Work It Out

All it took to transform this tired rental property was a creative eye, plenty of hard work and an unusual agreement with the landlord

- Annick Larkin

Four years ago, Tash and Arie Stokes made the decision to start a family and grow their photography business instead of buying a house and taking on a mortgage.

But when their landlord announced he’d be selling the property they were happily renting, they found themselves in the stressful position of having to find another home – and fast. Tash was pregnant with their second child, George (now 1), and they were underwhelmed by the rentals available.

“We visited this house and loved its bones, but that was about the only thing it had going for it,” recalls Tash. The interior was characterized by shabby, old-fashioned wallpaper and interior paint colors straight out of the 1980s. The curtains and blinds were old and the house was tired and in dire need of an overall update.

After the viewing, the couple wrote the property off. “I couldn’t imagine living in a house that was so colorful,’’ says Tash.

A CHEEKY PROPOSITION

However, a few days after the viewing, Arie and Tash were contacted by the landlord. “He was a lovely family man who was really impressed by us,” explains Tash. “He offered us the property on the spot.” But before accepting, the couple discussed at length how they could make this housework for them as a family.

Putting aesthetics aside, the home did have some redeeming qualities. It had decent-sized rooms, was dog-friendly, had a large, functional home office and was centrally located in Fairfield, Hamilton.