A peek into Alice and Caleb Pearson’s original reno redo.
When Alice and Caleb Pearson embarked on their latest home renovation, it was a 360 moment for the couple. The property, an archetypal weatherboard home in Panmure was the first renovation project the couple ever tackled.
The home represented the beginning of many major milestones: 10 subsequent home renovations, winning The Block NZ season 2, the launch of Pearson + Projects, and more. Coming back to the home where it all started 10 years prior, gave the duo cause to reflect upon just how far they’d come.
The couple had initially purchased the property to gain a foothold in the competitive housing market. To get the home to a resalable condition, they set about modernising each of the rooms.
The kitchen and living area received a complete remodel. The bathroom was also re-designed, with new tiling and fixtures for a more contemporary look. Soft, new carpet from Flooring Xtra was installed, with Alice opting for Reside Abode Casa cut pile in the family-friendly colour Lahar, for its comfort and durability. And finally, the exterior and yard were tidied up to give the property some much-valued street appeal, conducive to modern-day living.
Q: What are your top tips for those embarking on a reno?
Before you start your reno, ask yourself why you are doing it. A list of the top reasons, provides the underpinning for what is driving your project. From there, we’d recommend determining the overall design, the scope of the project and the budget, all these factors may be important – or one more so than the other – but having a clear idea will help with decision-making and project management.
Q: How did you come to select your carpet?
While we have become experts in renovating, we value the advice professionals give. We let the Flooring Xtra team know what we were after, which was an affordable, hard-wearing, and good-quality carpet, and we went with their recommendations. Because Reside Abode Casa was one of their most popular carpets, we knew it would be appealing for potential buyers. We chose the shade ‘Lahar’ because it looked great with all four wallpaper patterns and colours for each bedroom.
Q: What were your non-negotiables when re-designing your home?
The kitchen was the focus of our design. We basically designed the kitchen and then decided on the new layout of the living spaces. We wanted to open up the kitchen to the dining and lounge – that was the only non-negotiable.
Q: What advice do you have for readers renovating to sell?
Renovating to sell gives a clear purpose for your renovation, which should drive all your decisions. Do your research, speak with agents and find out what the majority of buyers want in your area. When you renovate to sell, you are essentially renovating for someone else, so don’t let your personal preferences be a priority. But you want your home to stand out and make an impression. While trying to appeal to the buyers, you also need those elements that make your house unique. That is why we did things like select a bold wallpaper and partner it with a popular carpet colour.
