Mt Eden: Old school ties

Auckland Grammar old boys visiting open homes at this property might find parts of it vaguely familiar.

37 Kensington Avenue, Mt Eden

Rob and Bella Boston have had a long association with Auckland Grammar School, and even brought part of it home with them.

The French doors and windows along the rear of the house, as well as the pantry and laundry doors inside, used to form part of a corridor around the perimeter of the school's hall. The corridor was dismantled when the hall needed to accommodate the school's growing roll, and the doors and windows stored in the basement.

"We found them while we were renovating this house about 10 years ago," recalls Bella. "We bought some and installed them here. The school was built about the same time as this house, so they don't look out of place."

Rob used to be the sports co-ordinator for Grammar, and he and Bella were also living in and running the borders' hostel when they began searching for a family home 20 years ago.

"We didn't know what to look for, but a real estate agent told us our next stage would involve schools, so steered us toward streets close to Maungawhau School," says Bella, who still works at Grammar as its attendance officer. "We chose to be on the same side of Dominion Road as Maungawhau, because I've always believed children should be able to walk to their local school if possible."

Here they stayed and raised their two daughters, Louise, 20, and Claire, 21. The welcoming home leads you down the hallway, past the bedrooms, study and bathrooms, to a kitchen, dining and living area. Tongue and groove kitchen cabinetry and the Oregon pine of the Grammar doors and windows help create a country homestead feel. The French doors lead you out to a bricked patio with wide eaves to provide shelter from the sun, held up by posts perfect for holding a hammock. A brick pathway leads up to the established garden which, over the years, has contained a vegetable patch, a trampoline and dozens of flowers. A studio out here has power, and would be perfect as an office, playroom or teen retreat. A lush wisteria is in full bloom over a pergola, under which there's a swing seat to enjoy the shade.

"When I first saw the house I just loved the garden," recalls Bella. "I walked through to the back and could just see how French doors would lead out to it."

Louise says some of her best memories of growing up here spring from that garden - running through sprinklers, building a playhouse, and eating barbecue dinners on the tramp with her friends.

Claire has now gone flatting, and with only Bella and Louise left at home the time has come to downsize.

"We've noticed the families around us have come full circle," says Bella. "They all had young kids when ours were young, then once the kids grew up those families moved on, and now new young families are around us again. It's my turn to move now."

Vital Statistics

BEDROOMS: 4+

BATHROOMS: 2

GARAGE: 2+

SIZE: Land 632sq m, house 180sq m (approx).

PRICE INDICATION: Interest is expected in the early to mid-$600,000s. Auction November 16.

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 2.15-3pm, or by appointment.

CONTACT: Pauline Lancaster, Bayleys, ph 0274 587 245.

FEATURES: Comfortable, sunny family home close to Maungawhau School, Balmoral shops and Mt Eden village. Study, garden studio/extra bedroom. Basement garage and separate roadside garage.