Transforming a 1940s bungalow into a modern family home meant a total makeover by former Block contestants Ben and Quinn Alexandre.
So they chose PDL by Schneider Electric’s award-winning future-ready PDL Iconic™ switch range to complete the new look.
The history of a house is usually reflected in its architecture, but for Quinn and Ben Alexandre, it was the light switches that revealed most about the bungalow they renovated recently in Christchurch. The four-bedroom home in Linwood contained PDL switches from every decade since the house had been built – from a black 1940s switch in the laundry through to paint-covered switches from the 1990s.
No strangers to renovation
“It was crazy,” laughs Quinn, as she recalls making their initial plans to makeover the property after buying it in early 2016. The couple are no strangers to renovation, having become familiar faces during their stint on the 2014 season of TV3’s reality show The Block. Taking on another renovation project (although away from the cameras) felt like familiar territory for them, but this time they had toddler Cooper, and also welcomed baby daughter Daisy halfway through, in December 2016.
Badly run-down
They describe the house as being “badly run-down” when they bought it, but with good solid bones so they could see the potential for transforming it into a modern family home. “It was just the décor mainly,” says Quinn. “Aesthetically, it needed a lot of work. The carpet was bright red, and the walls were all yellow and the curtains were multi-coloured. It was the carpet that was the main ‘holy moly!’.” Outside, there was a wooden wheelchair ramp and little to no garden, but plenty of space to develop an outdoor entertaining area.
A major upgrade
Looking to give the property a major upgrade, Ben and Quinn set about adding their touch to the house. “We were trying to create something comfortable, low maintenance, and easy living for a family,” says Ben. While he concentrated on the outside, building a large deck, re-roofing and making the neglected garden more family-friendly, Quinn devoted her time to updating the interior. “I wanted to freshen it up and make it more modern. I did white throughout the whole house as that brightens everything up. The aim was modern and light and airy.”
Importance of having the right switches
Having worked with PDL by Schneider Electric during their time on The Block, the pair understood the importance of having the right switches when it comes to the overall look of a home and in the day-today experience of those using them. “Until you change the switches you just don’t get the effect it can have,” says Ben. “Just walking into a house with a nice light switch, when you flick it on it makes an enormous difference.”
They wanted a modern look for the new switches throughout the house and visited PDL’s Vision Studio showroom in Christchurch to see what would suit the renovation and budget they were planning. After browsing the various styles available, it was the simple lines of the new PDL Iconic™ range that caught their eye. “It looked modern,” explains Ben. “It was clean and sleek and we chose it straight away.”
They were in good company: PDL Iconic™ also impressed the design industry, winning the prestigious 2017 Gold Design Award from the Designers Institute of New Zealand in the Consumer Category. Judges praised its attention to detail, ease of installation, user flexibility and impeccable production values.
