SCHOOL ZONES:
Victoria Avenue School, double Grammar.
CONTACT:
Jemma Glancy, Harcourts, 021 246 5300.
In 1973, architect Geoff Newman designed a family home for clients in Bell Rd, Remuera. He didn't design a lot of houses -- he made his mark in the 1950s as a young architect with the practice Newman, Smith and Greenhough when he designed Whanganui's modernist War Memorial Hall.
Later, in the early 80s, he collaborated with architect Brian Dodd on the distinctive Auckland Harbour Board building on Quay St.
Like all good architects, Newman designed 89 Bell Rd to suit its site, which overlooks the leafy valley towards Victoria Ave. His clients, Mary and Wayne Carter, had many happy years at Bell Rd. In the early 1990s, after their four children had left home, the Carters added another Newman-designed level to the front of the house to create a separate home-and-income apartment. Four years ago, Mary and Wayne moved to a retirement village and sold their home to Michael and Julia Bradshaw.
Michael says they bought the property in only a matter of hours after first seeing it and being drawn to the house and its surrounding trees.
"There are amazing, huge trees here," says Michael, pointing to the kanuka and totara trees that grace the site.
"It's incredibly rare to be in the city with these massive trees, which are great because of the way they oxygenate the atmosphere, but also because of the incredible privacy."
This privacy is apparent from Bell Rd, where the house discreetly nestles below a carport, which the Bradshaws have enhanced with a new cedar fence and landscaping in keeping with the era the house was built.
Image 1 of 6: Artfully configured and surround by trees, this home is a breath of fresh air. Photos / David Rowland, Getty Images
A path on the right-hand side of the road frontage leads down to the front door of the main house. The path to the left of the carport leads down to the apartment.
The house is artfully configured, with three courtyards -- a new one behind the cedar fence at the front, a central courtyard with a mature deciduous tree and a third space that's a terraced lawn at the rear of the garden, under the kanuka trees.
The house isn't small, but its cleverly designed spaces mean it hasn't felt cavernous for a couple. It would be a simple job to connect internal access from the main house to the apartment for family living once again. Existing stairs are hidden behind a storage cupboard.
Michael and Julia have worked hard to refresh the house while respecting its integrity. Michael calls the project a restoration, rather than a renovation. He knows there are 137 windows, because he arranged to have them all carefully overhauled. The couple worked with friend Andrew Barber, a house painter, artist and colourist to create bespoke 1970s colours.
There's a red oxide on some of the joinery. Inside, a pale hue looks either blue or green depending on how the light hits it.
The one completely modernised room is a bathroom, which is still in keeping with the rest of the house.
The original fireplace is easy-clean -- ash drops down to a box below the house. Finely crafted heart rimu built-in furniture is found throughout and soaring ceilings provide a sense of space.
Michael has long collected vintage furniture and accessories, which look perfect here. Flos and Le Klint pendant lighting the Bradshaws purchased for Bell Rd will remain with the house.
After a busy corporate life, including a stint for Michael as head of Sony Music, he and teacher Julia are looking for a change of scene, so it's time for the third owners to take care of this special 43-year-old home.
