Coastal: Rooms with a view

By CEDRIC GRAY

The owners of this house with the golden views, a few kilometres south of Muriwai Beach, north west of Auckland, are working like beavers to have it ready to sell.

The 290 sq m home, which stands on a 2 ha property in Oaia Rd, enjoys stunning views of the Tasman Sea.

The owners have spent a handful of years on the project, living in the meantime in a cosy one-bedroom unit that shares the property and commands views of similar quality.

The house has a distinct Kiwi flavour, despite the fact that the design was captured from rural England. The exterior, for instance, is built of pressed sandstone brick from the Muriwai quarry. The look is soft on the eye and blends to near perfection with the coastal environment.

This softness has been enhanced on two feature walls in the main lounge and family living area, where the brick has been washed with lime.

The interior design is unusual, yet highly attractive. The emphasis has been placed on the views that are shared by almost every room on two levels. They are particularly attractive from the small sunken second lounge (or snug), which is off the main living area, and from the master bedroom on the first floor.

The extensive use of timber from the south Pacific is a feature. Matai has been used for the floor downstairs and Australian hardwood for the first floor. Polished kauri enhances the delightful kitchen and rimu the staircase, while other varieties feature on some of the interior fittings.

The two wood burners, in the main lounge and the snug, provide winter heating.

Versatility is the key to the accommodation wing on the first floor, which extends across the drive-through double garage. A large lounge at the top of the staircase could easily be converted into a fourth bedroom, and the garage could just as easily be made into self-contained accommodation.

The landscaping is far from complete, though a paved courtyard and a timber pergola provide scope for indoor-outdoor entertaining.

There is grazing for a few head of stock. Patches of light bush provide shelter and there is a plentiful supply of spring water.

The property is being marketed by Harcourts, Kumeu, where Simon Spiller has further details. Ph 412 7666.