A fairly ordinary mid-1970s brick and cedar house in the beachy Auckland suburb of St Heliers was transformed into a tranquil private haven by architectural designer Vincent Payne with the application of some clever reimagining and skillful design. “I think that's one of the bonuses to the site,” says Payne. “Everything around it is heavily developed but they have a little oasis of beautiful landscaping, and trees. It's just magic – and quiet too.”

Payne had worked with the same clients and builders before, but this was the largest undertaking for the trio to date. He describes the original home as “a worn-out 1970s house.” It had an odd sort of “Japanese landscaping theme going on” in the rear courtyard, but good flow between the living spaces from a generous kitchen-dining space which steps down into a large timber-ceilinged living room.

Despite it being a relatively modern build, Payne approached it like he would a project of any vintage. “It's really like any renovation,” he says. “It's just the unknown – claddings and linings hide a lot of things, so there were challenges structurally for the building process.” As the discovery process went on, the builders discovered dodgy beams, and plumbing that was above floor level.

Payne’s first concept radically restructured the house, but as the design process went on – and with Covid lockdowns giving the clients a lot of time to think – the layout remained largely the same. A former games room became a bedroom, the front of the house gained a deck, and Payne added a glamorous stair constructed from timber, steel and glass – but the spaces stayed in the same place. 

The new interior is calm throughout – white walls and lots of light oak – with touches of vintage character. Cedar sarking is painted black, brick is painted white and the original ceiling in the living space was retained.

The biggest issue with 1970s buildings is 1970s building codes, of course, ill-suited to New Zealand conditions, and resulting in cold, condensation-prone dwellings. Here, Payne made his biggest moves with new insulation, larger windows with double glazing, and central heating creating a warm, dry home.

Matt Flax Pod powder-coated aluminium windows and doors provide an appealing contrast with the white in the build palette, and act as a frame to the leafy outlook. Metro Series doors and sliders in the kitchen-dining area open onto a covered verandah, and tall sliding doors in the living space open onto the new deck.

And voilà, a tired old build lacking architectural interest – not old enough to be a classic, not recent enough to keep up with contemporary needs – is recycled and repurposed into a comfortable and relaxed sanctuary with a long life ahead of it.

Considering your own renovation project? View our helpful guide to get started.