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Secondhand shopping guide
~Finder’s Fi
House hunting? Here’s how to find the perfect mix of old and new
TextbyFionaRalph. IllustrationbyEveKennedy.AHEAD
THINKYH&Gis committedtofeaturingstories
witha sustainablefocus.Readmoreeco
storiesathomestolove.co.nz/green-living.H
aving finally started the
search for my first house,
I’ve discovered it’s not
that easy to find a home
with the vintage vibes
I love, as well as the
modern comforts and sustainable elements
of a new build.
As much as I appreciate staying true
to an era, the type of home that makes my
heart beat faster – such as an art deco icon,
a mid-century masterpiece, or a perfectly
preserved bungalow – will need some
renovation to ensure it’s light, sunny and
cosy. I love the quirks of earlier eras but
I’ve lived in enough chilly homes to know
that passive heating, insulation and double
glazing are worth investing in.
As previously discussed in this column,
I love the look of old kitchens, but I’ve rifled
around in enough poky cupboards to accept
that a newer kitchen is easier to use.
Similarly, I love the style of older bathrooms,
but some restorative work to the tub, vanity
and toilet would go down well.
The issue is, I don’t have the funds
to buy a perfectly renovated home, or
the patience to do my own extensive
renovation. So it’s a case of finding the right
mix of old and new, and potentially adding
character through furnishings and fittings.
Even those who turn their noses up at
secondhand goods will most likely have
to accept some preloved elements when
buying a home. Unless you opt for a new
build or undertake an extensive renovation,
olderfittingsandout-of-datestructural
elementsarelurkingineveryhome.
There’salsotheoptionofbuyingand
renovatinga relocatablehouse.Thesecan
sellforjusta fewthousanddollarsandsome
areevenlistedonTradeMeforaslittleas
$1.However,youstillneedtospendaround
$150,000topreparethesite,relocatethe
house,installit ona sectionandhookit up
toservices,andthenthere’stherenovationon top of that. Did I mention I don’t have
very much patience?!
My husband and I looked at an ‘eco’
kitset home and discovered it wasn’t all that
environmentally conscious after all. Building
from scratch and working with eco suppliers
might be a better way to go, and we could
choosetobuildwithrepurposedmaterials.
Whateverhomeweendupwith,we’ll
needtobringinvintagepiecestosoftenits
newfeatures,andupdateolderelementsto
bringthemintothe21stcentury.Furniture
andfittingscangoa longwaywhenit comes
toaddingcharactertoa newhome,and
modernpieceshelptobalanceouta retro
abode.It’sallaboutfindingtheperfectmix
foryouandyourlifestyle.MIXING MODERN WITH VINTAGE
+To add vintage style to a newer home, look for
quality furnishings such as mid-century sideboards
and solid wooden tables.
+Vintage artworks will look more current when
reframed, while new prints can look good in
secondhand frames.
+Purchasevintagecushionsormakesomewith
secondhandfabrictoaccenta newloungesuite.
+If you’rerenovatinga bathroomorkitchen,reuse
cabinetryknobsorhandles.
+Addcharacterwithvintagelightfittingsfrom
placeslikeTheVintageShop.•Photography by Helen Bankers
yhg | 127M