SCHOOL ZONES:
Richmond Rd School, Ponsonby Intermediate, Western Springs College, Auckland Girls’ Grammar.
CONTACT:
Blair Haddow, Bayleys, 021 544 555 or 375 8411.
Mark Anyon and Danielle Coughlin's house is like Dr Who's Tardis. From the outside, it looks like a typical bay villa on a small-ish site, similar to others in the popular street close to Ponsonby Rd.
But once you walk through the front door, it quickly becomes clear there's more to this house than first meets the eye.
The hall is wide, the ceilings high and the rooms are all generous sizes. Even the windows seem bigger than those found in most houses from this era.
At the rear of the house, an extension features the kitchen, dining and living room, which are also spacious with a high stud.
The deck is also large, with ample room for entertaining, and the back garden is surprisingly big -- there would even be room for a pool.
But that's not all. Downstairs, along with another bedroom and bathroom, is the second living area, which Mark describes as his 'man cave', although it is not cave-like at all. It is extremely roomy, with space for a pool table. And there is a double garage, plus an off-street parking space.
"I suppose you do get quite a lot more than you would expect," says Mark.
At 6ft 4in, the last thing he wanted was a small house. When he and Danielle first saw the villa six years ago, it was small area-wise, but the high stud helped make it feel more spacious. And because it was located towards the front of the section, there was plenty of room to expand out the back.
The couple lived in the house for two years before embarking on a massive makeover project that saw the villa virtually gutted, rebuilt from scratch and almost tripled in size.
Image 1 of 9: Loads of space gives this lovingly renovated villa the edge
"The only original parts are two of the windows and part of a wall," says Mark. "It's basically a new house."
And it still looks like it - even though it's been four years since the renovation, the house is still immaculate. Decorated in crisp, clean whites with dark carpets and American oak flooring, it has a contemporary feel, but the period features that give it so much character, such as the board and batten ceilings and ornate architraves, are still in place.
Mark and Danielle moved out for eight months while the renovation work, designed by architect Evelyn McNamara, was carried out. The biggest job was digging down to create the second living room, fourth bedroom and bathroom downstairs.
These all have polished concrete floors, which have proved very practical, especially when it comes to entertaining in the spacious 'man cave'. The double garage is a bonus in an area where space for parking on the street is at a premium.
Upstairs, the new living area that replaced an original lean-to kitchen includes a Poggenpohl kitchen with an impressive granite island and lots of storage. Bifold doors out to the north-west facing deck can be pushed right back, opening up the whole end of the house on hot summer days.
The bedrooms on the main level are carpeted and have plenty of wardrobe space - the master bedroom has a walk-in wardrobe along with an en suite. The tiled family bathroom, which has a french tub and separate shower, is sleek and stylish.
Mark and Danielle thought of everything when they carried out the renovations, installing double glazing, central heating, keyless entry, a security system and computer network (Cat 6) cabling.
It has been a fantastic place to live, says Mark, "not just because of the house but because we are so close to Ponsonby Rd". It is just 350m to Ponsonby Central, where the couple often go to eat.
Despite loving the location, they are keen to live by the water, so have decided to sell. So would they do another renovation? Mark's response is an emphatic "no". "It was a huge job, I don't think I would ever want to do that again. But we were happy with the way it all turned out - very happy."
