Groundskeeper's cottage

Rose Cottage is a pretty Victorian house, an authentic example of an early settler’s home built before 1890, originally situated with no neighbours within cooee.

The cottage started simply as a two room house, with a front veranda and central front door with windows each side. It grew with various owners, and through style eras and renovations over the decades. The two roomed house with an outside privy changed with each successive owner into a modernised three bedroomed dwelling. The cottage has long ago given up its early use as the groundskeeper’s residence, as well as its rural isolation. Although it has undergone much change, Rose Cottage still retains the late Victorian charm that distinguishes many of the buildings of this historic inner city suburb.

The spur for this project was the need to replace the roof. Sitting just below the road a red roof has long been a prominent feature of this home and it was fitting to continue this link with its past. The starting point for the colour scheme was a traditional metal Pioneer Red roof.

Resene Lumbersider low sheen tinted to Resene Dust Storm used on the weatherboards nicely references the cottage’s name, Rose Cottage. Veranda posts, windows and door trim and lacework were picked out in Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel tinted to Resene Soapstone, Resene Cha Cha and Resene Tosca.

What could have been interpreted as faults – the time twisted veranda poles, and walls not constantly standing at right angles – are highlighted, emphasising the idiosyncrasies of the house. On the veranda decking a soft Resene Hillary adds a nostalgic feel, while the street frontage is soft and welcoming, painted in Resene Soapstone to link it to the veranda.

The sensitivity of these colours reflects the elegance and whimsy of this long-standing building and the vintage 1920s garage. Resene Summit Roof tinted to Resene Red Oxide was used for the traditional corrugated iron fence.

Ironically the first job planned – the roof – was the last job to be completed.

Colour selection: Penny Clark and Janette Anderson
Project: Resene Total Colour Awards 2013

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