A Newly Renovated Kitchen Made This Bungalow Bright and Airy in Lower Hutt, Wellington

Angie and Tom’s Lower Hutt bungalow needed some remedial work. The dining area had been jacked which had cracked some of the walls and the kitchen was outdated, providing a less than ideal cooking space for the couple. 

But they had a vision. Angie and Tom wanted to move the location of the French doors in their dining room, fix the cracks in the walls, and get a new kitchen that was better suited to their needs and taste. They also knew all of this would require expertise and tight control of their budget. So they reached out to Refresh Renovation Consultant, Jenelle Winstanley.

Understanding the brief

As Lower Hutt’s local Renovation Consultant, Jenelle was experienced working with the style of bungalow Angie and Tom lived in. Jenelle began the renovation process with an initial consultation to fully understand what Angie and Tom had in mind. They knew what they wanted which made it straightforward for Jenelle to cost up and design the project. She was also able to get the renovation to a price Angie and Tom were happy with.

The extent of Angie and Tom’s renovation meant a number of tradespeople and contractors were needed on the job. Jenelle’s established network of skilled professionals ensured she had everyone she needed on hand - a builder, tiler, plasterer, floor layer, plumber, electrician, sign maker, cleaners, and even the right contact to hire a skip bin!

Jenelle also sourced council consent, which was a necessary part of the process to ensure the project could begin.

A challenging timeline

Living without a kitchen for any length of time isn’t ideal in any household and Angie and Tom were faced with their renovation taking place over the Christmas break. Jenelle therefore had the challenge of trying to keep the momentum of the project going throughout the holiday period, and even changed builders to accommodate shut downs to keep the job moving succinctly.

She also worked closely with her tradespeople to keep to the scope of overall costs and margins to deliver on the renovation as efficiently as possible for Angie and Tom.

As was initially expected, floor levelling work in the kitchen and laundry was also required which caused minor delays, but didn’t impact on the outcome.

Creating a contemporary haven

Jenelle’s team understood the vision Angie and Tom had for their home and the transformation of the kitchen in their Lower Hutt bungalow showcases just how effective the Refresh process is.

Gone is the traditional, slightly dated, and dark L-shaped kitchen and in its place is an open, airy, contemporary cooking zone, with a central island that invites both meal prep and consumption!

White modern cabinetry with black handles contrast effortlessly with the stainless steel appliances, including double dish drawers and wall oven. Greater workspace bathed in natural light has been created under the skylight, while the central island ensures better functionality and movability around the space.

Matt laminate timber-look flooring is in keeping with the bungalow’s style and is paired nicely with pops of timber accessories in the form of bar stools.

A job well done

Angie and Tom had never used Refresh for a renovation project before but Jenelle ensured their experience was a positive one:

“We just want to say a huge thank you to all of you. Each of you had a really big input into getting our beautiful kitchen and dining room done, and all of your help, guidance and expertise, patience has been fabulous and greatly appreciated. We just love our space. It’s beautiful, and just perfect for us. We've really enjoyed the experience of working with Refresh, the people and the model, and certainly couldn't have achieved this by ourselves. Thanks again to you."

Supplies were sourced from Placemakers, Resene, Mitre10 and GIB.

Would you like to discuss your home renovation ideas?

Get in touch for a free consultation with your local Renovation Consultant.