KEY POINTS:
94A JUTLAND ROAD,
TAKAPUNA.
In her peaceful, sunny, upstairs lounge, fashion designer Ange Todd of Ponsonby store Sabine spreads out fabric samples, sketches and other inspirational snippets that may go into her next clothing range.
It's one of the seasonal rituals of the industry and Ange chooses to do what she calls her "ranging" from her home overlooking the Waitemata harbour.
Above the main living area of this three-storey townhouse, this so-called adults' retreat is also a favourite spot for her children Finn, 7, and Lulu, 4. They have camped out on the upper deck, with the lush beachside reserve in front of them and the lights of the harbour bridge as a backdrop.
"We can never be built out here and that's one of the things that is really beautiful about this place," says Ange.
Her children's other favourite spot is her big spa bath (with big sea views) that takes up a corner of a quadrant-shaped en suite. This room is located within the shape of the curved stairwell tower that is an architectural feature of the 1994 house.
Ange has adorned her bedroom with a crystal chandelier and matching wall sconces.
Ange describes her fashion look as "feminine and colourful", but when she moved here four years ago she painted out the blocks of colour that were part of the old decor to create a soothing, visual break from the colour she surrounds herself with at work.
Exposed timber beams and the curved wall of glass bricks that screen the living area from the landing have been retained.
It is the 10-minute, off-peak drive to work after delivering Finn to school, and that trip home again from her Ponsonby Rd base, that reinforces her sense of separateness between her business and domestic roles.
"This is really hard to beat as a family, lifestyle area and when I drive over the bridge to come home I feel as if I've come away on holiday," she says. "This is a real activities-based beach and there's always kite surfing, fishing and kayaking going on."
In the big kitchen beside the dining area, Ange indulges her love of cooking and baking, working at a big bench that is incorporated into a conservatory-style connection to the courtyard and garden. There is no lawn to mow here; timber decking encompasses two sides of the house off double doors. The deck extends around the house to the barbecue area beneath a curved, bougainvillea-draped pergola and down another level to the trampoline.
This townhouse includes a bedsit with small kitchen, bathroom and a separate entrance by the front door. The two children's bedrooms are on the same level as the main living area and laundry, and it is this practical floor plan that has been at the heart of this home's appeal for this young family.
