ULTIMATE IN LIVING IN BIRDWOOD

By Mike Shaw

Birdwood Ave's seafront sections have made the street a high-profile high-value location in New Plymouth.

On the other side of the road, however, Paul found an alternative that he has enjoyed for the past 11 years - with the seafront still just a stroll away.

The driveway at 21a Birdwood Ave leads visitors into a surprising Mediterranean-style welcome, three levels of contemporary living, and expanses of outdoor decking that provide an easy-care and laid-back lifestyle here.

A visit begins at the formal entry to the home - a tiled space behind black wrought-iron gates that forms a small internal courtyard, from which you have access to what could almost be two homes in one. A second wrought-iron gate opens through to the other side of the house at this level. There's a distinct Mediterranean feel to the design.

One of the doors from this courtyard leads to the upper storey of the home, where you find two bedrooms, a bathroom, separate toilet, and a kitchen-dining-lounge area with doors that open out on to a spacious deck that looks across the green fields of Devon Intermediate School to a stunning backdrop of Mt Taranaki.

Turn a little to the right, and you look down to and over the Moturoa suburb to the peak of Paritutu Rock and the former power-station chimney.

There's enough up here to satisfy the living needs of any number of different buyers, without the rest of the house to discover.

Back down the stairs and step through another door from that courtyard, and you find the second 'house' in this home. Actually, this is the main house, Paul explains, with the upper quarters having been ideal accommodation for now-departed teenagers and occasional guests.

In here, there are three more bedrooms - including the master suite with its own private balcony and view out to the mountain, another family bathroom and separate toilet, and generous open-plan kitchen-dining-lounge areas that also open out to another expanse of timber decking.

The mountain still rises there in the distance to draw the eye, but there are lush plantings along the edge of the deck to shelter life and add a sense of privacy and seclusion. The dark green of camellias is softened with the lighter more open foliage of a kowhai that is host to tui and wood pigeon that provide entertainment when the yellow flowers and fresh leaves come out.

Winding down through those plantings on the boundary is a path that leads down between lower properties to St Aubyn St - handy if owners here have children going to Devon Intermediate or the adjacent St Joseph's School.

You can probably appreciate the visiting birds in the kowhai from the bubbles of a spa pool set into the deck, but there's another view that Paul admits, he is more inclined to enjoy. They open wide the stacker doors into the living area and from the comfort of the steaming waters they can take in sports action on the huge electrically operated drop-down screen for the in-ceiling projector system.

"It's 140-plus inches," Paul says of the screen. You won't miss many details of an All Black scrum with that sort of presentation.

Automation also makes it easy to raise and lower the roller blinds above the stacker doors, Paul points out.

Those enhancements are among the many changes Paul has made to this home. The kitchen in these main living areas is one striking improvement with its gleaming black stone-like benchtops and generous walk-in pantry. A red-glass splashback makes a colourful statement to the otherwise simple black-and-white decor of the home.

Bathrooms have also been upgraded and the flow of spaces improved with adjustments to a wall or two.

But wait, there's more.

Stairs lead down from the main living areas to the lower level of the home, where there's a spacious rumpus room that opens out through more large doors to more timber decking, and the swimming pool set into the boards. Afternoon sun pours in here and makes it a great place for relaxing with family and friends.

The location offers them easy access to town in one direction and Moturoa in the other. "It's close enough to walk to town," Paul points out. "And a wobbly walk back sometimes," he adds, with a laugh.

At the end of nearby Calvert Rd, there's also a pathway down on to Ocean View Parade and the cafes at the lee breakwater. "It's only a few minutes' walk to The Bach or Gusto".

That's also ready access on to the Coastal Walkway into and past New Plymouth city and is another natural attraction for prospective buyers of this property. It adds to the home's combination of lifestyle, luxury and location that will appeal to many people.

For your own personal appointment to view call Dianne today on 0800 434 872

Buyer Enquiry Over $690,000