Family Home with Real Soul

Designed to maximise its outstanding situation and constructed in enduring materials this home won an architectural award when it was built 32 years ago. It should win another for proving that timeless quality never dates.

The setting is superb. Cattle graze below in paddocks adjoining the walkway around the Waikaraeo Estuary. The estuary itself glints in the middle ground. The city sparkles in the distance. The 2567m² (nearly two thirds of an acre) section slopes to meet the farmland. It is rare to find so much land in Otumoetai so close to the city; rarer still to be surrounded by mature trees and have 35 species of bird visiting your garden. In the end a home is all about the way it "feels", about the welcome it gives you when you walk in the front door, the feeling of home that is more than the sum of a house and its gardens, more than its views and sunshine. This architect's own home exudes that ambience. No wonder the family has remained happily here ever since they built it. The multi level layout, built to step down the site, has worked wonderfully for family life. There are so many places to go yet every separate area is interlinked so the home flows as well. Outdoor living off every level lets the rooms spill out to their view and surroundings. This home has seen many brilliant sunrises and soaked up the pleasure of morning sun. While three decks face north-east, a further two provide places to go on the western side for afternoon sun. The heart totara decks are just one example of the exceptional materials crafted into this home. Inside high vaulted ceilings are Douglas Fir and New Zealand Kauri gleams as cabinets in the galley kitchen. Old bricks line the herb garden courtyard outside the kitchen door. The entrance, kitchen and bathroom have Italian tiles underfoot. Door handles are ebony. From the family room and associated kitchen a couple of steps lead down to dining and a peaceful library overlooking the living room below. A central brick fireplace separates the main living room from another intimate seating area opening to the deck. A separate room on a slightly lower level can be a large home office if it's not taken by a teenager. Its special deck is perfect for languid afternoons looking into the trees. Two family bedrooms, one with a mezzanine level above, open to their own private deck. The master suite occupies the upper level, an all encompassing space for a restful night after a soak in the spa bath gazing at the stars. Ample vehicle storage is provided with three carports, one suitable for a motor home or boat, plus a lockup garage / "man's shed" / workshop. The artistic flow of the garden is enhanced with the petanque court under the spreading magnolia tree, this property balances beautifully the practical with the pleasurable. Relax, walk around, feel the layers of happy memories. Look forward to creating many more for your family in this very special home.