Mt Eden: Added Value

13 St Leonard's Road, Mt Eden.

Marrying the gracious lines of an English-inspired Edwardian home with the casual summer living style of many Aucklanders might seem like grounds for divorce, but the relationship works very well at Rockavon, a 1903 home tucked away on the border of Mt Eden and Epsom.

Perched on a hill and surrounded by trees, the two-storey weatherboard home has French doors leading to decks and terracing from its indoor living areas. The house is painted in appealing modern colours inside and out, yet these hues work well with the age and genteel air of the house. Inside, the rooms are filled with light.

Even though Rockavon has four bedrooms, two bathrooms and an enormous 1343sq m section, the property has been outgrown by owners Bronwyn Hunter and Mark Lewis, who founded the Hire a Hubby franchise a number of years ago. The couple has five children between them - Sean, 14, Isabelle, 12, Olivia, 10, Kirsty, 9, and toddler Jaime. Sean and Jaime had their own rooms, but with the three girls sharing a bedroom, space was getting a little tight.

Rockavon has plenty of room for a smaller family. An extension built around nine years ago allowed for a spacious kitchen and bigger dining and living spaces downstairs, along with a master en suite upstairs. The kitchen now features cedar conservatory-like windows that open right up, making it easy to pass food outside to the terrace for summer barbecues.

Rather than look like an afterthought, the work done then by architect Brent Hulena is sympathetic to the original proportions and roofline, with seamlessness between old and new. Bronwyn and Mark did have some plans drawn up to expand the house further, but decided to move after Bronwyn fell in love with another (bigger) home nearby. With the five children to look after and Bronwyn and Mark's respective businesses, car magazine AutoSearch and franchise @ Your Request, a large-scale renovation just seemed too much.

With the home's ground floor occupied by two linked living areas, separate dining and a big kitchen, the bedrooms upstairs are accessed by a stairwell which still features a beautiful original window. Toddler Jaime's old nursery has original bifolding windows that open up to the fresh air - this room would make a lovely office. Views from the upper level of the house are stunning, especially as you look out over the well-established trees of the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Apparently named after an English racehorse, Rockavon's gardens are landscaped in the best English tradition, although there are some New Zealand natives in there too. The property is sloping, but terraces of lawn and garden provide plenty of flat space. Complete with several mature fruit trees, the grass at the back of the property has been the scene of many family picnic dinners. "You get the sun there all day and the fantastic views," Mark says.

Adds Bronwyn, "We'll miss this home's privacy, and the beautiful garden."

Period home renovations

If your house is zoned Residential 1, check with your local council about heritage zone requirements.

Follow the existing roofline, choose appropriate joinery and continue the original home's proportions.

Consult an architect with expertise in this area. Check with your local branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects for recommendations.

Vital Statistics

BEDROOMS: 4

BATHROOMS: 2

GARAGE: 2

SIZE: Land 1343sq m, house 210sq m (approx).

PRICE INDICATION: Interest upwards of $1.1 million.

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 12-12.45pm.

CONTACT: George Lancaster, Remax Central, ph 021 736 608.

FEATURES: Character home built in 1903 and sympathetically renovated nine years ago. Open fire, view to Mt Eden, beautiful terraced gardens and outdoor living.