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This Old Fraternity Hall Is Not Your Average Family Home
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Photographed by Larnie Nicolson for Lonny, styled by Sam van Kan.
When most of us think of a community hall, "cozy family home" generally isn't first to spring to mind.
For New Zealander and mom-of-one Jessica Britten, bringing a drafty old boys club back to life has been a three-year-long challenge that she wouldn't trade for anything.
"We stumbled across the hall by chance, during an online search for one-bedroom properties," admits Britten, when asked how a 115-year-old fraternity hall becomes a light, bright, and beautiful family home.
"Despite being enormous, it showed up in our search because technically, it only has one bedroom! We had been actively searching for a home for around two-years, and things were starting to feel pretty dispirited. In that time, we'd looked at all types of homes, in all different areas. We wanted somewhere that had personality, somewhere we could potentially make our money go further."
Step inside and it's hard to fault the couple's pared-back, mid-century styling, crisp aesthetic and laidback, family-friendly vibe. Tired walls receive new life with fresh coats of Dulux paint, while warm, timber dividers help create a multitude of practical living spaces.
Fancy the full tour of this artfully restored grand old dame? Keep scrolling for serious DIY inspiration.
BoConcept Sofa; Flooring Xtra Rug; Nodi Jute; McMullin & Co. Armchairs; Città Assorted Pillows; Vintage Turkish Pouf; Vintage Artwork; Flooring Xtra Sheepskin; Nodi Area Rug; Heirloom Armchairs; Heirloom Sculptures; Asili Accent Pieces; Trade Aid, Vintage Toys; Trade Aid Customized Baskets; Vintage Customized Filing Cabinet.
For New Zealander and mom-of-one Jessica Britten, bringing a drafty old boys club back to life has been a three-year-long challenge that she wouldn't trade for anything.
"We stumbled across the hall by chance, during an online search for one-bedroom properties," admits Britten, when asked how a 115-year-old fraternity hall becomes a light, bright, and beautiful family home.
"Despite being enormous, it showed up in our search because technically, it only has one bedroom! We had been actively searching for a home for around two-years, and things were starting to feel pretty dispirited. In that time, we'd looked at all types of homes, in all different areas. We wanted somewhere that had personality, somewhere we could potentially make our money go further."
Step inside and it's hard to fault the couple's pared-back, mid-century styling, crisp aesthetic and laidback, family-friendly vibe. Tired walls receive new life with fresh coats of Dulux paint, while warm, timber dividers help create a multitude of practical living spaces.
Fancy the full tour of this artfully restored grand old dame? Keep scrolling for serious DIY inspiration.
BoConcept Sofa; Flooring Xtra Rug; Nodi Jute; McMullin & Co. Armchairs; Città Assorted Pillows; Vintage Turkish Pouf; Vintage Artwork; Flooring Xtra Sheepskin; Nodi Area Rug; Heirloom Armchairs; Heirloom Sculptures; Asili Accent Pieces; Trade Aid, Vintage Toys; Trade Aid Customized Baskets; Vintage Customized Filing Cabinet.
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