Remuera: No more Austin Powers

It was out with the shagpile and in with modern style when a couple called in some expert help from their family. 

144a Upland Rd, Remuera.

When you're living in a shagadelic pad but you want something more modern and harmonious, it helps if you have an architect in the family.

That's what Tracey Collett found when she hired cousin and architect Craig Macmillan to help her and husband Darrin out of their Austin Powers nightmare.

As Tracy says, "The old place was horrendous; it was a real Austin Powers-era house with shagpile carpet."

Once Tracy and Darrin had decided to move on from the 70s and Craig had convinced them that couldn't be done using the existing spaces, the decision was made to rebuild the house.

"What we had to work with was not what Darrin and Tracy would want," Craig says. "We needed a clean slate. I wanted to create a house that had volume because the old house was really hermetic. It had a 2.4m stud height and the downstairs was like a gloomy rabbit warren."

The transformation of Upland Road begins at the front door with a glass-encased double height entrance hall that brings in light and opens up the view.

Off to the left is a large office space and behind that is a media room set up with a projection screen as well as a fridge, sink, dishdrawer and a wine cupboard.

Tracy says with a laugh, "You can see Darrin's personality down here and mine upstairs in the kitchen."

A feature of the rooms, downstairs and up, is the full height aluminium framed sliding glass doors used as windows. The downstairs bathroom has full height opaque windows, and like the other bathrooms in the house has heated porcelain floor tiles.

Heading upstairs into the open plan living area your eye is drawn outside to the lawn and swimming pool on the northern side of the house. The gardens feature mature yuccas and palms, which is a theme repeated around the house.

The kitchen, with two separate ovens, has a 3.2m long granite island that also serves as a breakfast bar. Beside that is a more formal dining area and behind that is an enclosed lounge.

"The fireplace is like the heart of the house so in the lounge you want it to be cosy and facing inwards," says Craig. "In the other spaces you face outwards."

Tracy says the process of transforming the house was made a lot easier because she and Craig have "a fantastic working relationship".

"I don't think we even changed the drawings when they came back from Craig, except for extending the house a metre," she says.

The Colletts are moving on because Darrin's forestry business demands a base somewhere further north; "anywhere from Puhoi to Helensville," he says.

Wherever they end up, Tracy says Craig can probably expect "another panicky call" to come help them with their new home.

Vital Statistics

SIZE: Land 985sq m, house 330sq m, garage 41sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: Interest expected from $1.8 million. Auction July 9.

INSPECT: Sun 2.45pm-3.30pm, Thurs 5.30pm-6pm.

CONTACT: Pene Milne, Kellands Real Estate, ph 302 2209 bus, 021 919 940 mob.

FEATURES: Architecturally transformed home with light-filled rooms in grammar zone. Open plan living area flows to garden and pool. Brandt appliances in kitchen, underfloor heating, open fire, and high-quality chattels. Downstairs media room with bar.