KEY POINTS:
APARTMENT 2E,
CARLISLE BUILDING,
7 EMILY PLACE,
AUCKLAND CITY.
Annie Webster describes her CBD apartment in the Carlisle building as making her feel like a true adult.
"I use the word grown-up. Despite the fact I'm in my 60s, I seem to hanker to be grown up. And this apartment
makes me feel like a proper grown-up."
Annie and husband Andy Stenton were looking for an Auckland apartment base in October 2003 as "we live a complicated life, living here and in the UK".
Andy is a journalist with Reuters and Annie has worked as radio journalist in New Zealand, and in radio and TV in Australia, the United States and Britain.
There were two apartments in the Carlisle building for sale. This one, with 120sq m, and a smaller one. "We got pipped at the post with the smaller one and then this one was so magnificent.
"My husband was leaving to go back to the UK three days after we saw it, so we had a lot of work to do in that time. But I have no regrets about buying it.
"I saw the fantastic walls where I can hang my paintings and I have large pieces of furniture but they don't look big in all this space ... that is another bonus."
The Carlisle building, built in 1912, originally housed a warehouse and auction room. It was converted into 20 apartments in the 1990s. Annie says the conversion has been tastefully done, making use of the timber beams and floors, and high stud.
"We have lived in New York and London. We have lived in large spaces and small places, and we thought the size of this place was wonderful. We love the chunkiness of the beams, the wooden floor, the sense of space. I like the fact that, even though it's a one-bedroom space, there's plenty of room for two people to live here.
"I don't mind that there is no garden. If I want to be outside, I walk up to Albert Park or down to the waterfront."
Annie says if she is going to live in a city, she prefers to live near the centre. "I like the city noise, being within walking distance of the wine bars and cafes. Auckland has the buzz of a much larger city."
Even the building's entrance is a delight, through a large wooden door and then up the curved stairway to the apartments.
Annie and Andy's apartment is on two levels. Entry level has the open living space with kitchen, toilet and laundry. Annie considered putting in a kitchen island but decided she liked the space as it was. "I have had some good dinner parties here."
Down the stairs is the bedroom, walk-in wardrobe and a luxurious bathroom. Annie and Andy use the generous floor and wall space to show off their art and Japanese furniture.
Annie would love to hold on to the apartment but they have decided to sell because they spend the bulk of their time in the UK. They base themselves in Scotland and Andy commutes to London for work, one week on, one week off.
"But I keep saying to Andy, if I won the lottery tomorrow, I would keep the apartment. I will miss the actual physicality of it, the size of it, the feeling of space. And I will miss not having a car park in the middle of the city.
"I hope someone buys it and loves it to bits. It needs to be passionately loved."