The house at 21 Salamanca Road is a two-storey Victorian villa with a converted attic space. The simplicity of its design, ornamentation and detailing stands in stark contrasts to the fine and ornate public buildings designed by John Campbell in his role as Government Architect.
The roof is perhaps the most complex feature of the house, and is clearly visible from Salamanca Road. The main roof features an original lantern-light, albeit with new fenestration, and three modern and overly-large modern roof-lights – one each to the west, east and north.
The principal (west) elevation faces Salamanca Road, and the upper (first) floor is approximately level with the road. The original verandah to the left (north) of the main entrance door has been partially in-filled, and a pair of glazed screens added to form a porch. John Campbell’s 1904 additions are visible to the right (south) of the main entrance door – particularly the bedroom and the small ‘bay-window’ addition that lights the stair.
The north elevation has been compromised by an ill-conceived modern infill to the first floor balcony, but is otherwise in near-original condition. It features a fine bay window with a decorative barge-gable detail, and parts of what were presumably the original balcony balustrade, are also visible.
The east elevation to Clermont Terrace appears to have had the fewest modern alterations or additions. It features a prominent octagonal bay window to the north-east that was designed to give panoramic views across Wellington harbour. The c.1904 verandah/balcony addition and the c.1904 first floor bedroom addition are also visible.
The garage is a modern addition and is of lesser quality design and materials than the house to which it serves.
The south elevation has been effectively obscured by the addition of an ultra-modern house that was built when the site was subdivided.
A 1997 visit to the house as part of the Heritage Building Interiors Project found that the house had undergone many changes and alterations since its construction, including its conversion into two flats and its re-conversion into a single house. The style of internal elements in the house were found to be eclectic, with some remaining features of the original Victorian design, and other features that would have been later Edwardian, and Arts and Craft’s detailing.
The two-storey octagonal bay window at the north-east corner of the site is a key feature of the ground floor former dining room, and the first floor drawing room. Both of these rooms feature a fine kauri fire surround that are both decorated with oak carved panels. The architraves around the windows to the octagonal bay were also notable as were the stair and the first floor entrance hall.
