brougham street

m t   v i c t o r i a   |  w e l l i n g t o n 

The Brougham St project presented the challenging scenario of rehabilitating an old 1920's Victorian villa from a set of four flats converted in the 1990's back to the grandeur of the past. The villa was in poor condition but had retained the bones to become something great.

a b o u t   t h e   p r o j e c t

Reversing the flat conversion meant stripping it all back: dropped ceilings out, added kitchens and bathrooms gone, and the era-inappropriate aluminium windows removed — while four old garages left behind a generous ground-floor terrace to work with.

Upstairs, walls came down to create two large front bedrooms with walk-in robes and ensuites, plus three further bedrooms sharing a newly renovated bathroom, with new decks giving the master and upper bedrooms their own outdoor access. Downstairs was realigned back to its Victorian bones — a great room with kitchen and dining, a living room and theatre space to the rear, two new WCs, and a long sun room leading out to a private courtyard sheltered from Wellington's wind. A new kitchen went in alongside a full replacement of electrical, AV, heating and services.

Every window was replaced with salvaged originals, each one chosen for size and proportion to protect the villa's architectural integrity. The porch, previously closed in, was reopened and rebuilt grand and sheltered, with a new hand-fabricated door featuring traditional lead lighting to match the era. Original floors were repaired and polished, ornate detailing replicated throughout — including the wide skirting and architraves — and the interior repainted to bring the villa back to life, finished off with a bold new exterior palette and fresh landscaping.

Brougham St is proof of what's possible when client, architect and builder work as one, even on the most ambitious renovations. The client took a real gamble taking this project on — and in doing so, saved a beautiful villa from being lost for good.