“We wanted an industrial, eclectic look,” says Jecasta of the 260-square-metre design.
But it turned out that the project chewed up most of their time and energy. “We were spending every evening and weekend finishing it. We loved it but it was high-maintenance and took for ever to clean!”
Then Pat landed a job as a sales manager for New Style Homes and suggested they downsize to one of the company’s new-builds. “I wasn’t convinced because we’d put so much energy into building our house,” says Jecasta. “But when I saw the plans, I knew a low maintenance, minimalist space built by someone else would not only provide financial freedom, it would also give us back precious family time.”
CHANGE OF PLAN
The couple opted for a 219-square-metre home with four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a media room in a new subdivision across town. Pat was able to project-manage the build, which started in December 2018 and finished five months later. The Souths made a few minor tweaks to the plans, including getting rid of a study nook (which increased the size of their butler’s pantry), adding oodles more storage and a built-in laundry.
“When you have four children and two pets, you need to do a lot of laundry,” Jecasta says. “Having a dedicated laundry space, rather than just a washing machine plonked in the garage, makes my life so much easier.”
INTERIOR DESIGN
This story is from the February 2020 edition of Your Home and Garden.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 2020 edition of Your Home and Garden.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
INSPECTOR GADGET
Did someone say soy milk latte? Coming right up, as we test the Breville Barista Touch Impress
The fine art of apologising
Why saying sorry is an act of courage and not a sign of weakness
Go with the flow
Flow Studio’s Staci Coble shapes her clay using the gentle currents of the ocean as her muse
Magic of mushrooms
Follow gardening editor Mary Lovell-Smith’s fun guide and conjure up your own edible delights
The bright side
Paint and wallpaper transformed a boring beige former rental in Nelson into a true family home
Tales from outta space
Hide unsightly clutter and stash those out-of-season items by adding some beautiful built-in storage
The flip SIDE
Real estate agents might say it’s all about the location, but how do you know when you’ve found the right house to do up?
Kitchen refresh
Update your space with these trending looks and easy hacks to breathe new life into tired kitchens
MOVING ON
Leaving a tiny apartment in Auckland for a big house in Blenheim came with so many blessings
New horizons
A forward-thinking couple designed and built their home around the movement of the sun