Going With The Flow

Over the years, Victor and Charlene dos Santos have adapted their 1940s home to suit the changing needs of their family

- Marianne Mcdonald

When Victor and Charlene dos Santos bought this house almost 20 years ago, they loved the easy flow through the rooms, the relaxing laid-back atmosphere and the very forgiving Oregon pine floors, which have withstood years of bike riding and general wear and tear.

“At that stage, we were first-time homeowners and new parents, so we had a very limited budget for improvements. We had also just launched our business, SANTOS, which specialises in lifestyle storage solutions. So, we couldn’t do all the things we wanted straight away,” explains Charlene. Fortunately, Victor is an industrial designer with a wonderful eye for design and the technical ability to go with it. Together with his father, Eugene, who also works at the company, he put many hours of physical labour into the kitchen and bathroom renovations. He also built in all the cupboards and cabinetry as well as undertaking the joinery for the staircase up to the study.