A light and bright home office + media room in Remuera

Wanting to make better use out of their garage and media room, Auckland homeowners Isabel and Jean-Marice were seeking a home renovation company that they could rely on. As Jean-Marice works from home, the main priority was to convert the garage into a home office. They also wanted to create some organised storage space for a few of their household tools. Additionally, they wanted to improve the storage arrangement within the home’s existing media room.
“We’d done a few bits and pieces previously and had not been overly impressed with the people”, tells Isabel. “We asked people we knew for recommendations and then people would not turn up or would half do the job. My husband had received a recommendation from someone else for Refresh, but I actually did a Google search and came across the Refresh website. I thought it looked really together - the message was right. I contacted them and they were very responsive and they have been ever since.”

Garage and media room designs

Local Refresh Renovations specialists Corey Rambhai and Michelle Devereux-Rangi worked with Isabel and Jean-Marice on their home’s new design, construction and decor. The first step was to gain a clear understanding of the pair’s priorities.
“It was a very basic garage and we wanted to make the storage clean so that we could see where the garage tools were. We then wanted to make a desk area and change the garage door to something that would allow light in”, explains Isabel. “The media room had been purpose-built for another family. At the time, I think they had a lot of videos so all of the shelves were stuck at a particular height. We couldn’t put our books away - the shelves were just the wrong size. It was old, so we wanted to have something more contemporary that looked nice and that we could put things away in nicely.”
Based on Isabel and Jean-Marice’s specifications, the Refresh Renovations Auckland team created a concept plan followed by a design, project timeline and fixed quote. From there, construction began under Corey and Michelle’s supervision.
“Michelle was great at going out and finding the right people that we needed”, notes Isabel. “We ended up having to do our gutters and she found the best people for the job. She worked really hard to keep the price right but to get the best quality. I really feel that they go out of their way to understand what you need. They’re responsive, they keep you up to date.” 

Garage and media room renovation

Over the ten-week renovation period, Refresh’s Auckland team worked to convert the garage into a usable room. Once the space was prepared, it was painted, new lighting was installed, custom made storage and office cabinetry was created and installed, followed by what Isabel described as a “gorgeous” laser-cut door.

She worked really hard to keep the price right but to get the best quality

Final thoughts

“The garage door is the wow statement”, confirms Michelle. “Now, everything has a place. It’s clean, fresh and decluttered. The office is welcoming and functional."
“The space we created was bright and perfect for working in. It changed how the space was used”,  adds Corey.
In the media/library room, the old shelving was removed and replaced with new custom-made cabinetry which was designed and built on-site. To match the skirting, architraves and cornice, Michelle visited numerous salvage and timber yards around Auckland to find the perfect pieces. The room’s windows, which had originally not been installed correctly, were also replaced using new timber joinery.
 Michelle describes the result as a “beautiful, light and bright library/media room.”   
"There’s been a total transformation in both rooms", adds Corey. "What used to be dark and cluttered spaces are now light, bright and functional.”
“It was better than we thought it was going to be!” enthuses Isabel. "We managed to do something that just looked spectacular. It was great. There was that degree of care. They really looked out for us. They understood what we wanted.”
Since the renovation, Isabel and Jean-Marice have sold the house to new homeowners who Isabel says “love the work that we’ve done”. They are now working with Corey’s team again on their new home.
“It’s a nice professional working relationship with diligent people who seem to have your best interests at heart”, says Isabel of her Refresh Renovations experience. “They’re a highly professional team, really pleasant to work with and really diligent.” 

Get in touch

If you would like to discuss your home renovation with a local specialist, please get in touch to schedule a free consultation.  

All Refresh Renovations franchises are independently owned and operated.