SCHOOL ZONES:
Bayfield and Ponsonby Primary schools
CONTACT:
Joe Telford, ph 021 191 7769
When Frana Becker looks at her small daughter, Poppy, 2, sleeping peacefully in what was once her own girlhood bedroom with its big brass bed and unparalleled views across the sparkling waters of the Waitemata Harbour, memories of many happy years spent in this remarkable house come flooding back.
"My parents Ivan and Shirley bought it in 1984," she recalls. "It's a Gummer house so they knew it was something special, but it had been divided into flats and was very run down.
"Dad wanted it because of the boatshed and the ramp. He was a racing car driver and worked in the motoring trade running a petrol station and his auto spares shop Segedin's in Dominion Rd, but he really loved the sea so it was truly his absolute dream home."
Ivan, who, sadly, passed away last December, spent the next few years painstakingly restoring No31 to its former glory, stripping paint off the magnificent original woodwork, sanding, polishing, papering and plastering. He also oversaw the installation of central heating.
With four bedrooms and numerous living areas the house was just ideal for his young family: Frana and her brothers Ivan jnr and Stefan.
Set on three levels, the downstairs space includes two bedrooms and what could be described as a second kitchen, with a coal range, indoor barbecue and bar.
Here the trio partied as teenagers, well away from the adults upstairs.
On the second level is the main kitchen and casual dining area, a separate formal dining room complete with chandelier, and a large cosy living room -- plus internal access to a two-car garage and loads of lovely storage space.
Upstairs yet again lies the master bedroom, with its huge picture windows and a stunning harbour view.
"My husband Tim and I have been sleeping up here and it's private enough not to pull the blind down, but we tend to anyway as it gets incredibly bright!"
Past an en suite and capacious walk-in wardrobe is Frana's own bedroom, which Poppy is sharing with her big brother Leo (4).
Back in the 80s and 90s, when not inside, Frana, Ivan jnr and Stefan spent long summer days diving off the boat ramp, collecting crabs from around the rocks or fishing for snapper with their father.
The boatshed -- which is one of only a few remaining code-compliant examples in the area, was part of their playground, and comes complete with a gorgeous dayroom above for times when family members needed to get away from it all.
Frana loved the boatshed so much she was married there.
"Unfortunately, the weather wasn't kind to us but it was still great," she remembers, smiling.
Following Ivan's death, after much soul-searching his family has decided it's time to sell up -- but they do so with very mixed feelings.
"It's hard to part when a house has been such a big part of your life, but it's too large for Tim and me and our little ones, and we spend a lot of time at our Omaha property.
"Someone will have lots of fun modernising this house, but of course I hope that they preserve its unique character," she says.
"My family has always been very keen on taking photos so we'll remember every single corner of it and every nook and cranny forever. That's what's most important really."
