SCHOOL ZONES:
Warkworth Primary School, Wellsford School, Rodney College.
CONTACT:
Dianna Coman, Bayleys, 021 790 307..
Karyn Scherer never thought she'd move to the country. She considered herself a city girl through and through when she decided to move north of Auckland to be closer to her family.
The perfect house was waiting for her, on a country road between Wellsford and Warkworth. It was in the ideal location while she was commuting to Auckland. The easy drive took just under an hour. Then she took on the role of editor of the local paper Mahurangi Matters and was based in Warkworth, where her children went to school.
The house she found was exactly her style - quirky, handcrafted and spacious - and she says the owners were lucky she came along because from the minute she saw the place, she had to have it.
It was cedar-clad with plenty of outdoor living space and a section landscaped with lots of palms. The two years she lived there was, she says, like being on holiday in a resort. "I saved a fortune in not taking trips to Rarotonga."
Despite the fact that the house was so appealing, Karyn wanted to put her own stamp on it. She re-roofed, re-carpeted, re-painted, took out a fireplace, and filled the rooms with furniture and art she'd been collecting for years, as well as a few new pieces bought for specific places.
"The dangerous thing is, this house has quite a lot of space," she says.
There are three double bedrooms and a character bathroom with a classic claw-foot bath and big stained-glass window, a country-style kitchen with slate floor and timber joinery, an open-plan dining and living area, a covered outdoor room and masses of deck space.
Image 1 of 9: Live the outdoor lifestyle year-round -- this north Auckland country oasis feels like a luxury tropical haven
If she ever runs out, of space, there's more. Not many properties come with their own hall, but this one has the Wayby Community Hall, which was run as a pottery and still has its kilns in place. It later became the Palms Gallery.
Karyn has set the house up as the perfect summer/winter dwelling. She loves living outside and the climate allows it year-round. There's a heated pool and spa, and many sitting areas on the decks and around the garden.
"Most of the outdoor areas were already in place and I just had to tart them up a bit," she says.
The outdoor wood-fired oven is a favourite spot, so is the covered outdoor room with its bifolds and palm garden. A big, comfortable wicker sofa and chairs contribute to the tropical resort look, and it's a great place to sit in the evenings.
In cooler weather, the house is a cosy sanctuary. Sarked ceilings, slate floors in the kitchen, warm colours and lots of timber detailing give it a warm feel, and Karyn added extra insulation and a high quality heating system when she moved in.
"Living in the country changed me," she says. "And maybe I will move back one day. I can see why people love it.
"My family is still here and at the moment I come up every weekend. I did toy with the idea of keeping it as a holiday place, but that would be a big commitment."
She says she'll miss the quirkiness of the house, the peacefulness of the setting, and the tank water. Spoken like a true country girl.
