SCHOOL ZONES:
Auckland Grammar, Epsom Girls’ Grammar, Auckland Normal Intermediate, Kohia Terrace School.
CONTACT:
Neil Bailey, Unlimited Potential, ph 021 556 828
*Plus car port
Privacy and space instantly appealed to the owners of this elegant Epsom home when they were lucky enough to view it before it came on the market nearly 40 years ago.
Owners Heather and Mick had been living in a smaller house in nearby Landscape Rd and were looking for somewhere larger in 1975 when their children Kylie and Mark were then aged 4 and 2.
Mick was a country boy from Te Aroha, and the feeling he had when he looked at the Owens Rd house was of going back to his roots.
"It really is like living in the countryside here," he says.
"Friends who have come to stay with us from the country over the years have said they are amazed at how well they can sleep because there is no traffic noise even though we are in central Auckland."
Mick and Heather's two-level home is tucked away down a long driveway in leafy Owens Rd, almost directly opposite The Pines apartment block and within easy walking distance to Mt Eden summit and the village shops.
The home, which is constructed of Canadian oregon with a tiled roof, was designed by the late architect Oswald Owen for his bride in 1926. The Owens were one of Epsom's founding families and Oswald had grown up in the historic Brightside home built for the family in nearby Brightside Ave.
Built as an English cottage with panelled windows and doors, the Owens Rd house sits on 2195sq m. Its living spaces are oriented towards the north and north east and opening to expansive level lawns.
Before Mick and Heather bought the house, previous owners had added two extensions to the north and south sides on ground level to add an extra bedroom and a second living room.
After living in the house for 12 years with the original small kitchen, Mick and Heather renovated this area in the 1980s -- putting in a large new functional kitchen with adjoining conservatory that doubles as an informal dining space.
The kitchen and conservatory have stood the test of time and still work wonderfully as the light-filled hub of this elegantly proportioned house, which has studs of more than 2.7m in most rooms.
A beautiful weeping elm tree, planted by the Owens, is a feature of the front entranceway, which includes a sweeping driveway with a single garage, carport and woodshed tucked neatly away to one side.
When you enter the house, to the right of the front door is the original formal lounge, with large open fireplace. This leads through to a small formal dining room, also with a fireplace, and to the informal lounge which opens to the wide back deck.
The conservatory also opens to this deck, ensuring excellent indoor-outdoor flow between the living and entertaining spaces.
Beyond the kitchen to the right of the entrance hall is the laundry, a bathroom and double bedroom, ideal for guests.
Image 1 of 5: Get hold of a slice of Auckland history, designed by one of the founding fathers of Epsom
Off the landing at the top of the hallway stairs is a small, fourth bedroom or study, another bathroom and two bedrooms, including the master.
Kylie and Mark, who now have their own young children, have fond memories of their childhood home as one where they spent hours with neighbourhood friends playing sport on the large back lawn.
It is maybe no coincidence that Kylie went on to become a Black Stick, Mark an All White and two of the neighbours' family of nine children were an All Black and a Football Fern.
More recently, Kylie's children, Sam, 10, Milly, 8, and Jack, 4, have taken over their grandparents' home field and they will perhaps miss its freedom and space the most.
