2A Warner Park Ave, Laingholm, Auckland. Photo / Ted Baghurst
As a builder's wife, Claire Rowe is used to the process of getting a home just right, and then moving on. With their Laingholm house, it was a renovation rather than a new build for Claire and husband Phil.
"It was looking a bit sad when we bought it 18 months ago, but we could see the potential and we have refurbished it top to bottom," she says of the weatherboard home built in the 1990s.
The two-storey home, on an elevated site, has wide views of the Manukau Harbour from its upstairs living spaces.
"The views are what sold the house to us when we first came to visit," says Claire. "You can watch the colours change on the sea, see the storms coming in, watch the boats coming and going, or the planes taking off from the airport."
Those views are best appreciated from the living area — next to the kitchen — which has a glazed corner.
The couple moved the kitchen to access those views, and so it was adjacent to the deck, barbecue, lawn and garden at the rear.
"There's plenty of room, so you can go in and out and you can enjoy the view 99.9 per cent of the time," says Claire.
"People can gather around: I've never liked the idea of being stuck in the kitchen while everyone else is having fun."
The kitchen has an island bench/breakfast bar and hard-wearing wood-effect lino. Claire has stencilled a design behind the Westinghouse oven.
"That's my thing; Phil builds it and I personalise it," she says.
Adjoining the kitchen/living area, the large main lounge also has harbour views, as does a glass balustraded deck off the kitchen.
"We put in a new deck and pushed the bush back a bit so you can enjoy the nikau grove around us."
At the back on this level is a TV room that could be a fifth bedroom, and the master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe and en suite.
The Rowes also put in a separate toilet on this level so you don't have to go downstairs to the tiled main bathroom, which has a deep standalone bath and underfloor heating.
On the ground floor are three more bedrooms, one of which has been set up as an office.
Opposite the main bathroom is a laundry, which the couple moved out of the garage.
A north-facing deck off one of the bedrooms gives way to a built-in outdoor seating area with fire pit.
"We've developed this area because it gets loads of sun, no one looks at you at all and you have all the nikaus out here," says Claire.
As well as upgrading the home's lighting to LEDs and adding insulation, the couple have painted some of the timber sarked ceilings to lighten and freshen the home.
Claire says with an internal-access double garage and lots of off-street parking, it is an ideal home for families.
The next project — a new home on Titirangi's Scenic Drive — is under way, but their plans to live there have now changed.
"We bought three pieces of land together with two groups of friends so we could share the infrastructure costs," she says.
"But we are about to become grandparents so we are crossing the Ditch to be with our daughter."