International appeal and cool style

18 Bradford Street, Parnell. Photo / Ted Baghurst.

18 BRADFORD ST, PARNELL

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SIZE: Land 263sq m; house 253sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: $2 million-plus.

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 11.30am-12pm

ON THE WEB: harcourts.co.nz/ES7758

SCHOOL ZONES: Parnell School, double Grammar zone.

CONTACT: Jo Hill, Harcourts, 021 377 594.

AUCTION: August 12.

An English couple with an appreciation for New Zealand's lifestyle have updated and enhanced their home's connection with the outdoors, while acknowledging the English angle to its construction in the late 1890s.

For Sarah Mead and John Potter, the origins of this home that was built for two British military officers stationed here during the Maori land wars was just part of its appeal. The English flavour of its street frontage won them over on the front veranda five years ago, as did the central staircase, the wide landing with its sea views and even more expansive views from the upstairs master bedroom and balcony.

Unfolding over three levels on a sloping site, this home was built in a similar style to its neighbour at No20 in the plentiful timber of the day that was native kauri. For Sarah, it was the golden tones of this kauri in rather overwhelming quantities that spearheaded her redecoration of the interiors and enhanced its abundant natural light.

She chose to paint over the deep architraves, skirting boards, shutters, panelled doors and staircase, opting to keep the turned Kauri balusters in their original golden tones as a contrast that happily acknowledges the house's tradition.

Underfoot in the non-carpeted areas, she had the kauri timber floors tinted in a darker brown for a modern look. It is in the split-level living area off the main courtyard that these floors and the timber screens come together as a stand-out contemporary feature with traditional architectural elements as their backdrop.

Previously, the lounge/reading area that opens off the hallway had been almost entirely open to the second lounge that is up five steps alongside the dining area. However, Sarah decided to install two timber screens to improve the ambience within the lounges and her new opened up kitchen and dining area. "I wanted to separate the space a little bit without cutting out the light and the screens have provided a bit of separation without leaving you feeling cut off if you're cooking in the kitchen, for instance," she says.

In her kitchen redesign, Sarah ensured a seamless view from all angles, including that upper lounge, by installing high perimeter cupboards in a glossy black paint finish above the main kitchen cupboards.

A project manager for an architectural firm, Sarah built a scale model of her kitchen within a large cardboard box, printing out the various laminate finishes on her computer and applying them to her model to be sure of her final choices.

Alongside the granite bench tops she specified a walnut laminate, running the grain vertically on the symmetrical, rear bench-top pantries as a contrast to the horizontal grain elsewhere.

Throughout, Sarah and John, who is a landscape architect, have chosen materials that maximise the natural light. In their bathrooms they have chosen frosted glass doors with a matching door into their master dressing room.

For their adult daughters and extended family, this home has proven international appeal.

There are two sets of guests' quarters on the ground level to the rear, one of which is a separate bedroom, lounge and en suite and the other a combined bedroom/lounge and en suite. Each has separate external access.

"This house just soaks people up," says Sarah. "We've had friends of friends and children of friends from England come and stay. They can live downstairs and be independent and we're not all on top of each other."

For this couple, their decision to sell has been driven by a wish to downsize and they're doing so with plans to stay in Parnell.