Kumeu: Horses and Hoedowns

Designed for enjoying life - boasting its very own bar - this Kumeu property invites horse-lovers who love to party. By VICKI HOLDER.

Many modern homes are designed to cater for entertaining. However, this country hideaway in one of Kumeu's most prized locations among the vineyards takes the entertaining role a tad more seriously.

Sure, this generously proportioned retreat has all the usual flowing living areas, which are de rigeur for a family that likes to spread out and make their guests feel comfortable. Looking out over extensive decking and surrounding paddocks, there's a large lounge warmed by the rugged character of a brick fireplace.

The double-height room features a tall, pitched, sarked ceiling and steps up to an intimate formal dining space handy to the family room next door. Parents can prepare a meal in the huge white kitchen while keeping an eye on the children in a conservatory sitting area.

When it's time to cut loose, the kids can head off to an upstairs lounge to amuse themselves. Older children might escape to play a spot of billiards in the games room, leaving the parents to depart for some serious frivolity in the bar!

This substantial space is set up just like a real hotel room with a full rimu and granite bar reaching right along the middle. Liquor, glasses and bar paraphernalia sit on built-in glass shelving and everything else is at hand on the bench behind. Although there's a wine cellar further along the hall, wine bottles are kept chilled in glass-fronted fridges below the bench. You can just imagine the parties that might have been enjoyed in this warmly welcoming part of the house.

Owner Fay Bryce says the neighbourhood enjoys a strong community spirit, and the bar was created so they could get together in genuine hotel style. Guests can line up on their stools and pretend they've gone out to their favourite drinking hole.

Fay and her daughter, Belinda, have always lived in the Kumeu area. But they say this particular niche in a little lane of upmarket homes is special. Brekadnik Manor, as it is called, is also a prized piece of real estate and they are sad to let it go. The home, Fay says, has "a lovely feel". She loves the way you can stand in the kitchen and enjoy peaceful vistas of the whole property. Wildlife and ducks are drawn to the ponds at the bottom. Belinda, who teaches horse riding, can watch her horses grazing in the paddocks from many of the rooms.

It's a large, low-maintenance brick and cedar home with deep eaves. Five bedrooms include a master suite separated from the others at the end of the hallway. His-and-hers dressing rooms form the entry to a generous tiled bathroom. There's even more self-contained guest accommodation with a double bedroom, living area and kitchen plus a bathroom in an American-style barn at the entry to the property.

Not only is there garaging for five cars, visitors can step into the house from huge parking areas in a circular driveway in front.

Gently sloping paddocks feature a race and a separate implement shed, making the property ideal for equestrian usage or simply an enjoyable lifestyle in the country. Behind security gates, the grounds are well-established with attractive, easy-care planting among mature trees. Children can play safely with plenty of room to keep their animals in this perfect hideaway, just 25 minutes from Auckland's CBD and five minutes from all the facilities of Kumeu village.

Vital Statistics

ADDRESS: Brekadnik Manor, 4 Dysart Ln, Kumeu.

FEATURES: Equestrian lifestyle property with brick and cedar home built in 1991; five bedrooms; two bathrooms, including en suite; formal lounge plus formal dining; family living; pool room; bar room; upstairs lounge; security gates and video intercom system; wine cellar large storage; American barn with one-bedroom guest accommodation; implement shed; children's playground; three water tanks and septic tank; ample decks.

SIZE: Land area 4.59ha, floor area (main house) 419sq m.

AUCTION: June 16, at Bayleys Maritime Square auction rooms.

AGENT: Shona Jurlina, Bayleys North West. Ph 09 416 7788 bus; 021 997 022 mob.