Epsom - Family retreat

While many Aucklanders dream of escaping to the country, this family has enjoyed doing the opposite.

A barbecue deck and outdoor kitchen lead down to the heated pool.

74 Onslow Avenue, Epsom.

Cali Petrie had visited Auckland only briefly before she and husband Alistair bought this Epsom villa, but the house has helped win her over to the charms of New Zealand's biggest city.

They moved from Martinborough in the Wairarapa, where Cali grew up and where they had just built a modern home of concrete and glass.

"Moving to an old house in a big city - it was like coming from one extreme to the other," says Cali. Not only that, but the house was in a bit of state. Most of the walls were green, the carpet was long past its use-by date, and the rooms were in all the wrong places.

While Alistair got to grips with his new job at Turners & Growers, and Hugo, 7, and Phoebe, 8, settled into Balmoral School, Cali set to.

Out went the carpet, in came the polish for the beautiful kauri floors. Architect Andrew Meiring worked with Cali in deciding how to rearrange rooms, and Cali turned her decorating skills to the interior.

"But I'm no good at gardening," she mutters, "So the section contains a total of about four different plants. It's very low maintenance."

When Cali first saw the house she loved its gracious shape at the front, and wide, welcoming hallway.

The only thing she changed was to remove some balusters along the front of the verandah to make it open to the garden.

Raised above the road, and with a fence softened by eugenia and griselinia hedging, the front yard is completely private.

A swing hangs from a magnificent magnolia grandiflora, which the children scamper up like squirrels.

Inside the front door Cali cut large square archways in each wall to allow easy flow, but also a sense of separation, between the lounge on the left and the kitchen/dining area on the right.

The oval-shaped stainless steel kitchen bench is a feature that despite its modernity, suits the shape of the room perfectly.

"I don't actually like being tied up cooking when we have friends over, I'd much rather be chatting," smiles Cali. "This bench, with the cooktop set into it, allows more hands to help."

Carry on down the hallway, past the master bedroom with its walk through wardrobe and en suite, and glass French doors open to the family room.

This space is full of light in the afternoon, and opens on to a barbecue deck with a sink plumbed in to create an outdoor kitchen. You then feel tempted down the steps and along the pebbled path to the 9m x 3m heated pool.

But before you head out take a peek at the guest bedroom, the generous family bathroom, and head up a few stairs to the two children's bedrooms.

Phoebe's has a special wall handpainted by herself, Cali and a friend with pictures and excerpts from favourite books. Hugo's has a view of the pool and the treetops of surrounding houses.

There are even two homework stations set up on the landing outside their rooms.
"Not that much homework gets done here," chuckles Cali.
You can exit out the double garage, which is currently doing service as a rumpus room.

She and Alistair bought this house about two and a half years ago, their sixth home in eight years. As she's done it up, Cali has got to know Auckland and, like so many immigrants, has grown to love the city's temperate climate and the range of activities it offers.

"It's easy to get to different places from this house because it's so central. In the country you have to drive long distances to get to anything, but in Auckland there's so much right on your doorstep."

Now that this house is completed, Cali is itching to start a new project, though the family will stay in the area.

VITAL STATISTICS

BEDROOMS: 4

BATHROOMS: 2+

GARAGES: 2

SIZE: Land 984sq m, house 266sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: Interest expected above or around $1.6 million. Auction August 23.

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 1-1.30pm, Wed 12.30-1.30pm.

ON THE WEB: www.barfoot.co.nz # 344708.

CONTACT: Karen Bland or Derek Helliwell, Barfoot & Thompson, ph 638 9158 bus, Karen: 520 5516 a/h, 021 996 884; Derek: 638 9123 a/h, 021 226 8572.

FEATURES: Meticulously renovated villa with three living areas (double garage currently used as a rumpus room). Two homework/hobby areas by children's bedrooms. Open fires in lounge and master bedroom. Heated pool; private, low-maintenance gardens.