When former flight attendant Ailsa Williams began looking for a house in New Zealand, she had three criteria — location, light and views — and a home above Rattray St "hit all three".
Set in a steep, terraced garden just a few minutes’ walk from the city centre, the house has spectacular views.
"I call it my oasis in the middle of the city," she says.
Ms Williams, who recently gave the property a makeover, travelled widely as a child because her late father was a founding member of the UN Secretariat.

"Home" until 2021 was an attic apartment overlooking the Connecticut River. She then became a "Covid retiree" and moved to Dunedin, the city where her parents met and went through university.
The Rattray St house delivered on her three "must-haves" and she knew she could take care of anything else, she says.
"[It] has such charm and character. As soon as I walked in, I had that ‘special feeling’ about it."
Architectural designer Bevan Wood, of Eco Workshop, explains the house was designed in 1949 and has the rectangular forms, generous glazing, flat roof and outdoor balconies that were hallmarks of that era.
The renovations he designed involved converting the laundry into a laundry and bathroom, and removing a brick chimney to open up the space between the dining and living rooms.

The solution was to remove the solid wall and chimney between the two areas but add a section of glass shelving in the middle. The two spaces are divided but have an open, airy feel; the harbour and city views that the living area enjoyed can now be seen from the dining area as well.

Reconfiguring the laundry, which had a toilet off it, was the most challenging part of the renovation because the space was so small. Previously accessed from the deck, it now opens off the kitchen and has a space-saving washer-dryer.
From there, a pocket door leads to the new ground-floor bathroom which, although small, contains a shower, toilet and vanity. With friends from the United States visiting for weeks rather than days, a second bathroom was a priority.
Upstairs, both bedrooms open on to a balcony overlooking St Joseph’s Cathedral. While the lower deck is ideal for entertaining, this one provides sweeping views of Flagstaff, Mt Cargill, Harbour Cone and Otago Harbour.
"Having upper and main decks makes sense because I ‘grew up’ in a 747," Ms Williams says with a laugh.
"I’m so fortunate to have found this unique, quirky house."