What happens when you cherish your 1920s bungalow but need extra room and more modern amenities? You choose a builder who knows how to sensitively remodel the home in keeping with its character, as well as craft an extension. In this renovation project in one of Auckland’s historical suburbs, the original house has been skilfully reimagined and given a two-level addition at the back. The client brief to respect the bungalow’s traditions, strict planning constraints and proximity to a neighbour’s property required meticulous attention to detail and dedication from all involved.

The house is now a sensitively reorganised and updated 228sqm three-bedroom, two-bathroom, two-living room house with a sleek new kitchen. The timber addition cantilevers over a deck and the garden. The split-level extension, linked to the old house by a seamless double-height glazed atrium, steps down to a new family-living area that provides space and light. Wide sliders open to wraparound decking that’s partially covered by the cantilever; landscaping provides privacy and a green outlook. Above it you’ll find the main bedroom that, with its dressing room, ensuite and office, genuinely constitutes a suburban sanctuary. The project to upgrade the beloved home to meet modern expectations while maintaining its DNA has exceeded the owners’ expectations — surely the best outcome possible.