My Houzz: Their Own Little Slice of Country Life
A family makes its dream come true by moving into a century-old home in the rolling hills of New Zealand
Many of us living in the hustle and bustle of the city dream of packing up and moving to a secluded country home. It was certainly a dream shared by Paul and Lee Smith. Having grown up in Auckland, New Zealand’s North Shore, in the middle of suburbia, they longed for an old villa on 10 acres in the country. It took six years of sacrifice to save for a deposit, but three years ago they made their dream a reality, “and then the hard work really began,” Lee says.
Paul and Lee worked tirelessly to make sure this would become the house they had always dreamed of. “Our home is our retreat from all the hustle and bustle of work and school. It’s still close enough to town to pop out for some milk, but far enough into the country that we feel the peace,” Lee says. “We love all the sounds and smells and the tranquility that it brings us.”
The duo opted for a soft color palette of neutral grays in the main living room. Lee says that while she doesn’t have a specific style of decor, she did know that she wanted the space to have a homey feel and be a place where her children could grow up comfortably. She also bought most of the furniture from secondhand stores and websites like Trade Me.
Opposite the sofa is an original fireplace. Previously it had a dark brown finish that dominated the room, so Lee painted it with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.
The dining table, from French Country, and the sofa, from The Design Store, are some of Lee’s favorite pieces. “I think they are the only new items I have bought for the house,” she says.
In the living room, one of the couple’s favorite secondhand items is this rocking chair, which is an inside joke between the couple. People teased Paul that he was becoming a hillbilly by moving to the country, so Lee bought him the chair for the veranda, and someone else bought him a pipe.
Before moving in, Paul and Lee pulled up all the old carpet and linoleum and had the original kauri wood floors restored. They also painted all the interior walls — not an easy task when the ceilings are nearly 10 feet high, Lee says. The exterior of the home was also recently painted.
Before moving in, Paul and Lee pulled up all the old carpet and linoleum and had the original kauri wood floors restored. They also painted all the interior walls — not an easy task when the ceilings are nearly 10 feet high, Lee says. The exterior of the home was also recently painted.
The kitchen is connected to the living area via an open window. It’s next on the list to be renovated, to bring it up to date.
The second living room is where the family likes to relax in front of the fire during the colder months. Paul and Lee replaced the original windows with French doors that lead out onto a wraparound covered deck, which Paul painstakingly built in the evenings and during weekends over the course of a year.
Off the second living area is the couple’s bedroom, a secluded sanctuary connected to the veranda by French doors.
The veranda is Lee’s favorite spot during summer, and it’s here that she enjoys reading a good book.
The kids have their own spaces too. Ruby’s bedroom is all things pink, her favorite color.
Riley’s bedroom is a place where he can spend some quality downtime after helping his parents on the land, which he loves to do.
The couple regularly entertain family and friends around the outdoor dining table, which Paul made. “I wanted something large enough to seat 10 people, so in summer we could sit out on the veranda with friends and family overlooking the beautiful countryside,” Lee says.
The garden was a mess when they moved in and took a lot of work to bring back to life. “It was filled with tires, wire, dead animals, tools and rubbish. And just when we thought we had seen it all, we’d find something else!” Lee says.
The family makes the most of the surrounding land with a variety of animals and produce. Seventeen sheep, 12 lambs and two cows graze around the home. Each year, the family also raises orphan lambs from the farmer down the road. “Last year’s lambs were called Turbo and Skittle,” Lee says.
Depending on the time of year, 20 to 35 beehives produce honey on the property. This year, a vegetable garden is in the cards, so the family can enjoy fresh salads. A chicken run is also on the wish list.
“We love that our kids can grow up playing outside, learning about animals and growing vegetables, while also riding motorbikes,” Lee says of the beauty of living in the country.
Family time is important to the Smiths, so Lee’s mom, Miemme Prins, is never too far away, living on the property in a two-bedroom granny flat that was designed by 1880 Cottage Company and built by Sumner Construction.
“We were always keen to have my mum live with us, especially while the kids are growing up,” Lee says.
“We were always keen to have my mum live with us, especially while the kids are growing up,” Lee says.
Prins has brought her own style to her abode and also enjoys the surrounding countryside.
Riley and Ruby regularly visit the granny flat to spend time with Nana. Ruby has the day with her every Friday, while Riley sleeps over every Friday night.
The home works well for Prins, who works part time in eye care. Though she is close to her family, having a separate space allows her to have her independence as well. “There aren’t really any downsides to living together, but we will always speak our minds if there is an issue. I think that’s the key to living in close proximity to one another,” she says.
Once a week, movie night is scheduled in the main house, where the entire family snuggles up on the couch.
Making this dream come true involved a lot of hard work, but Paul and Lee feel they’ve created a home that will last and do justice to its heritage. “We have had many a compliment from the locals who have been living in our area for two or three generations,” Lee says, “on how well we have brought our home back to life and tended to the land and tidied it up.”
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My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style:
Small Homes | Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Paul and Lee Smith; their children, Riley, 6, and Ruby, 2; Lee’s mom, Meimmie Prins; and their fox terrier, Spotty
Location: Wainui, New Zealand
Size: Three bedrooms, one bathroom
The 100-year-old house had been used as a farmworker’s cottage and then a rental for many years, which meant it had become quite run-down. One of the main hurdles of the yearlong renovation was working on a structure that wasn’t straight or level; the rooms also had an interesting layout from years of additions. Homeowner Lee Smith says this drove husband Paul “slightly crazy at times.” Being a mechanical engineer, he likes things to be precise.