Masterpiece on The Cliffs

Throughout a forty-year building career in the Nelson region, Darryl Gardiner has built and renovated some of the area’s most prestigious homes and light commercial premises. Very used to challenging sites and projects, Lyndsay and Campbell McManaway’s substantial renovation on The Cliffs was a job he and his team relished.

“We are very particular about listening carefully to what clients want and making the process as easy for them as possible and this renovation was no exception,” he says.

Lyndsay and Campbell first viewed the property when it came up for sale four years ago. “We didn’t actually look in any detail at the house,” laughs Lyndsay. “It was the view that completely blew us away and, on that basis, we purchased it.”

The view is spectacular with its panorama from The Glen to the north across the entirety of the Boulder Bank south to Richmond and the hills and valleys beyond. The whole of Tasman Bay fans out in front with the western Nelson mountain range behind.

“When we came back to the house for another look, we realised we had purchased a dated four-bedroom nineties house with a lot of wasted space but great potential,” says Lyndsay.

The couple’s renovation wish-list included a new kitchen, an extension to the master bedroom and ensuite, an infinity swimming pool and spa linked to the main deck, a games room and bathroom downstairs with steps to the upper storey, a garage and new driveway onto the property.

The brief for the renovation was complex and aspirational and the team at Jerram Tocker Barron Architecture were engaged to produce the concept and plans. Making major structural changes to an existing home on a cliff with streets on three sides was always going to be challenging but they came up with solutions that the McManaway’s were delighted with, particularly the curved infinity edged pool two stories up from which to enjoy the panoramic views along with a wraparound terrace, perfect for entertaining.

First to be renovated was the kitchen. Replacing the old-fashioned timber country look was a sleek new contemporary one by Manor Property Services. “We wanted a simplified kitchen that was open to everyone with a great breakfast bar,” says Lyndsay.

The formica bench tops were replaced with high-gloss dark-stained solid oak in contrast to the white walls and lacquered black kitchen cabinetry.

The major excavations below the existing house had to be done in four stages. “We had to prop up parts of the building as we went, adding large areas of concrete block work and steel before moving onto the next section,” explains Darryl. The pool took a great deal of engineering and steel work.”

“Being on a steep hillside with scaffolding everywhere and Lyndsay and Campbell still living on site was a real challenge,” he continues,” but it was a really exciting project to work on. I had four builders on site most of the time and the finished result is a real test to their skill as well as everyone else involved.”

The new garage sits underneath the extended master bedroom’s ensuite. “The old bathroom had a nasty corner shower which was the first to go,” she says. With the extra space afforded by the downstairs addition there is now a smart tiled double shower lining one wall which includes sliding doors into a walk-in dressing-room.

A much-loved feature of the alterations is the games room. Along with a fridge, dishwasher and plenty of bench space, it comes complete with a bespoke pool table with black felt and a white base made to match the room’s décor. A separate toilet and full bathroom with toilet have been added to this area behind frosted glass sliding doors.

The salt-water pool and spa have been a huge success. “This is such a great extended family area that gets so much use,” says Lyndsay. “All doors onto the pool area are alarmed for safety and there is abundant ambient lighting which makes it particularly lovely at night.”

With all the excavation work carried out, the McManaway’s found they ended up with some bonus spaces which they have variously turned into storage areas and a small movie theatre.”

“It is a terrific house to live in,” says Lyndsay. Everyone who worked on it, including my brother-in-law Wally Horncastle our electrician, did such a thorough job and Darryl and his team of builders put up with all our questions so patiently throughout the eighteen-month process. We are so proud of the result.”