Elevating the Basics in Brooklyn, Wellington

A Budget-Friendly Brief

Homeowners Paul and Alison were seeking more functionality and a modern touch throughout their four-bedroom 1980s Brooklyn home. Knowing that improvements would need to be budget-friendly, they approached Renovation Consultant Lia Boersma to see what she could do. 
The Wellington couple had already defined the main pain points of their home: bathroom, laundry, kitchen, pantry, and doors. After their initial consultation with Lia, and with careful consideration of all project elements, Lia gave an initial estimate of $150,000. 
But, when Paul and Alison expanded on their dream concept, they soon realised their vision would cost more, so they opted to increase the budget to a more realistic $200,000. Once she was confident that all aspects had been covered, Lia tasked an architect to complete the working drawings.

Navigating Construction Hurdles

Paul and Alison didn’t have to worry about seeking council consent for waterproofing the bathroom, as filing for consents is a key part of the Refresh Process. With the plans approved, Lia then moved on to the construction phase. 
Lia’s expert handling gave Paul and Alison the reassurance and clear communication they needed for embarking upon such a comprehensive project. Lia organised and scheduled all of the suppliers and tradespeople involved to ensure the construction phase of the project wouldn’t add extra stress in Paul and Alison’s busy lives. 
Unfortunately, community transmission of COVID’s Delta variant caused major disruption once different regions of the country began operating at different Alert Levels. This affected joinery and bathware production, especially. Rather than proceed with the original October-December build plan, Lia, in full consultation with Paul and Alison, delayed starting the project until early 2022. Her judgement and preparation were spot on: the entire renovation then proceeded smoothly, without any supply interruptions.

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Beautifully Crafted Details

The use of quality doors, combined with installing double-glazed windows throughout the home, were a key part of Paul and Alison’s renovation. Commanding the home’s entrance is a matte black, panel-look fibreglass door punctuated with square glass windows to increase the flow of natural light. The modern, cream-coloured handle and cream framing are a striking contrast against the black.
Lia also used Hoults Doors to install a barn-style sliding door between the new walk-in pantry and the kitchen and to replace all interior doors in the home, which has both brightened and modernised the home’s appearance.

Beautifying the Bathroom and Kitchen

Paul and Alison’s bathroom transformation has a real wow factor. Keeping the couple’s vision to the fore, Lia arranged for the whole room to be gutted of its dated seaside aesthetic, creating a fresh slate. Large sandy-toned wall tiles, a key feature of the renovation, and the walk-in shower add a luxurious feeling, as does the rain shower head and the understated wooden-look wall, which pairs perfectly with the floating wooden vanity. An on-trend circular mirror is framed by strip LED lighting and a pendant light hanging above the vanity brings a soft ambience to the space. The adjoining toilet has the same wooden elements as used in the shower, and a simple handbasin. 
Within the freshly painted kitchen, the new flooring and benchtop are beautifully complemented by the light green splashback, small square tiles, and the colourful geometric-patterned tiled area alongside the second workbench.

The Finished Result

Increasing the available budget was certainly worth it: a beautiful new bathroom, a sleek, upgraded laundry, a modified kitchen, new internal and external doors, and a practical and spacious walk-in pantry, transformed this home to the modern suburban sanctuary it has now become. 

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