Easy breezy garden party in Westmere

31 Peel St, Westmere. Photo / Geoff Dale

31 PEEL ST WESTMERE

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PARKING: *2 off-street

SIZE: Land 519sq m, house 140sq m (approx).

PRICE INDICATION: Interest expected above $900,000. Auction on site November 14 at 4pm (unless sold prior).

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 3pm-3.45pm.

ON THE WEB: www.customresidential.co.nz/properties/CR1927/

SCHOOL ZONES: Westmere Primary, Ponsonby Intermediate, Western Springs College.

CONTACT: John Wills or Dan Reed, Custom Residential, ph 360 4861, John 021 333 053, Dan 021 191 2225.

FEATURES: Character home, sympathetically renovated to create open-plan living and separate dining that flows to covered outdoor room and elevated, sunny backyard. Off-street parking.

When Laurene Dearlove first laid eyes on this Peel St property 10 years ago at an open home, she was sure it was "the one".

Laurene says she loved the street appeal of the 1920s home, which was in pretty much original condition - it was owned by a woman in her 90s who had lived there most of her life.

Laurene could see how the home could be updated and that there was plenty of room to extend into the northwest-facing backyard for more indoor and outdoor living space.

As she walked around the home imagining all the possibilities, she noticed there was one thing missing: her husband David, who had accompanied her to the open home. He was not impressed by what he had seen and was sitting in the car outside waiting to leave.

Although Laurene could see potential, David could see only a rundown home with an outdoor toilet. "But I managed to talk him around," says Laurene. "The woman always gets her way."

About seven years ago they undertook a major renovation to refurbish and extend the home, adding on a dining room, an open-plan kitchen and living area, a covered outdoor room and a deck to maximise the home's elevated and sunny aspect. "Even in those early days before we did the extension it was lovely in the backyard - we used to sit out on the lawn on blankets having picnics," says Laurene.

The couple had a draughtsman draw up plans for an extension that was in keeping with the character of the home and its high stud.

The Dearloves were keen to get rid of the dated wallpaper and old carpet, but Laurene had promised the elderly woman they bought the home from that she wouldn't mess her former home around.

"I was very passionate about keeping things like the light switches, the architraves, the mouldings and the high stud," says Laurene.

The renovation has meant that the room that used to be the lounge at the front of the house is now a bedroom and there is another bedroom across the kauri-floored hallway. Further down the hallway what was a bedroom has been divided to make a laundry and a bathroom with a standalone bath.

Across the hallway is the master bedroom in what used to be the space occupied by a small dining room and galley kitchen.

From here the hallway opens into the added kitchen and living area. An island bench in the kitchen has shelves at the back so that it doubles as a bookcase/entertainment unit when you step down in to the lounge, which has a gas fire. Bifold doors open out to a deck that steps down to a sunny garden packed with fruit trees, herbs and flowering shrubs that Laurene has been tending the past 10 years. Levelling the backyard has created plenty of lawn for their young son and his newly arrived brother to play.

A cavity slider separates the kitchen from the next-door dining room, which opens to a covered outdoor room on the eastern side of the deck. "This is my favourite room," says Laurene. "The lights have dimmers so you can create mood lighting and even in winter this is a fabulous spot to be outside."

Laurene says the logical step for new owners is to build up and maximise the views. She just hopes they follow her lead and do it in keeping with the character of the home.