‘Grand old lady’ on Napier’s Bluff Hill restored to her former glory

This story is from the team at NZ House & Garden magazine.

Leigh Golding and Chris Zuiderwijk are happiest when their house is full of people. Whether it’s friends of their children, Olivia, 21, and Tom, 18, who arrive for a dip in the pool, or family, all are welcome at their villa on Napier’s Bluff Hill/Mataruahou.

“Our life revolves around family and friends and our house is perfect for entertaining, especially in summer,” says Leigh.

Some of the many visitors they receive benefit from Leigh’s baking skills. She’s known to hand out bags of sweet treats – handmade fudge and delicious slices – before they leave. “Cooking is my love language,” she says.

When Leigh and Chris first saw their 104-year-old villa in 2007, it had been advertised as a “grand old lady”. She was undoubtedly old but far from grand. They could see the potential, however, behind the dowdy facade and were prepared to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in.

Leigh trusted her gut instinct when she walked in. “We never imagined we’d be able to buy a house on the hill with such a panoramic view, so the location and being affordable did it. Now we can’t imagine ourselves living anywhere else.”

“The house and property were neglected,” recalls Chris. “There was no landscaping – the garden was wild and unruly, the exterior had flaking paint and the roof was rusty. “My first job was to paint it, and we progressed from there.”

Juggling a young family – Olivia was then 5 and Tom, 3 – and work, they renovated as time and budget allowed. While Leigh and Chris were able to envisage what they wanted, they were happy to leave the structural work to their team of capable builders; walls were removed to create an open-plan living space with kitchen and dining areas. They also rebuilt and extended the original deck. “It’s like having an extra room and is one of our favourite places to relax,” says Leigh, who is a teacher.

Chris, a cropping manager for Bostock New Zealand, jokes that the views across the city to Te Mata Peak and Cape Kidnappers/Te Kauwae-a-Māui are so panoramic he can stand there and watch for any weather developments over the Heretaunga Plains, where most of the cropping is done. It’s also the perfect spot to check the wind direction for the water sports he enjoys – windfoiling and kitefoiling – at Westshore or Te Awanga beaches.

If Chris’ domain is landscaping and gardening (not surprising, considering his previous job at a commercial bedding plant nursery), Leigh’s is the domestic arts. “When it comes to a division of labour, we are old-fashioned,” she laughs.

“As well as cooking, I enjoy decorating and styling. Often I’ll sit and look at the treasures we’ve gathered. I wouldn’t say we have a particular style but rather a collection of things we love, such as my nana’s Crown Lynn swans, her wingback chair that I had recovered, or work of local artists such as Leanne Culy’s painted oars and Justin Kite, whose children I once taught. Many of our things have a personal connection.”

With the kitchen being the hub of the house – “at parties, everyone always ends up here”–and baking one of Leigh’s passions, getting it as she wanted, with ample storage, was vital. They used Sydaz Joinery in Napier to build the cabinetry in the kitchen and the bathrooms.

Having listened to her brief, the clever design team at Sydaz ensured not a scrap of space was wasted, yet the overall appearance is sleek and seamless: the kitchen island has as much storage packed into both sides as possible; likewise the pantry. Another clever feature is the touch-opening cupboards, which, although positioned high up, can be easily accessed. Naturally, one of Leigh’s favourite appliances is her Breville mixer that she uses almost every day: “Whether it’s a dinner party or coffee and cake, entertaining and feeding my friends and family is what I love to do.”

Chris says buying quality fittings and hardware was worthwhile: “Our kitchen is over six years old and looks and functions like new.” He’s pleased with his idea of adding floating wooden shelves to the end of the kitchen island and cupboards. “It softens the black accents and ties in with the rimu floorbards.”

Leigh collaborated with interior designer Kelly Davis of KD Interiors to achieve the look and colour palette she wanted in the bedrooms, bathrooms and en suites. She chose neutral colours such as Resene Half Linen in their bedroom and Resene Zumthor in the bathroom and en suite to create a relaxed feel.

Now Olivia has left home to go to university, and Tom is working in Napier but still at home, Leigh, who has scaled back to part-time teaching, is missing the comings and goings of her children and their friends. “I’m looking forward to holidays and summer when the house fills up again,” she says.

However, their newfound freedom has a positive side. She and Chris will be heading away at weekends to discover new places around New Zealand, and they’ve already booked a trip overseas.

Chris, whose idea of relaxing is being on the go, has future plans for garden projects, such as planting fruit trees in an area of lawn once used for trampolines and soccer games and preparing the hedged borders with the next season of blooms.

Leigh says she still gets a thrill when she opens the curtains each day to reveal the views across the bay. After 16 years of work the family’s villa can reclaim the title of “grand old lady” and the couple can take a breather.

Q&A with Chris Zuiderwijk & Leigh Golding

Decorating style: A real mixture, but everything in our home tells a story or is something that has caught my eye. It doesn’t have to match; you just have to love it. (Leigh)

Best piece of advice: Do it once, do it right. Choose quality fittings, furnishings and hardware if you can afford them. (Chris)

Favourite outdoor spot: Sitting on the deck having breakfast in the morning sun with views over Hawke’s Bay. From here, I can check the wind direction and where the best swell is to go foiling. (Chris)

Best money we spent: Putting in the pool – and the heat pump to warm it to a balmy 27C – and sharing it with our friends and kids’ friends. (Chris)

Favourite eateries and bars: Monica Loves, a bar off Tennyson St that serves cocktails and tapas. Mister D Dining has delicious food for breakfast, lunch and dinner – our favourite is the bone marrow ravioli with beef juices and salsa verde. O’Sushi for the best sushi in town; we go every Saturday. (Leigh)

Favourite local shops: Napier Antique & Jewellery Centre – I’ve found many treasures here, including antique perfume bottles and crystal glasses. (Leigh)

Flowers we couldn’t live without: I’m a dahlia man. They last so long and have such cool colours. (Chris)