Award-Winning Heritage Villa Renovation

You Build transformed this early-1900s Nelson villa into a modern, light-filled family home while carefully preserving its original character.

The comprehensive heritage renovation added approximately 50m², including a two-bedroom extension, and involved significant structural and exterior work including repiling, re-roofing, re-cladding, rebuilding foundations and walls, and restoring the original sash windows with double glazing.

The result is a seamless combination of old and new, retaining the villa’s deep skirting boards, cornices, ceiling roses and traditional proportions while introducing contemporary living spaces, luxury bathrooms and modern heating and services.

Respecting the Original Villa

A century of additions had left the property disjointed and dark. You Build removed two substantial lean-tos and restored the original form of the villa before carefully integrating the new extension.

The new kitchen, dining and living areas embrace the home’s northern aspect, bringing natural light and views towards Nelson’s cathedral, surrounding church steeples and the Centre of New Zealand into the heart of the home.

Timeless materials, bespoke cabinetry, American and engineered oak flooring, walnut bathroom vanities and Calacatta Gold tiles create a sophisticated finish designed to complement the original architecture.

Seamless Old and New

A key objective was making the new work feel as though it had always belonged to the original house.

You Build project manager Jordi van der Geest worked closely with the owners and project team to reproduce period details including architraves, cornices and ceiling roses.

As architectural designer Tony Karsten explains:

“The perfect renovation is one where you can no longer tell where the old house ends and the new begins.”

That seamlessness became one of the defining features of the finished renovation.

Master Builders Award-Winning Renovation

The project received five major honours at the Master Builders House of the Year Awards:

Regional Supreme Renovation of the Year
Regional Category Winner
Regional Plumbing World Bathroom Excellence
Regional Gold
Top 100 nationally

For You Build, 28 Shelbourne Street represents our approach to heritage and character home renovations in Nelson — preserving the craftsmanship and history of an original home while giving it a future.

Our experience includes repiling, re-cladding, re-roofing, structural renovation, restoration and extensions.

You Build — heritage and character home renovation specialists in Nelson and Tasman.