Mount Albert: Enhanced lifestyle

6 Alberton Rd, Mount Albert.

Sold by: Anne Duncan, Anne Duncan Team Advantage, ph 021 996 426.

Danyel Simich and her husband Paul Ah Kuoi have had an extremely busy year of enhancements. Their son Caemon was born, they moved into a new family home in Mount Albert and Danyel launched her new health and beauty magazine Enhance with partner Cherie Jameson. Oh, and in October, a further enhancement arrives in the shape of a baby brother for Caemon.

The couple had decided that their modern park-side Herne Bay home was not baby and toddler-friendly, with too many flights of stairs and a master bedroom too removed from the kids' rooms. They made up a tough brief for their search - handy to the city, flat play space for children, room for Danyel's graphic design business, modern, light and easy-care.

"Our last four houses were modern, our furniture and art is modern," says Danyel. "So we were delighted when we saw this very cool house right on the city edge of Mount Albert. We didn't think we'd be that lucky so soon."

The couple loved the crisp lines of the award-winning tilt slab concrete home, and the fact that there is absolutely no work to do, apart from adding more toddler-proof pool fencing. They were impressed by the relaxed way the rooms flow together, and to the outdoors. They love to cook and entertain, so can't wait to give the modern kitchen a workout. The previous owners had six-year-old boys, and this family intends to settle down here while their kids grow up, too.

Nearby Rocket Park will delight the couple's children as they get older, and Danyel likes the idea of walking to the neighbourhood shops. She'll probably do a bit of that with her new baby, in between juggling production of Enhance.