Devonport: Who bought that house?

21 Ewen Alison Avenue, 

Devonport. 

Three years of patient on-again, off-again house hunting has finally netted Frauke and Julian Sharplin their ideal house. It's the renovated 1910 brick villa in Devonport featured in Heraldhomes on February 25. 

The couple had returned from 10 years in London, where Kiwi Julian had met his German wife and two of their three girls (now aged 8, 4, and 1) were born. 

"We'd lived in a brick and tile Victorian in Ealing, and this house so reminded us of the London house," explains Julian. "We liked the fact that it was brick, as we'd forgotten how cold uninsulated wooden New Zealand houses can be. But it was a lot more than that, it had a high level of comfort, it just stuck with us." 

Frauke was the first in the family to see the house and came back excited about its feeling, its great street and its access to everything they loved about Devonport. The couple liked the easy-living style of the layout: traditional Victorian in the front bedrooms, airy open plan with a modern take on tradition out the back. The relaxed verandahs and French doors opening to the garden are perfect for the girls who have become real outdoor types since arriving in New Zealand. 

Julian admits that the couple were in shock at how small and quiet the country was in their first year or so back in New Zealand. But they have relaxed into the lifestyle and recognise the trade-off from a frantic business scene to the enjoyment of Devonport beaches, more space and a temperate climate. 

"You won't find us doing hard-edged, modern and granite," says Julian. "This house is much more easy living. And that's our preferred living style now, too."