It took a little less than a year, from the initial clearing until settlement day. When we first signed the contract to build this house, I had no idea how much I’d love the space – it was an empty lot, a pile of drawings, innumerable approvals from the Council, and a handful of specifications for finishes. But there’s no way to predict how the house will feel when it’s completed. After all, it’s really just an empty box – what matters are the contents and the humans occupying the space, imbuing the house with Danish hygge.
There are 2 olive trees flanking the front steps (I named them Tom and Jerry, of course). The interior will never be finished, for a couple of different reasons, but mostly because I think living spaces are living things – they evolve and change and reflect the thoughts and feelings of its occupants. It took us months to get the first version right. We scoured the country, north to south, to find the pieces that turned a blank-walled box into our home, and we loved it. The furniture was comfortable and welcoming; the accents were mirrors of our personalities. It was beautiful, and it was ours.
The house is still ours, technically. At the moment, we have some lovely tenants renting the house from us, as we figure out the next chapter. I’ve relocated back to the US, but I sort of love having a long-distance tether to Queenstown. We waited (what felt like) ages for the house, we spent countless hours and heaps of dollars making it gorgeous, and it was home. A little piece of my heart will always belong there, no matter what. But for now, that sense of coziness and comfort remains one of my best memories.
Beautiful place….