SCHOOL ZONES:
Meadowbank Primary, Remuera Intermediate, Selwyn College.
CONTACT:
Ross Tierney 021 855 721 and Wei Wei Elder, 021 0244 0885.
AUCTION:
September 10.
When Max and Rachael Brown first laid eyes on their Remuera property around five years ago they were amazed to find a perfectly preserved monument to 1970s style.
There were canary-yellow wall tiles in the kitchen, and Dijon mustard paint that had clearly been a favourite with the original owner.
"The bathroom had a green vanity and green wallpaper," says Rachael.
"Funnily enough, we ran into the man's daughter at a party and the first thing she asked about was that vanity unit.
"We entertain a lot and our friends always gravitate to the barstools here and chat to us while we're cooking," says Rachael.
In the large lounge and dining room opposite, Rachael's signature black and white decor is enhanced by the use of Dulux half St Clair -- a soft bluish white -- on the walls.
"Our name is actually St Clair Brown and the man in the paint shop was from St Clair in Dunedin so it was clearly the right colour for us."
This room features a spectacular built-in bookcase and entertainment unit so tall that it requires a library ladder. Doors neatly hide away the hi-fi paraphernalia.
Across from the main entrance lies the master bedroom, en suite with white bevelled-edge tiles and a big walk-in wardrobe.
Image 1 of 12: Main dwelling has charm factor and potential, plus there are three separate flats with long-term tenants
Rachael is a clothes fanatic and as well as filling this wardrobe she also commandeered the guest bedroom while living here.
"In my next house I'm going to have a whole room just for clothes," she says.
Ten-week-old Avery's bedroom features a pretty rose petal-patterned feature wall, while roses appear again on her curtains.
Downstairs is an enormous space that includes a workbench, parking for two vehicles and an office that is currently Max's man cave and has potential for a major renovation.
"We had thoughts about putting a media room down here," says Max. "Somebody could easily make much better use of this part of the house."
While the house is finished to a high specification the outdoor area is also charming, with its manicured box hedging and an all-white garden.
It has a full irrigation system, which the couple only discovered recently, and a paved patio area that has seen its share of happy parties and get-togethers.
Finally, there's the big bonus; three two-bedroom flats at the front of the main house. Pleasant and tidy they all have reliable, long-term tenants.
"They all have separate titles so they could be sold one by one but we prefer offering the whole property at once," says Max.
Yet another hidden space lies at the back of the carport. "The previous owner used it as an art studio."
The Browns are planning to decamp across town. With Avery's grandparents living in One Tree Hill and Ponsonby, they want to be closer to family.
