St Heliers: Smart and secure

A penthouse apartment offers sophisticated touches as well as a "lock up and leave" lifestyle.

29E The Parade, St Heliers.

Buying a penthouse apartment three years ago was a big step for Ray and Jenny Parsons. It was a wrench for the couple to sell their lovingly restored Parnell villa but they were spending so much time at their holiday home near Rotorua it didn't make sense to keep on a high-maintenance house in Auckland.

A "lock-up and leave" apartment seemed the ideal solution but finding one that met their tough criteria wasn't easy.

However, when they saw this Alan Shanahan-designed penthouse in St Heliers, they knew they'd struck gold.

"We looked at the view, the proximity to St Heliers village with its shops and cafes and thought, 'This is just what we want'," says Jenny. "We also liked the fact that it was just one of five apartments, and that it is completely on the flat."

Ray, meanwhile, was pleased to see that the apartment had its own, separate double garage complete with storage and a workshop area.

The Parsons have made a few changes to the apartment, which was brand new when they bought it, including new carpet and blinds, adding extra cabinets in the kitchen and installing an electronic louvre shuttered roof over the main deck of the living area.

An interior designer, Jenny has deliberately kept the decor neutral throughout, using accessories such as richly coloured cushions and striking art work to add personality to the home.

The apartment is accessed by either stairs or a glass-walled lift, and a long hallway divides it into two distinct areas. The living part at one end includes an open plan area with gourmet kitchen, dining and informal sitting space.

Behind a double-sided gas fire is a more intimate lounge area with a home theatre.

There are two north-facing decks off the living areas, one which Ray frequently uses for barbecues.

"We have lots of dinner parties out on the deck looking over Vellenoweth Green and the bay, and we've even had a cocktail party for 80 people," says Ray.

The other end of the apartment features a separate laundry complete with a very useful hanging rail, a bathroom, three bedrooms and a study which could be a fourth bedroom.

The master bedroom has a huge walk-through wardrobe to a stylish en suite.

Both the en suite and the second bathroom have Italian tiles, underfloor heating and heated mirrors.

Most of the bedrooms have louvre shutters to let the air flow through in the summer, and there's a deck off the master bedroom and the bedroom next to it.

A container garden on this and the other two decks is maintained by a computerised irrigation system.

The security system has an option which allows the alarms to be turned off in the main bedroom so Ray and Jenny can move around freely at night, and there's also a panic button.

Knowing the apartment is so secure has given them great peace of mind while they're away at the Rotorua lakes.

"My two daughters are living down there with my five grandchildren so we are there most of the time," says Jenny.

The retired couple are selling their holiday home to buy a bigger house at Lake Okareka and will look at buying a smaller apartment in Auckland. "We will be very sad to leave," says Jenny. "We've got fabulous neighbours and it's a great little community."

Vital Statisics

BEDROOMS: 3

BATHROOMS: 2

GARAGE: 2

SIZE: 245sq m (including decks).

PRICE: Asking $2.25 million.

INSPECT: Phone for viewing times.

CONTACT: Pene Milne, Kellands, ph (021) 919 940.

FEATURES: Three-year-old penthouse apartment overlooking Vellenoweth Green with views across to Rangitoto; gas fire; home theatre; three decks; separate double garage.