Time Travellers

Full-time renovators (and past winners of The Block NZ) Alice and Caleb Pearson’s latest project is turning a century-old Alexandra cottage into a modern family home

- Esther Gordon

1 BACKGROUND

With nine residential renovations under their belts, Alice and Caleb Pearson – who won The Block NZ in 2013 – are no strangers to the world of home improvement. In fact, it’s their full-time job. However, their latest project has been quite literally a departure for them as it has taken the pair out of the Auckland property market and into the largely unfamiliar territory of Alexandra, Central Otago.

When the couple married in 2009, they planned to take a year off to see the world, something that had always been high on Caleb’s list of priorities. As it turned out, the overseas adventure never happened but the idea has lingered. A decade – and two children – later, Alice and Caleb have come up with a different way of incorporating a little travel into their lives.

“Jumping on a plane and doing the big OE is the way most Kiwis get their travel fix, but we couldn’t go past exploring our own backyard first,” says Alice. “It isn’t ‘suitcase living’, more like ‘tool-box travel’, as we try to find a home to renovate while exploring the local culture and activities in different places. We also love being close enough for family to still visit.” This ‘Renovation Roadshow’, as they call it, allows them to continue developing their Pearson + Projects business while enjoying quality family time with, Alek, 4, and Mika, 2.

2 THE HOUSE

The couple first viewed their Alexandra project from Auckland via videos sent by their agent. Although it clearly required work, its potential was evident in every sash window and timber-lined ceiling. In short, they were enamoured of its old-world charm.