Forever around the pool in Omaha

45 Taumata Rd, Omaha, Auckland. Photo / Supplied

45 TAUMATA RD OMAHA

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SIZE: Land 1213sq m, house 370sq m plus 200sq m of decking and internal courtyard.

PRICE INDICATION: Interest expected above $4 million. Set sale date February 21 (unless sold prior).

INSPECT: By appointment.

ON THE WEB: nzsothebysrealty.com/BSA10139

SCHOOL ZONES: Matakana Primary, Mahurangi College.

CONTACT: Shane Romani, Sothebys Realty, ph 360 7771 or 021 889 906.

FEATURES: Outstanding contemporary home designed by architect Andrew Patterson, at the sought-after cove end of Omaha Beach. Generous size site with extensive front lawn. Internal courtyard, heated swimming pool and large upper deck, with superb views over the beach and surf. Located only an hour from Auckland City.

In line with the old adage of you get out what you put in, this Omaha waterfront home has been an easy-care, low-maintenance holiday escape for an Auckland family for a decade, largely thanks to their efforts when the house was designed and built. Lots of thought went into making the contemporary home as timeless as possible, while its marine-grade materials have withstood the coastal environment with aplomb.

Stephen and Suzy Alach, and sons James, 16, and Tom, 12, visit Omaha throughout the year and spend most of summer here, enjoying beach life and everything else this popular area offers. When the Alachs commissioned architect Andrew Patterson to design the house 10 years ago, they were looking for a getaway the whole family would want to come to all the time. For this reason, they included everything their permanent home offers, such as a heated swimming pool and great spaces to entertain.

The Alachs say theirs was about the third home built in the popular Cove end of Omaha beach. For years, Stephen had enjoyed visiting Omaha, while Suzy liked this later-developed part of the spit for its newness and its short travelling time from the city. "It's only an hour from Auckland. It was somewhere we could go for the weekend, yet still be able to go to kids' sports," she says.

Suzy and Stephen put a lot of their own effort into the project and are very complimentary of Patterson's design, pointing out features where their architect's skills came to the fore. "He is very clever at defining spaces," says Suzy. "We wanted an ergonomic home; it had to be about working well, not just aesthetics."

Distinctive features of the north-facing home are the anodised aluminium moveable screens which envelop it. Engineering buff Stephen made "about 20 cardboard models", developing the screens, which are pulled manually, much like curtains. They provide privacy and shade when the family's in residence and security when it is not.

Stephen also points out the flat, custom-made stainless steel handrail that gently curves to follow the shell-shaped stairwell. There was only one craftsman in the country up to doing the job and, luckily, the Alachs found him.

The layout of the house works well. Downstairs is dedicated to living areas, wrapping around a courtyard and pool. The use of terrazzo inside and out provides a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor living.

Immediately inside the front door is a cosy living area with a gas fireplace and generous hearth that's well used by the family in winter. Off to one side is a glamorous powder room. A glazed walkway leads up to the main, beach-facing living room and kitchen. The kitchen, with its handleless American oak cabinetry, chunky stainless steel benchtops and Gaggenau and Asko appliances, could pass for brand new.

Up a level are the bedrooms, where a guest room cantilevers over a poolside al-fresco dining area. This bedroom has the "best bathroom", according to Suzy and Stephen, as they had originally intended it for themselves. The master bedroom is exceptionally spacious, while there are three bedrooms and a bathroom for the boys and their guests in a further bedroom wing.

The home's roof deck, which effectively doubles the living space, is accessible from the master bedroom and from stairs from the pool. "It's wonderful to lie up here on beanbags at night to look at the stars," Suzy says.

The Omaha community has played a big part in the Alach family's lives and will continue to do so. They are renovating a property nearby at Ti Point, where Stephen and James have been doing DIY over the summer.