After the flood

Designed by Katie Scott, Sticks+Stones Design

From the designer:

The renovation of the ground floor of this arts-and-craft villa on the slopes of Maungakiekie (One Tree Hill) was a ‘phoenix' project for the designer. 

First time round

At the end of 2022, the home had just been renovated; then came the floods of January 2023 – according to the homeowner, the water swept through the home from back to front, destroying all in its path.

After extensive site works, shoring up the section and protecting the house from future deluges, work began again on renovating the interior, along with a new centrepiece kitchen, which tied everything together. 

After the flood

This time, the owners asked for something 'extra extraordinary', taking cues from the classic original features of the home. 

Referencing these features – and also what we (and the owners) had learned from the first renovation – the goal was to make the space better than it was. 

The owners have two toddlers, both boys, so the space needed to be child-friendly, too.

Re-renovation adapted

With the boys now a couple of years older – and more mobile – the re-renovation gave my homeowners the opportunity to adapt the layout of their living spaces to accommodate their toddlers' newfound freedom and needs.

Back-to-back living spaces – one for the children, the other for the adults – were created, while the dining space was pushed closer to the kitchen and the outdoor entertaining area, and the size of the scullery was increased to include a dedicated coffee/drinks station.

Bold impact

The owners were not afraid to go bold with their choice of materials and colours. 

A rich, sumptuous palette was agreed upon, which included luscious chocolate cabinetry, aged brass accents (including brass skirtings and toe kicks on the island to protect the timber veneer from the young boys), and dark-stained parquet flooring. 

The original, intricately veined Silver River marble was swapped out for a more robust engineered stone.

Story by: Trendsideas