SCHOOL ZONES:
Auckland Girls' Grammar, Mt Albert Grammar
CONTACT:
Nic Blackie, ph 021 505 964; John Wills, ph 021 333 053
There's nothing like the imminent arrival of your first baby to make you focus on getting your living situation nicely sorted. But four years ago, when Gina Day was less than a month away from her due date, she and husband Richard had almost given up on finding a house that would suit their new family.
The Days had looked everywhere and were resigned to staying put in the small Sandringham house they had originally bought as a rental property before they returned to Auckland in 2008 after three-and-a-half years in London.
So they couldn't believe their luck when they found this spacious, tastefully renovated villa on a level and north-facing 655sq m site. It needed no major work and was ready for them to move into and enjoy.
The 1901 villa has beautiful original features including board and batten ceilings and ornate plaster ceilings in the hallway and the master bedroom, which has its own modern en suite and walk-in wardrobe.
Previous owners had opened up and extended the back of the three-bedroom house that now includes a sunny, open-plan kitchen, family and dining room. Bi-fold windows in the kitchen open out to a wide back deck that is reached through French doors off the dining and family space.
The back garden also includes a large double garage at the end of a wide driveway that runs down the western side of the house.
When the Days moved in, the garage included a walled off empty room on its eastern side. Gina and Richard have since converted this into a cosy, carpeted sleepout with its own large bathroom -- one of three the property has.
The Days' home is just across the road from the Walters Rd entrance to Eden Park, so they were able to rent out this space during the 2011 Rugby World Cup, which helped pay for the cost of the conversion. "We are also quite social, so it's been a great space for friends to come and stay in," says Richard. The sleepout, which would also be great for a live-in nanny or for teenagers, is far enough from the main house so that visitors are not woken too early when Richard's and Gina's children, Patrick, 4, and Sylvie, 2, are up and about.
Image 1 of 5: 49 Walters Rd, Mount Eden. Photo / Getty Images
The Days' other changes to the property have included renovating their en suite and installing an HRV system, plus three large heat pumps that keep the house dry and warm in winter. "We also tidied up the fencing to make the section more secure so we could have free-range kids," says Richard.
Being two minutes' from Kingsland railway station has allowed Richard to catch a train to work in the city, instead of driving and wasting precious time in peak traffic.
As well as being a quick walk to Kingsland's lively cafes and bars, the house is close to the shops and supermarket at Eden Quarter off Dominion and Valley Rds. The Days have also loved being so close to Eden Park as they often go to rugby games there. When they don't, they say events are run so efficiently they barely notice they are on. "It is a tightly run ship and Eden Park also really looks after the residents in the street. They have put on lots of activities, including barbecues, and the kids get presents at Christmas."
