Three weeks in the country and we have bought a house. And we're very pleased with ourselves. Leaving Robertson we said that we'd done old house and would be looking in Wellington for a more modern, steel and glass number, or building same. Well, we have modernised - 1959!
Recently repainted and really well looked after, it looks like the builders have just left and headed off for the 6 o'clock swill. Three bedrooms, dinky bathroom, small living room and kitchen, no garage, no heating, no insulation. A 1950s Wellington classic in the suburb of Newlands (pro. 'Newlunds' by locals, and we are getting a kick out of its poetic meaning for us of 'new land').
Newlands is about 8 minutes by motorway out of the CBD and our new house is on a hill with AWESOME views. And that's before the renovation. From the living room, which is dead straight lined up with the main runway at Wellington airport across the water, we scan 180 degrees from the Rimutaka Mts in the west, harbour, airport, more harbour, the city, farmland on the eastern hills, with a bit of the South Island for dessert.
Mish has been designing = go up, out, along, under? Maybe all four...how to deal with those problems of a block that is south facing, getting the warmth and light in, no garage, and making the most of the view. If you get great water views in Wellington, you're looking south. Aaah, but what a changing scene to look at: snow brushed mountains, working harbour, city lights, and big weather - fabulous. Bung in some skylights and voila. Section and house are a blank slate and thanks to a great exchange rate we can play around and create something we 're going to be pretty damn happy with.
March 7 it is ours. That means we can be here at the rental, in comparative comfort, until the end of May, while we do a slow move and walls get knocked out etc etc over in Newlands, a mere 10 minutes down the road. A Mish project.
And yes, there will be a dedicated guest room.
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