SCHOOL ZONES:
Kohimarama School, St Ignatius Catholic School, Glendowie College.
CONTACT:
Kate Shaw or Lisa Nelson, Ray White, 021 978 608 (Kate) or 027 444 5552 (Lisa).
AUCTION:
March 27, 6pm (unless sold prior).
*2 Off-street
A joyful dip sealed the decision for the Lawrence family to buy this St Heliers home.
Anna and Andrew Lawrence had no set idea about what suburb they'd settle in when they moved back from Sydney with their two young daughters seven years ago.
Anna had grown up not far away in Glendowie and bought her first house in Kohimarama Rd.
However, having returned from Australia with their daughters Amelie (now nine) and Ava (now seven) many of the couple's friends were moving to trendy areas such as Grey Lynn.
Back then this 1940s weatherboard home featured a sloping front yard, green kitchen and burgundy bathroom. Despite that, things went well when the family checked out an open home.
Anna says: "Amelie ran straight to her bedroom and said, 'Mummy, this is my bedroom'. "We could see the potential with the home being north-facing, being able to be opened up and having character with beautiful rimu floorboards waiting under the carpet.
"Afterwards we went down to the beach and the kids stripped off their clothes and went swimming.
"We decided we were sold on enjoying that sort of lifestyle with Kohimarama beach only 400 metres away.
"Any sunny weekend you'll find us down there and we often have fish'n'chips on the beach on Friday nights. The girls go to Kohimarama Primary, which is a great school and this area just has such a lovely vibe."
So does the home after the thorough renovation the Lawrences tackled in stages using Matter Architects, Mal Corboy kitchen design, and interior design advice from a friend from New Plymouth.
Anna says they retained the home's character throughout extensive upgrades including re-plumbing, re-wiring, insulating and replacing ceilings and walls.
67 Speight Rd, St Heliers. Photo / Supplied
They lifted the level of formerly low-sitting windows, installed ducted air-conditioning and ventilation systems, and opened up the front living and master suite to outdoors.
Nowadays a gated stone wall fronts the home which has two off-street parking spots at its rear.
The night-lit front yard had been retained to be level and is fully fenced, which is useful with children and a menagerie including a chocolate Labrador, three cats and a rabbit.
There's easy flow out from the home to the front outdoor dining and lounging areas.
Anna says: "We treat this area like another room because we're out here all the time."
The original rimu floors now highlight upstairs. The open-plan living-dining-kitchen with bifold doors embracing outside features a restored wood-burning fireplace for ambience and an entertainers' kitchen.
Designed by Mal Corboy, it includes a rear scullery and bifold windows out to a side barbecue area. LED downlights on overhead cupboards and the breakfast bar can change colours.
Parents can keep an eye on childrens' computer use in the adjoining study nook. The couple both have busy corporate jobs so their master suite with en suite and walk-in wardrobe was conceived to be relaxing.
Anna says: "As soon as I walk in there I feel rested. I love lying on the bed looking out at the garden feeling the breeze blow in the french doors."
She also adores the family bathroom's big egg-shaped stone bath. The girls' two carpeted bedrooms complete upstairs.
Downstairs the girls enjoy drawing on a blackboard wall in the second living area they use as their rumpus.
There's a fourth bedroom, a laundry and a sizeable storage area offering further development potential if future owners want something like a downstairs bathroom.
