78 MOANA AVE, ONE TREE HILL * 4 off-street parks. When people ask Paul Leighton how long he's been working on restoring his early 1900s home, he tells them, "I'm 20 years into a three-year project". That sense of humour kept him going as he chipped away at a huge project, returning the home to its former glory after it was chopped into smaller rooms and run as a boarding house. "I like to be busy and enjoy working with my hands," says Paul. Not long after he and his late wife Linda bought the property in 1996, they embarked on a major addition, extending the top storey with the help of architectural consultants Peter G Beaumont & Associates. This seamless addition adds to the home's grand proportions, something that was slowly revealed as Paul opened up the rooms. "As I pulled it to bits, I'd see the different room layouts of the original home," Paul says. "The living area, for example, was divided up into five rooms." The Leightons also had a stone wall built around the property and removed some trees to develop gardens that feature port wine magnolias and flowering cherries, with box hedging fringed with grasses providing structure.

Linda, who was an Auckland City councillor, was the driving force behind creating the formal gardens. The new greeny-grey and white colour scheme on the weatherboard and shingle exterior sits well in the garden compared to the previous brown hues. Stained-glass panels flank the front door and these were used as inspiration for other stained-glass windows that the Leightons had made for other parts of the house. Inside, the home's timber floors and joinery have been beautifully restored including wood panels in the formal lounge that have been stripped back and oiled. Paul says this lounge used to be a smoking room for "the old boys" and the ceiling was yellowed by smoke. These days it is white and restored, and the room is warmed by a modern open fireplace. Across the hallway, the formal dining room looks out to the front garden, and further down the hallway is a bathroom and laundry before you reach the airy open-plan kitchen/dining/living area. Rimu cabinetry and benches feature in the kitchen, which the Leightons had built.

More PropertyHome TruthsHousing Data ExplainedBusiness ToolboxBusiness Videos A bank of windows on the western wall overlooks the swimming pool, as does the patio on the northern side of the house. garage door spring anchor plateAt the opposite end of the house, back past the entrance, there is another living space with a curved bay window and modern open fire that Paul uses as a TV room, and a bedroom across the hall. sliding door track cap australiaA wooden staircase curves up to the top floor where there are four more bedrooms and two tiled bathrooms. used 4 door jeep wrangler arkansasAt the top of the stairs there is a window seat with views to the south. sliding barn doors lowes

"I remember when we came to look at the house we sat there thinking what we could do with it," says Paul. At this end of the house, the master bedroom has a corner window seat, an en suite with railway tiles, and an office nook flanked by wooden pillars that has a walk-in wardrobe off it. At the northern end of the house, another large bedroom has views of One Tree Hill to the north and the Manukau Harbour and Pah Homestead and Monte Cecilia Park to the west. The latter was one of Linda's passions. As a city councillor she fought to have the historic house and park preserved. One of the bedrooms off the hall has a small door that opens to a kids' playspace - a favourite spot for grandchildren. With his work done here, Paul is not moving far - "about 400m as the crow flies" but has bought a modern home on a smaller site. "I want to spend more time at the beach and with the grandkids." 135 TiroTiro Road, Levin, Horowhenua Land Size: 806 m2 Dwelling Area: 119 m2 This old girl has been a real stunner in her day and with some previous modern alterations and decor, she's still not a bad looker.

From the stained glass front door panels to the colonial period archways, wooden panelling and the stairway to the attic, there is still room to return her to her former glory.Featuring two double bedrooms, one with spa bath in the ensuite, separate lounge with doors opening to patio, open plan kitchen and dining areas.Nicely landscaped gardens, well fenced section with the bonus of a double garage.Time and a bit of effort would be well spent on this old girl.A home is not just a building, it's also a state of mind. For New Zealander Lily Duval, it meant creating a charming, cozy space out of her self-built 150-square-foot tiny home, where she could have her beloved book collection front and center, while also showcasing some colorful vintage items in her sunny kitchen.Duval, who had no previous building experience, constructed this tiny home last year in a small Christchurch community run by a land trust. She started from scratch, building over a trailer that she purchased for around $8,000.

The scheme was designed around a custom-made bookshelf with cupboards that Duval made herself, and which she modified to fit into the new home.NZ House and Garden Magazine/Video screen captureNZ House and Garden Magazine/Video screen captureNZ House and Garden Magazine/Video screen captureLike many other tiny housers around the world, one of the main reasons why Duval chose to live smaller was for financial security. "The idea of having a mortgage just seems too frightening," she says.It is a warm, welcoming space that exudes comfort and character. To maximize a 5.5 metres long, 2.5 metres wide and 4.2 metres high small space by adding some multi-functionality, Duval has a unwritten rule that everything has to have more than one function, or can be stored in unexpected places. For example, the kitchen table also doubles as a office space where she can work. Tools and small items have magnetic tape attached to them so that she can stick things on her refrigerator. A book shelf on the sleeping loft doubles as a safety rail.

There is a trap door that reveals extra storage.NZ House and Garden Magazine/Video screen captureNZ House and Garden Magazine/Video screen captureNZ House and Garden Magazine/Video screen captureNZ House and Garden Magazine/Video screen captureOther things, like the stained glass windowed door that she bought used off TradeMe, are indulgent touches of necessary beauty, something that Duval looks at and enjoys everyday. A good portion of the house, from flooring to exterior cladding to the $20 galvanized shower-tub, is made from free or recycled materials.The $30,000 build was funded by a small inheritance that her father left for her when he passed away. Duval's intention was to make good use of this legacy. Building a tiny house meant she could have shelter, while saving as much money as possible."For me, the big motivation was doing something worthwhile with my money, but also challenging myself to not keep acquiring things," says Duval, who admits she's an avid thrifter. "Every single thing I ever pick up, I have to say, ‘do I really want this?'"