Already grand, this stately old home now offers the very best of modern living. The renovation is a masterclass in retaining the heritage character of a landmark property while imbuing the interior with the look and feel of a fivestar hotel. The owners’ brief has been met with aplomb. In order to achieve these opulent results, the interior had to be stripped back to its bones. Early on, a decision was made not to push out the front of the 450sqm house to accommodate a fifth bathroom and walk-in wardrobe. All the joinery was replaced, a few windows were replaced and some external walls moved, but Hutt City Builders ensured these did not affect the exterior of the Lower Hutt home and its obvious charm. Inside, the project team and Lume Design delivered the exact finishes the clients were looking for. The list of highlights in this artfully refreshed four-bedroom home are many and include a 700kg limestone cantilevered kitchen bench, brass woven mesh on cabinetry, an upscale scullery, herringbone timber floor and a Venetian-style plastered fireplace. Tiled bathrooms are akin to what you’d find in a luxury spa — another tick on the clients’ five-star hotel wish-list — and there’s a funky powder room, too. It’s all here, in its classic-meets-contemporary glory.