'The Heartland'...

Whether you're talking location, the rich fertile land, or the style, the quality, the warmth and comfort; whether you're talking the 'feel', the 'ambience' of the home.......it's all about the heart.

This classic contemporary home feels timeless and completely established in its avocado orchard setting.
The owner had a clear vision of a home that referenced the best of our colonial design and included features that would take it well into the future. Mark Tatton made it an architectural reality. Award winning builders Miles Everton Limited created it. Interior designer, Lynette Lochhead, advised on décor that would respect the design heritage but give it a contemporary edge.

The result is a warm comfortable home that engenders all those emotions associated with home and hearth, but has every modern convenience. There may be leadlight insets in the Rimu double front door, "dado" topped paneling in the entrance, subtly patterned cornices and deep skirtings, but under the timber, carpeted and tiled floors thermostatically controlled diesel heating means the jetmaster gas fires simply add ambience.

There may be copious French doors opening to rolled verandahs and huge decks, but the joinery is aluminium, set in timber surrounds with window sills. The roof may be traditional long run iron but sky lights flood sunlight through the cathedral ceiling. The wide exterior weatherboards are linea painted masala.

The second lounge focuses on the antique kauri mantelpiece, and is enclosed by rich sumptuous self printed velvet drapes. But the screen and ceiling mounted projector transform it to a state of the art media room.

The country kitchen is a delightful mix of French provincial and English colonial with beaten pewter handles and a huge slab of "fourth generation" Rimu on the centre island. The granite benches, three sinks, the classic range with double oven, and the quality appliances have proven well up to entertaining family and friends who consistently gravitated to this home for their celebrations and gatherings.

There are four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a powder room and a country life sized laundry. The two double bedrooms downstairs share a bathroom where the claw foot bath coexists harmoniously with a glass shower. The master bedroom has pitched ceilings and French doors to a private deck. This special haven is enhanced by the marble topped American oak cabinetry in the en suite, and the huge dressing room

The rural view across the pool is not impeded by fencing due to landscaper Mark Cashmore's ingenious sunken beds of camellias that provide natural protection. His garden design is formal but unpretentious and leads naturally into the avocados - 18 on the 6770m2 home property and a further 50 or so on the 3500m2 block giving you just over 1 hectare in total). A large shed behind the triple garage adds implement or storage space.

This property has succeeded, without fuss, in melding colonial and contemporary and in delivering a carefree country lifestyle just ten minutes from town. Prepare to fall in love!