nelson is known as a town surrounded by stunning natural landscapes – lakes, mountains, rivers, native bush, beaches and promising plenty of sunshine. With a pace that is slow enough to enjoy the simple things in life – strolls along the many beaches, backyard BBQs with neighbours and a good flat white at your local. But a growing and developing town, with plenty of thriving local businesses and an easy place to fly in and out of.

A 100-Year-Old Diamond

From the first time they spotted this house’s listing, it stood out. Built by a local builder in 1910’s, it was full of potential – a flat faced villa with a central hallway, high studs, and the lean-to extensions added over her 100-year life. Three roomy bedrooms and an airy front living room, with the kitchen and dining room opening onto a big outside area, screaming for some attention and the chance to create some great outside living spaces. From the front veranda, you can look out to the Richmond Hills and enjoy all-day sun.

Living in a Renovation

Alice and Caleb, along with their two children Alek 5 and Mika 3 moved in and started renovating. The strategy was to renovate two rooms at a time containing all of the renovation mess into one place. It allowed them to be productive, in seeing a whole room was completed before moving on to the next project. The huge benefit in this approach is having time to live in the house and consider the flow and feeling of the house. Knowing how you live in a house, makes it easier to design and renovate.

Old World – New World

Alice and Caleb consider it a true privilege to be able to give new life to a house with so much history. The design and workmanship of the last century is still impressive today, so the objective is to add elements that enhance the features of the old villa while still giving it a fresh modern look. Wallpaper provided the perfect way to do this, using patterns that were inspired by the trends of the past but designed to be on trend in 21^st century.

First Impressions Last

The entrance to their Diamond was an opportunity to add a design statement and make a strong first impression of the house. They painted the exterior “Umber White”, the trims and fretwork “All Black”, the concrete porch and roof “Grey Friars” and the front door a strong pop of “Coral Tree”. Then they replaced all of the spouting with Marley Stormcloud® spouting and RP80® downpipes in white. The versatile quarter-round spouting profile with clean, strong lines suits the traditional exterior but also gives a modern look. Not to mention, it will serve this old beauty well into the future!

We have people in the neighbourhood constantly stopping us to thank us for giving the villa it’s new look, it has made an impression and a nice exterior doesn’t just impact your house but the whole street.

Full Time Renovators

After years of doing renovations in weekends and weeknights – this house has been renovated with Alice and Caleb’s full attention and DIY skill set. Alice single-handily hung most of the wallpaper in the house and took charge of the interior design and planning. Caleb has developed his DIY skill set, to now include cabinetry making, kitchen installation, tiling, floor sanding and installing new spouting and downpipes. Caleb says

replacing the spouting for your whole house is easily achieved in a weekend and is a straightforward DIY task with the correct planning and tools.

To watch Alice and Caleb’s how to video – click here.

This house has been renovated to sell, but also renovated to last. With the new uPVC spouting and downpipes, upgrade to the electrics, addition of gas for water heating and cooking, unovent system, heat pump and floor and ceiling insulation – Alice and Caleb hope this house has another 100 years of life in her yet!

About Alice and Caleb

Alice and Caleb are expert renovators, having completed 9 house renovations – with their winning renovation on the Block 2013 being what they are most known for. They started 9 years ago when they purchased their first home together, with a project on their hands and no DIY experience. But since then their passion for projects, property and learning has only grown.

Alice and Caleb are currently in the middle of their Renovation Road Trip. Having left their jobs, packed everything into a car, they set off to travel around NZ doing renovations. The concept being that they are taking time off from normal life to do something completely different. Buying a house that needs a makeover in a completely new town, travelling the country to get there, renovating it, selling it, and sharing the story and their life as they go – all the time with 2 kids on board for this adventure. They have finished up their previous project in Alexandra, Central Otago, and this is their 10th renovation in Richmond, Nelson. They share this journey through their website and social media channels, Pearson + Projects.

Social Accounts
Facebook @AliceandCaleb
Instagram @PearsonandProjects
Pinterest @PearsonProjects
Website www.pearsonandprojects.com

Luxury life on the canal at Marsden Cove

1 July, 2019 by

Watching the sun rise over the canal, early birds Craig and Sue Roulston are delighted with their new retirement sanctuary at Marsden Cove. With a private jetty on calm waters leading to the Whangarei Harbour, it is simply the perfect setting for their brand-new home.

The north-east facing, two-storey property’s deluxe features required superb teamwork and seamless communication to ensure a successful end result.

“There was an incredible amount of steel and glass and a lot of work in the build,” says Craig Cogan of Craig Cogan Builders, who has constructed seven other properties in the Northland development. “Cantilevered decks off the front, plus louvre screens off the decks, down the side, and over the entrance, required a lot of thought and careful construction to bring it all together.”

Keeping to a ‘luxurious and low-maintenance’ brief, the homeowners, Craig and Sue, went with Trespa^® Meteon^® for the exterior, a high impact cladding seldom used in New Zealand residential builds. With panels cured using an Electron Beam Curing (EBC) technology, they are resistant to weather and light and give a strong, highly stable but decorative panel.

The Marley Stratus Design Series^® Stormcloud^® spouting and RP80^® downpipes in black blend in so well, they can hardly be seen! But they are still the perfect products to use with the house being so close to a salt water way. With a 15 year guarantee Craig and Sue have peace of mind – it will definitely not rust!

Craig and Sue agree that an abundance of insulation, double glazing, and the layout of the interior, all helped to create a superbly sustainable home.

“In winter, the atrium over the dining area allows the heat from downstairs to flow upward and warm the whole house. In summer we open up the whole front of the house – all the ranch sliders – and barbecue out there. It is glorious.”

Thanks to Craig Cogan Builders and NZ Certified Builders for this content.

Beachlands facelift

12 June, 2017 by

With the arrival of baby number two, Neil and Marsha were in need of more space. Having sold their St Heliers unit, the pressure was on to find their new family home.

After searching for months but losing out at numerous auctions, they finally spotted their future. A 1960’s state house in Beachlands.

“It was far from perfect and was literally a house dropped onto an undeveloped section,” says Neil, “but we weren’t afraid of rolling up our sleeves and knew with some hard work we could create something special. We prepared ourselves for a battle at the auction and we won!”

The house was relocated by the previous owner. Although they’d completed interior renovations and added a concrete driveway, the exterior needed a lot of work to transform it into the family home Neil and Marsha saw the potential for.

How the house looked before the work started:

How the same area looks now:

Outdoors magnified

“We spent a lot of time planning the outdoor areas,” says Neil, “Because our house is small compared to most new builds, we wanted to really optimise the flow between structures and spaces, thinking about play space and entertaining space for the kids, and creating an outdoor extension of our open plan living.”

Neil and Marsha have amassed an impressive list of exterior improvements since purchasing the property in 2015, including building the garage, adding a rear fence, completing extensive landscaping, adding retaining walls, 65 square metres of decking, and repointing and painting the roof.

The biggest challenge along the way was dealing with the weather. The soil is predominately clay and was hard work wet or dry.

New space from nowhere

The substantial retaining wall built along one boundary of the section gained an additional 2 metres of decking and garden space. The newly built garage was positioned close to the house and given a complementary colour scheme to match.

The extra-large 65 square metre decking area in hardwood wide board Vitex was positioned to maximise privacy, shelter and sun, and the new addition of the pergola added sun and rain protection for use as an ‘outdoor lounge’ all-year round.

“We intentionally planted mostly in natives,” says Neil. “We engaged with a landscape designer before getting started to get another perspective and adopt best practices in landscape design.”

The outdoor decking area with integrated gardens and retaining wall is now their favourite part of the house: “We just love sitting on our outdoor sofa and being surrounded by so much lush planting and earthly colours.” says Neil.

Funds permitting, Neil and Marsha plan to install new bi-fold joinery off the dining space to connect to the covered deck area.

Hidden surprises

After moving in, the discovery of massive roof space was put to great use for storage by installing attic stairs for ease of access.

Neil and Marsha were also delighted to find just how well positioned the house was: “Our living spaces are really light and sunny,” says Neil. “Two of the three bedrooms get all day sun, and the sunsets are incredible.”

Cool colours

Attracted to the modern colour scheme of greys with white joinery, Neil and Marsha chose to continue the striking monochromatic colour scheme for the exterior landscaping, combining Resene Grey Friars and black for the fencing.

This matched the existing charcoal grey, concrete tile roof and timber weatherboards in Dulux Whakarewarewa. Framing the house are white eaves and stained black baseboards.

The perfect finish

The recent addition of the brand new Marley Stormcloud^® spouting in glossy black, makes their home one of the first in the country to have Marley’s latest colour addition to the Stratus Design Series^® range. Black is now available in Marley Stormcloud^® and Typhoon^® spouting, and RP80^® downpipes.

Our old spouting and downpipes were white which made the home feel a bit dated. We believe the black has truly transformed the modern look and style of our home.

“With rainwater our only supply of water and water safety imperative for our family, we went with Marley uPVC because it was certified to potable water standards. Being only 700 metres to the coast durability was really important also as we didn’t want to risk corrosion or rusting over time from metal spouting.”

Stormcloud’s quarter-round profile was chosen to suit the architectural style of the 1960s home, with the added bonus of being the perfect solution to the constraint of the house’s short fascia boards.

Lessons learned

When asked what advice Neil would give others looking to undertake a similar project, he said: “Plan, plan, plan but have plenty of fun in the process. Be open to new ideas and where possible prioritise good building materials, quality plants and great tradespeople.”

A special mention goes to James Hall, from Halls Contracting Limited. James built the deck and pergola and Neil and Marsha were particularly impressed with his workmanship.

The biggest lesson of all? “Always listen to your wife,” says Neil.

Black home design trends 2017

2 May, 2017 by

No other country in the world loves black as much as New Zealand does. Some might say we’re obsessed with it. It’s one colour that’s never gone out of fashion in clothing, cars, and sports teams.
And now it’s the turn of architecture and interior design.

Black design inspiration

From statement street-appeal to stylish, sleek interiors, black is a stand-out colour trend in 2017.

It’s the architecture and interior designer’s equivalent of fashion’s little black dress, instantly transforming your home and adding a touch of glamour.

Get inspired for your new home build or next renovation with these black home design ideas, from stand-out exteriors, to sleek interiors.

Black street appeal

The strong black timber cladding exterior of this beach house is balanced with lighter wood decking and pale grey cobblestones. Monochrome outdoor furniture echoes the house’s modern shape and colour scheme.

Mid-century modern gets moody

Black is also making its mark on the Mid-Century Modern trend this year. This trend shows no signs of slowing down in 2017. Taking cues from the 1930’s to 1960’s, this minimalist movement combines grid-like elements and a ‘less is more’ philosophy.

Black in the kitchen

The kitchen above takes direction from the Mid-Century Modern trend, using black to bridge man-made with organic. The black and natural wood cabinetry and island delineate this open-plan kitchen, contrasting against the grid wall of concrete tiles. The paler-wood floorboards direct the eye to the view, with black steel framing the picture window.

Add a touch of industrial

All white and bright at home but missing a bit of drama? Adding black accessories anchors your space without the cost of a full makeover. This kitchen’s industrial-style black pendant lights, black metal stools, and black tapware, provide an affordable way to reflect the trend.

Black bedrooms

A light, bright bedroom like this scandi-inspired haven make black interior walls an inspired choice. The soft, matte black walls make a perfect back-drop for the gold side-table and ornate mirror. Glossy white cabinetry, white-washed floorboards and clean white ceilings and windows frame the black beautifully.

Black spouting for the perfect finish

From modern to traditional, residential and commercial roofing can now be stylishly defined, and underlined, in rich, glossy black.

An innovative design statement from Marley, black is the latest addition to the Marley Stratus Design Series^® range of uPVC spouting and downpipe systems.

Gloss Black is available in Marley Typhoon^®, Stormcloud^® and RP80^® 80mm Round Downpipe systems.

Available from leading plumbing and building supply merchants nationwide.

Jo & Richard’s rejuvenation of a 100-year-old beauty

1 November, 2016 by

When Richard purchased this run down Ponsonby villa 14 years ago he knew it needed some serious love (and money) to get it back to its former glory. Jo totally agreed when she moved in a couple of years later but was happy to wait for the right time to get started. After the arrival of two children, Olivia and Luke, that time has finally arrived.

The whole house was in a real state of disrepair with rotting floors, broken spouting, crumbling front steps and more. Over the past six months, the home has been fully restored from the foundations up. Every room has been taken back to framing and rebuilt with a focus on a warm, quiet, safe and energy efficient home – a far cry for how it was built and renovated over the past 100 years!

The family wanted a simple classic colour for the base so vibrancy could be added on top ensuring the décor wouldn’t date too quickly. Resene Black White and Triple Black White was the perfect choice and used throughout. The overall style of the home is modern with a bit of retro thrown in.

Jo and Richard knew what they wanted from a practical and functional perspective, based on how they live, but received some help on the finishing touches from Kate Alexander (Interior Designer) and Nikki from Resene.

Talk to the experts. Tell them what you want to achieve and make decisions based on the information they supply – they know what they are talking about. Also, trust your style and taste as you are the ones that will live with it

Colour has been added to a feature wall in the lounge and Luke’s bedroom with the gorgeous Resene Fuscious Grey from the Karen Walker Series. Olivia’s room also has a feature colour with Resene Frozen from the Designer Series – a soft blue, perfect to offset the natural timber and hot pink used throughout the room.

The exterior of the villa has also been fully renovated with a thorough lick of paint in Resene Quarter Delta, new roof in Grey Friars and matching spouting and downpipes from the Marley Stratus Design Series^® (Marley Stormcloud^® and RP80^® in Grey Friars). Stormcloud^® features internal brackets for a streamline look, stunning on the front square fronted villa with veranda. Overall, the natural choice to match the roof and stand the test of time as the old gem starts the next 100 years.

If you’d like to watch this beauty come to life, check it out on Creative Living – episodes available on 3Now or www.creativeliving.tv

What part of the house are you most happy with?

It is hard to pick one but I think the living and kitchen area flowing out to the backyard is our favourite part.

What was the biggest decorating, renovating or building challenge for this project?

The costs – it always costs more than you expect and you can always make it better. Try and make a plan and stick to it. It is hard because a lot of what you spend goes into things you can’t see and you don’t usually have much left in the end for the things you can see.

Do you have a favourite colour, and if so why is it your favourite?

We’ve gone with a warm grey as the base for the house and it works well so we can bring through some of the amazing colours from my favourite painting – the greens, oranges and greys.