BLESSING in DISGUISE

Leaving a new-build for a historic cottage inspired a different design direction for these homeowners

- Debbie Harrison

In a quiet Nelson neighbourhood sits a modest three-bedroom cottage with Georgian windows, a hip roof and a story that stretches back more than a century. Once home to a labourer-turned-caretaker, this historic home was among the country’s first state houses, built in the early 1920s as part of a government scheme to help working families into home ownership. Today, it’s home to a young family of four, a flourishing “dry” garden, and a thoughtful, creative renovation that brings past and present beautifully together.

“The first time I walked in, it felt like the house was giving me a hug,” says Chrissy Irvine, who bought the property with her husband Marcus in September 2023. “The sun was streaming into the front porch and, most importantly at the time, I could fit the double stroller through the front door.”

The previous owners had taken care of the big stuff: a new roof, fresh paint, rewiring, a new kitchen and landscaped outdoor areas. That gave the new owners a solid foundation - and a bit of breathing space. “We were essentially handed a beautiful blank canvas,” Chrissy says. “All the hard work had been done.”

That blank canvas didn't stay blank for long. Before they moved in, new curtains were ordered and retrofit double glazing was installed. Underfloor insulation and borer treatment followed, along with wool carpet. The original floorboards were sadly too far gone to save.

“They were riddled with borer and splintered as soon as we tried to lift them,” says Chrissie. “A builder even put his boot through one.”