Cheryl Lilly had to swallow a lot of the comments she made to her husband about why they weren't going to move house when he took her to see an old villa in Kohimarama.
"We were out one weekend and he said, 'Let's just go and have a look'.
"I didn't want to. I said, 'We're not moving, why would we move?' But we walked into this house and it had the most wonderful feel about it. I had to take back everything I'd said."
The property went to auction and because David was overseas at the time Cheryl had to do the bidding. David's helpful advice was that she should just think of it as if she were buying him a shirt.
From the road the house looks like a little villa, but further investigation reveals it as a 480sq m home with extensive verandahs and outdoor living areas. It's one of Kohimarama's few original farmhouses and was built in 1877 on a 1500sq m block with views to the city and Rangitoto.
When Cheryl and David moved in, the house was in need of renovation. Although much of the character was still evident, it had suffered some seventies updating and they were keen to embark on a sympathetic renovation that would restore, update and extend the space to accommodate modern family living in elegant surroundings. Now there are rooms for virtually every purpose, including various sittings areas, a games room, a library/study, and a wine room.
Image 1 of 6: The present owners have had an 'adventure' restoring this original Kohi farmstead.
Cheryl is quick to point out that the term "library" is a bit pretentious and the name really refers to the massive bookcase that came from the state library in Sydney. The room is painted a vibrant golden yellow -- both Cheryl and David love colour -- and the shade provides the perfect backdrop for the timber floors, the furniture and the rug. "It's lovely to sit on here at the old desk doing paperwork," Cheryl says.
She also makes it clear the wine room is not a connoisseur's cellar. "It differs from that in that it seems constantly to need replenishing," she says.
"It was just a spare space we didn't know what to do with and we thought it would be fun to use it for wine. We're not collectors or connoisseurs, we just like to have a glass of nice wine out by the pool. But when David was working offshore I used to have fun stocking it up. The colour we painted it is called 'Merlot'."
However, Cheryl's favourite room is the kitchen, installed about 18 months ago with handsome granite benches and a robust Smeg oven, behind which is a splashback printed with a photograph of the couple on holiday in Italy.
"I've never had a kitchen like this," Cheryl says. "Everything is within arms' reach, the sun pours in through the big windows, it looks out to the pool and spa, and it's such a pleasure to cook in."
Although it has been extensively renovated, many of the villa's features have been retained or reinstated -- polished kauri floors, French doors, elegant fireplaces and pressed ceilings. The verandahs are tiled in brick-coloured tiles inset with traditional motifs.
Cheryl, David and the family have been here for 16 years, and although leaving will be a wrench, there is plenty to look forward to. "We took this house on as a bit of an adventure," Cheryl says. "And now it's time for a new adventure."
