SCHOOL ZONES:
Western Springs College, Auckland Girls Grammar
CONTACT:
Sue Hatton, Ray White, ph 0272 799 696
The words "villa" and "low-maintenance" aren't usually used in the same sentence - unless the word "not" is also included.
Many traditional Kiwi villas are getting on a bit and often need a lot of tender, loving care. But for Aaron and Nicole Underdown, the fact that their Herne Bay home is easy to look after is one of the things that drew them to it.
"We wanted something with lots of character but we didn't want to have to spend all our spare time working on it," says Nicole.
"When we bought this house we had a place at Waiheke, and wanted somewhere in the city we could lock up and leave so we could spend lots of time over there. This house was perfect for that."
A thorough renovation job by previous owners meant the house was in immaculate condition, and Aaron and Nicole have kept it that way.
"It has been very easy to look after," says Nicole. "We have decorated and changed the colour scheme but we haven't needed to do anything structural because it had all been so well done."
They could have easily overlooked the home on Bayfield Rd when they were house-hunting 10 years ago because Herne Bay wasn't a part of town they frequented. "We'd been living in Remuera and didn't know this area at all," recalls Nicole. Aaron realised it would be easy to get to his work in the city from Herne Bay, and suggested they look at the house after he saw it advertised. "When we walked in and I saw the lovely old features, like the decorative ceiling in the main bedroom and the archway in the hall, I fell in love immediately."
The couple were captivated by the charming period features - such as the high board and batten ceilings and the clawfoot bath - and they also appreciated some of the more practical aspects of the house: the single garage with an automatic door, a rare bonus in this part of town, and the gas fire in the dining room.
It is fully fenced and there's a security gate with a keypad that opens into a simple but stunning front garden, planted with agaves and palms and landscaped with stones. It's also very easy to look after - all that's required is pulling out the occasional weed.
The house has all the features that make villas so popular such as the veranda with decorative fret work, the bay window and wide central hallway.
There are three bedrooms at the front of the house, along with the elegant living room that has a woodburning fireplace and can be closed off for privacy or opened up via double doors to the dining room.
The back section houses the dining and kitchen, along with the spacious bathroom. "We spent a lot of time in this part of the house," says Nicole. "It's very sociable and also very sunny."
The kitchen features a striking black granite bench top, and has plenty of storage space. French doors from the dining room lead out to the northwest-facing garden that has a large patio - "perfect for parties", says Nicole - and a separate studio.
After a decade in the home, the couple are ready to move on and have bought in the same area. "But we will miss this street," says Nicole.
