An unused church can be converted into beautiful home

Monday, May 14th, 2018

A number of unused churches in New Zealand are on the market and many will be transformed into homes.

Buyers are attracted by the big spaces and the unique architectural features of the buildings.

In many cases, the former churches are protected by their heritage status which means they cannot be demolished or significantly altered.

Here are three examples of church-to-home transformations:

A desire to escape the Auckland rat race led Nelson’s Steve Galpin and Tor Muriwai to their former Methodist church.

Built in 1904, it had been converted into a café, while at the rear there was a two storey, three-bedroom home, formerly the Sunday school hall.

The pair filled the space with their treasures, but have recently moved on – it was just too big.

Jaimee and Ryan Whiston converted a huge unused church in Dunedin into a home creating a place for their young family in the city’s waterfront suburb of St Clair.

They said “church conversion was never on our radar but we are both creative and really didn’t want another typical renovation.”

When they saw a church was for sale, they just had an overwhelming urge to go and look.

“Once we walked inside and saw the stunning windows, we were sold.”

Clemency Boyce and Greg Donson converted a former Whanganui Presbyterian church hall into a family home for them and their two children.

Donson was one of the children who attended the Sunday school services back in the 80s.

He had many happy memories of the space and, when he returned to Whanganui, he happened to arrange a visit.

Coincidentally the church was planning to sell, so the pair jumped at the chance to convert it into a home to share with their daughter Tilda and son Inigo.

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