Green grass of home in Silverdale

Photo / Supplied.

97 ARGENT LN, SILVERDALE, RODNEY, AUCKLAND

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SIZE: Land 9.63ha, house 390sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: Well above 2007 RV of $1.85 million. Auction November 17.

INSPECT: Sunday 3pm-3.45pm, or by appointment.

ON THE WEB: www.bayleys.co.nz

SCHOOL ZONES: Wainui School, Orewa College.

CONTACT: Graeme Mann and Lynnette Thomas, Bayleys, ph (09) 426 5911, 027 450 0589 (Graeme), 021 758 680 (Lynnette).

FEATURES: Large, solid masonry Hebel home with self-contained holiday guest accommodation on a well-established lifestyle block. Bore water for paddocks, huge tanks for house, post-and-rail fences, three barns and good pastures.

When Anya and Frank Wallington moved to New Zealand from the Caribbean eight years ago, they freely admitted they knew very little about living in New Zealand - and even less about alpaca farming. But the sun-blessed fertile land they found near Silverdale seemed to offer everything they needed to set up what had been a long-held ambition. Frank remembers how he even had a dream of the land they were looking for. "It had a stream and trees and sheltering hills in the distance ... when we found the three bare paddocks this once was, it just seemed to fit the bill completely."

They quickly discovered that establishing a lifestyle block was more than just building a house; although Frank, working alongside Signature Homes, soon had that under way. While work on what was to become their home progressed, post-and-rail fences were constructed to form 16 paddocks, a bore was dug for water, and races and driveways laid out on the land. So by the time the house was completed in 2004, the dream of Silverdale Alpaca Stud was taking shape as well.

The finished house itself could not be more comfortable. Constructed of Hebel, a light yet solid masonry panel product with excellent thermal and acoustic properties, it glows with the shades of ochre and gold that Anya loves. "This colour just suits the house so well. It's a lovely warm house and the colour is warm too."

The entrance to the home is nothing if not dramatic. Gothic arched double doors reclaimed from a Victorian church swing open to reveal a double-height lobby with a home office at one side, and a large, yet welcoming living room. Painted in another shade of gold, the whole room radiates warmth and comfort. "We spend most of our time just here," says Anya with a gesture towards the sofas. "We sit here and look out towards the pond and it's so peaceful."

To one side of this central living space lies a large kitchen complete with butler's pantry and sink, with jarrah-design details and surfaces cut from solid slabs of granite. In front of this, with more surround views, is the dining area and off to one side is the TV room (or second lounge) where the children used to hang out when their parents were entertaining. Dark-stained jarrah floors link the light and pleasant ground floor to the surrounding landscape.

Also on this level is the guest suite with its own en suite, which until recently has been Anya and Frank's daughter's room, and their own huge master bedroom suite. The bathroom defies the notion of being an en suite, as it is so large. A separate seating area in a curved alcove is the perfect place to relax with the morning papers and a cup of coffee.

Upstairs is the boys' wing. "They've loved not having to share a bedroom with their sister," admits Anya. "Up here they each have their own rooms, a computer alcove and above all, space to call their own. All teenagers need it."

But what makes this house extra-flexible is the completely self-contained flat which they had built for Frank's father. It was never used as such, and neither was it used as holiday accommodation, despite the website being designed and ready to run.

"We decided to get radical and move to the Banks Peninsula," laughs Frank. "We always knew we'd end up in the South Island one day and so we are, alpacas and all."