Completed Hillcrest kitchen with white cabinetry, a central island, built-in appliances and timber flooring

Full Home Renovation · Hillcrest, North Shore

Hillcrest Full Home
Renovation Project

A Hillcrest family chose to stay in the area they loved and renovate their existing home. By changing the layout, they gained an island kitchen, a home office, an ensuite and better use of the existing floor space.

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Location: Hillcrest, North Shore
Project: Home renovation
Approach: Change the existing layout
Key focus: Make better use of the existing space

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02 The project

A better home in the area they loved

The family liked their Hillcrest location, but the house no longer worked well for them. They needed another bathroom, better bedrooms, more storage and a better use of the existing floor space.

The house had one bathroom and no ensuite. A narrow bedroom was being used as a playroom, the hallway took up more space than it needed, and part of the living room had no clear use.

TRT reworked the home within its existing footprint: a U-shaped kitchen became an island kitchen, a living-room corner became a semi-enclosed home office, and the new layout made room for a master ensuite, walk-in wardrobe, better bedrooms and laundry. The structural changes required building consent; damaged drainage discovered beneath the slab was replaced and inspected.

Location: Hillcrest, Auckland
Region: North Shore
Service: Full home renovation
Family relocated: Approximately three months during construction
Completed spaces: Kitchen, home office, master suite, bathrooms and laundry

03 The transformation

A kitchen redesigned around an island

Closing an unused doorway created more wall space for cabinetry. The U-shaped kitchen was replaced with a central island, creating more room to move around the kitchen.

After: Hillcrest kitchen with a central island, white cabinetry and black refrigerator — Kitchen / Hillcrest transformation

Before: Hillcrest kitchen with a peninsula, white cabinetry and small internal doorway — Kitchen / Hillcrest transformation

01 / Before

The original kitchen

The U-shaped kitchen had a peninsula and a doorway leading to the back hallway. The doorway reduced the wall space available for cabinetry and limited the kitchen layout.

02 / After

The renovated kitchen

The unused doorway was closed to create more wall space for cabinetry. The U-shaped layout was replaced with a central island that can be accessed from all sides.

04 Project challenge / Layout transformation

Making more of the existing floor plan

The house already had enough floor space, but some of it was not being used well. TRT reworked the hallway, bedrooms, laundry and living area instead of extending the house.

01 / Project challenge

Some of the floor space was not being used well

The house had one bathroom and no ensuite. A narrow bedroom was being used as a playroom, the hallway took up a large amount of floor space, and part of the living room had become a place for toys.

Original Bathrooms: One, with no ensuite
Kitchen Layout: U-shape to central island
New Workspace: Semi-enclosed home office
Consented Work: Structural layout changes

After: spacious Hillcrest living area with exposed beams, pale carpet and built-in desk — Living-room corner / Hillcrest transformation

BEFORE

An underused living-room corner

The L-shaped corner beside the main living area did not have a clear use and had become a place for the children's toys and television.

AFTER

A semi-enclosed home office

The corner became a semi-enclosed home office with custom bifold sliding doors, built-in shelving, a custom table and LED strip lighting.

02 / Layout transformation

Reworking the bedroom, hallway and laundry

Part of the laundry was used to make the narrow bedroom larger. Space from the oversized hallway was then used for a bedroom, laundry and extra storage.

Renovated Hillcrest living room with exposed timber beams, light carpet, a wood burner and a built-in desk nook — After renovation / HillcrestThe original timber beams and fireplace were kept beside the new home office.

The outcome

A more functional Hillcrest home with an island kitchen, dedicated workspace, added bathrooms and better use
of the existing floor area.

05 More before & after

Keeping the original features that still worked

The original brick fireplace, wood burner and timber beams were kept. The family bathroom was renovated and the laundry was reworked as part of the full home renovation.

After: retained brick fireplace and black wood burner beside the renovated living area — Fireplace / Hillcrest renovation

Before

Original brick fireplace and wood burner

The living room had a brick fireplace, black wood burner and exposed timber beams.

After

Original fireplace and timber beams retained

The fireplace and wood burner were kept, and LED strip lighting was added to the existing timber beams.

After: Hillcrest bathroom with glass shower, wall-hung vanity, round mirror and grey tiles — Bathroom / Hillcrest renovation

Before

A compact bathroom and laundry

Before the renovation, the house had one bathroom and no ensuite. The laundry was also located in this space.

After

New ensuite, renovated bathroom and reworked laundry

The renovation added an ensuite to the master bedroom, renovated the family bathroom and reworked the laundry.

06 Renovation scope

What changed in the home

The existing layout was changed to add an ensuite and home office, improve the bedrooms and laundry, and make better use of the hallway and storage space.

01Use part of the oversized hallway for a bedroom, laundry and storage
02Make the narrow bedroom larger using space from the adjoining laundry
03Create a master ensuite and walk-in wardrobe
04Turn a living room corner into a semi-enclosed home office
05Reorganise the kitchen around a central island
06Retain the brick fireplace, wood burner and exposed timber beams
07Renovate the family bathroom and laundry facilities
08Replace damaged clay drainage discovered beneath the concrete slab

07 Key completed spaces

Kitchen, home office, master suite, bathrooms and laundry

The renovation included a new kitchen layout, semi-enclosed home office, master ensuite and walk-in wardrobe, renovated family bathroom and reworked laundry.

Completed spaces

01Kitchen with central island
02Semi-enclosed home office
03Master suite and walk-in wardrobe
04Family bathroom and laundry

Completed Hillcrest kitchen with white cabinetry, central island, pale benchtops and warm timber flooring — Kitchen with central island / Hillcrest

Hillcrest family bathroom with grey tiled walls, floating vanity, vessel sink and backlit mirror — Family bathroom / Hillcrest

08 Project gallery

The completed Hillcrest home

29 images

Bright modern kitchen with white cabinetry, central island bench, built-in appliances, and timber flooring. — kitchenKitchen and central island

Modern white kitchen with island bench, black double-door refrigerator, built-in oven, and timber flooring. — kitchenKitchen with integrated appliances

Modern kitchen sink area with stainless steel basin, brushed nickel faucet, white cabinetry, and window blinds providing natural light. — kitchenSink and window work zone

Close-up of modern induction cooktop with integrated extractor and red stovetop coffee maker on white quartz countertop. — kitchenInduction cooking zone

Modern kitchen with built-in black oven and double-door refrigerator set within white cabinetry and timber flooring. — kitchenFull-height kitchen cabinetry

Modern kitchen with custom pull-out pantry drawers, white cabinetry, central island bench, and black double-door refrigerator. — kitchenPull-out pantry storage

Spacious modern kitchen with white cabinetry, large island bench, built-in appliances, and timber flooring. — kitchenOpen kitchen overview

Freestanding wood-burning fireplace with brick surround and hearth in a cozy living room corner. — livingLiving room fireplace

Spacious living room with exposed timber ceiling beams, large windows with curtains, and freestanding wood fireplace. — livingLiving room and timber beams

Bright living room with exposed timber ceiling beams, built-in shelving nook with LED lighting, and large windows with curtains. — livingLiving room with timber beams and fireplace

Modern living area with built-in desk nook, floating shelves with LED lighting, and exposed timber ceiling beams. — livingIntegrated study in the living area

Custom built-in study nook with floating timber desk, open shelving, and integrated LED strip lighting. — livingCustom study nook

Utility cupboard with hot water cylinder, exposed plumbing, and built-in storage shelves. — roomsService cupboard storage

Hallway storage area with built-in timber shelves and sliding wardrobe doors. — roomsHallway storage

Small bedroom with neutral walls, carpet flooring, recessed ceiling lights, and window with roller blind. — roomsRenovated bedroom

Empty bedroom with neutral walls, carpet flooring, recessed ceiling lights, and large window with sheer and blackout curtains. — roomsBedroom with layered window treatments

Minimalist bedroom with neutral walls, carpet flooring, recessed ceiling lights, and window with full-length curtains. — roomsNeutral modern bedroom

Empty bedroom with built-in wardrobe, sliding mirrored doors, carpet flooring, and neutral white walls. — roomsBedroom and mirrored wardrobe

Walk-in wardrobe with built-in shelving and hanging rails leading to a modern ensuite bathroom with glass shower. — roomsWalk-in wardrobe to ensuite

Empty bedroom with built-in sliding wardrobe, carpet flooring, and recessed ceiling lighting. — roomsBedroom with built-in wardrobe

Modern ensuite bathroom with glass walk-in shower, grey tiled walls, floating vanity, and backlit mirror. — bathroomMaster ensuite

Compact modern bathroom with floating vanity, vessel sink, oval backlit mirror, and minimalist toilet. — bathroomFamily bathroom

Contemporary bathroom with grey tiled walls, floating vanity, vessel sink, backlit mirror, and heated towel rail. — bathroomFamily bathroom vanity

Modern bathroom with glass corner shower, grey tiled walls, floating vanity with vessel sink, and backlit mirror. — bathroomBathroom and glass shower

Modern bathroom with glass shower, textured vessel sink, floating vanity, and backlit oval mirror. — bathroomBathroom vanity detail

Compact modern bathroom and laundry combo with double front-loading washers, floating vanity, and tiled splashback. — laundryBathroom and laundry zone

Modern laundry area with stainless steel sink, white subway tile splashback, and front-loading washing machine. — laundryLaundry sink and storage

Modern laundry room with double front-loading washer and dryer, white subway tile splashback, and overhead cabinetry with LED lighting. — laundryCompleted laundry cabinetry

Thank-you gift from James after the Hillcrest renovation, including sparkling wine and chocolates — HandoverA thank-you from James

09Planning a similar renovation?

Auckland’s Full Home Renovation Specialists

One experienced team to plan and coordinate your full home renovation, from the first layout decisions through to the finished spaces.

Families who love their location but need a home that works better
Homeowners deciding whether to renovate, extend or move
People with underused rooms and awkward circulation space
Homeowners renovating a kitchen, bathrooms and laundry together
Auckland families seeking one coordinated renovation team

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10 Renovation process

How we manage a full home renovation

A clear renovation plan helps keep the scope, decisions, trades and timing organised from the start. The exact process depends on the property and agreed scope of work.

01

Discuss the home

Understand the property, the problems to solve and the renovation goals before defining solutions.
02

Define scope & priorities

Bring the renovation areas into one clear brief, separating essential work from optional improvements.
03

Coordinate planning & pricing

Resolve key decisions, consent requirements where applicable, selections, sequencing and pricing before construction begins.
04

Manage construction & trades

Coordinate the builders and trades across the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, flooring and other agreed work.
05

Finish, detail & hand over

Complete final quality checks, finishing details and the agreed handover process.

11 The result

More space from the existing layout

The kitchen now has a central island, and the master bedroom gained an ensuite and walk-in wardrobe. The family bathroom was renovated, the laundry and bedrooms were reworked, and more storage was added.

An underused corner of the living room became a semi-enclosed home office. The original fireplace, wood burner and timber beams were kept. By changing the existing layout instead of extending the house, the family was able to stay in Hillcrest.

Project decision

STAY and renew

Changing the existing layout gave the family the space they needed without moving or extending the house.

We can change the house, but you can’t change the land.
James Goren

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12 Relevant renovation services

Services for renovation projects like this

The Hillcrest project brought together layout changes, a redesigned kitchen, an ensuite, a family bathroom and an upgraded laundry within one coordinated full home renovation.

01

Villa & bungalow renovations

Thoughtful upgrades for established Auckland homes.

Explore service 02

Kitchen renovations

Rethink kitchens around cooking, storage, movement and gathering.

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Bathroom renovations

Plan ensuites and family bathrooms for practical, comfortable daily routines.

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13 Hillcrest renovation FAQ

Common questions about this Hillcrest renovation

These answers describe the Hillcrest family's decisions, layout changes, consent and drainage work. Scope and timeframes vary between properties.

Why did the family renovate instead of moving?

They liked the Hillcrest location, sunny elevated site, double garage and outdoor space. Their main problems were inside the house, so they explored how a better layout could meet their needs while allowing them to stay.

How was the existing floor space put to better use?

Part of an oversized hallway became useful space for a bedroom, laundry and storage. An awkward corner bedroom was reshaped by reclaiming space from the laundry, while the master bedroom gained an ensuite and walk-in wardrobe.

What changed in the Hillcrest kitchen?

The original U-shaped kitchen and its redundant internal doorway were reworked. Closing the doorway created more room for cabinetry, and an island layout improved movement around the kitchen.

Did the Hillcrest renovation require building consent?

Yes. Structural changes and the new layout required building consent. An architect developed drawings with the homeowners, and the approved plans informed the construction work.

What was discovered beneath the concrete floor?

Existing clay drainage pipes were cracked and broken, with tree roots entering the pipework. The additional drainage work was quoted, approved, completed and inspected before the concrete slab was reinstated.

Which parts of the home were updated?

The work included the kitchen, master ensuite and walk-in wardrobe, reshaped bedrooms, family bathroom, laundry and storage. The living space gained a built-in home office, while the brick fireplace and exposed timber beams were retained.

How long was the family away during construction?

The homeowners stayed in an Airbnb for approximately three months, with the additional drainage work contributing to the programme. This describes their time away; a precise construction duration for the project has not been published.

14Your full home renovation starts here

Could a renovation help you stay in the area you love?

Tell us about your home, the spaces that no longer work and what you would like to change. We can review the property and discuss a suitable renovation scope and next steps.

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TRT · The Renovation Team Auckland, New Zealand +64 21 230 5511

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