Paul and Carole Hebberd were searching for a house that would last them forever when they came across this property at Waipu.
It wasn't exactly what they wanted but there were enough positives to convince them to buy it.
The architect-designed house sits on just over 0.8ha of land overlooking the Waipu Estuary and Bream Bay, and the views plus the privacy clinched the deal.
Six years ago they began turning it into their dream home. They gutted it, changed the layout, added an extension, a guest wing, built a new master suite, and installed high-end bathrooms.
The job took nine months and the quality materials and attention to detail transformed the property.
"Because this was going to be our home for life we wanted it really well fitted out with a contemporary, high quality look," Carole says.
"And we also wanted it to be easy care, for when we got really old."
This brief even extended to changing the colour of the weatherboard exterior from Karaka Green to a soft grey to tone into the natural colours of the landscape.
The house has high, vaulted ceilings so it was important that the interior should also be light.
Paul and Carole worked with a palette of pale grey colours, using artworks and textiles to add colour.
The pale gold hue of the solid wood flooring used throughout the open plan living area also adds warmth.
The layout of the original kitchen worked really well, so this was retained. But the resprayed kitchen cabinetry and new appliances added a stylish look, with a wide counter providing sitting space.
The adjoining family room was extended to make it longer and accommodate living spaces opening up via ranchsliders to a broad deck.
42 Flagstaff Terrace, Waipu. Photo / Supplied
Carole's favourite space is the view from the master bedroom. "You open the curtains in the morning and look right down the estuary to the sea."
The en suite with its twin basins and double shower is another drawcard.
The separate guest wing includes two bedrooms, lounge area and bathroom.
Paul and Carole installed oversized bathrooms and visually extended the sense of space by using large, rectangular ceramic tiles on the floor, walls and showers.
There's a separate tiled laundry, and a mezzanine/loft area ideal as a home office or kids' playroom.
The outside areas are as easy care as the interior. The edges of the big, angled deck are softened by low planting and there are several sets of steps down to the flat lawn that surrounds the house.
42 Flagstaff Terrace, Waipu. Photo / Supplied
Beyond the deck are pebbled areas where Paul and Carole have displayed pieces of garden sculpture. Mature native bush around the perimeter of the section ensures privacy.
"We'll really miss the peace and quiet," Carole says. "And I will miss having Waipu just three minutes away.
"I've loved being part of the community. When we first came here I joined so many things that after a while I had to start giving some of them up."
