SCHOOL ZONES:
Cornwall Park District School, Remuera Intermediate, Auckland Grammar, Epsom Girls Grammar.
CONTACT:
Linda Galbraith, Harcourts, 520 6114 or 021 966 028
AUCTION:
Tuesday Nov 10 on site at 1.30pm.
Archie McGeorge and Kathryn Philipson count themselves lucky to have bought a villa back in the 1980s that hadn't fallen victim to the "rip and bust era" of home renovations.
Though many other homes of the same vintage had been subjected to makeovers that included lowering ceilings and replacing sash windows with aluminium frames, the classic 1905 villa they found in Epsom had mercifully been left untouched, with its beautiful heritage features such as leadlight windows and pressed metal ceilings intact.
The couple, who were married in the grounds shortly after buying the property in 1987, took their responsibility as the caregivers of an elegant example of architectural history seriously, and when they decided to extend and update the house a decade later, they wanted to do the job properly.
"Hopefully we have enhanced it," says Archie modestly.
They consulted experts, but declined to hire one architect when he suggested removing a wall of striking stained glass windows in the entrance.
Instead they got far more useful advice from architectural historian and heritage consultant Di Stewart, author of the book New Zealand Villa: Past and Present.
They were keen on adding an upper storey, and she recommended doing that without changing the look of the roofline from the street.
They managed to achieve it with a three-level extension, in keeping with the age and style of the house, seamlessly added to the rear.
The house was originally built 110 years ago for prominent photographer Frederick George Radcliffe and he was clearly a man of means, judging by both the size of the building - the many rooms are all very generous - and it has special features, such as stunningly ornate pressed metal ceilings, which were imported from Sydney.
There are stained glass windows throughout and unique tiles in several of the fireplaces that have stood the test of time.
The layout of the house has worked well for Kathryn, Archie and their three children, Erica, James and Francesca.
Image 1 of 7: 4 Wapiti Avenue Epsom, Victorian villa circa 1905. Photo / Supplied
There are four bedrooms off the wide central hallway, one of which is used as an office, a spacious family bathroom, a large formal living and dining room with a fireplace and bay window, and a kitchen with informal dining area.
The extension gave them a family room, which has a kauri floor made from demolition timber that perfectly matches the original flooring in the rest of the house.
Folding doors open out on to a veranda and north-facing deck, also accessed from the informal dining room.
"This area has been great for entertaining," says Kathryn.
"We live out here in the summer."
The private flat lawn was the perfect spot for the kids to play when they were younger.
It would also be the ideal place for a swimming pool, the couple point out.
Back inside, the upper level has a study area, bathroom, storage room and two bedrooms, which could be converted into one.
"The wall between them has no load on it, so you could take it out if you wanted to create one large master suite," says Archie.
The couple convinced their builder, Steve Parker, to clad the sloping upstairs ceilings with traditional tongue and groove panelling because that's how attic rooms in houses of this era would have looked.
"He didn't love us for that because it was a lot of work, but it was worth it," says Kathryn.
There's also a lower level, underneath the family room, that is home to a big double garage, storage area/gym, wine cellar, bathroom and laundry.
But the house is so big that now the children are all off doing their own thing, Kathryn and Archie only use about a third of it.
So after nearly 29 years, they are letting it go to another owner who can enjoy what is both a gracious, heritage house, and a comfortable, practical family home.
