Into the light

Replacing a dangerous staircase sparked a major rebuild – and ended with this transformed home that’s full of light and warmth

- Catherine Steel

A damp basement and a dangerous staircase aren’t music to a homeowner’s ears. And Emily White and husband David McKellar were mightily glad to say goodbye to both when they renovated their house in Belmont, Auckland. “The reason we decided to renovate was to replace the spiral staircase with a normal one, as we had all taken a tumble down it,” Emily says. “We got a bit carried away with the rest!”

1| BACKGROUND

Their bungalow, built-in 1925, was moved onto the site from the outskirts of Auckland in the 1960s. Emily and David bought it in 2012 and almost immediately noticed water dripping through the ceiling. However, a new roof and a fresh coat of exterior paint wasn’t the end of their problems – a retaining wall collapsed and there was the ongoing issue of the awkward spiral staircase in the middle of the house. “It was a death-trap,” Emily says.

In 2016, Emily’s father, Ron, who’s keen on restoring houses, came to stay from the UK. “When he saw our house, he got stuck into it,” Emily says. He drew up plans, detailing how they could make their home better suit their needs. The couple then sent the drawing to an architect to refine.

2| A CASE FOR CHANGE

The first major change the pair’s builder, Guy Davis, made was to remove the dodgy staircase and install a pine one. “The original was cast iron so it was tricky to get out,” Guy says. “We maximized the width of the new one and ensured there was a larger landing at the bottom.”

To improve the sense of flow throughout the home, several internal walls dividing the upstairs living areas were removed. “We wanted open-plan living and didn’t have it before the renovation,” Emily says.

3| FROM DARK TO LIGHT