As Ros Stewart and Ian Colcord watched Auckland battle winds last week, they were thankful for the thoughtful design of their Muriwai home.
Architect Jason Bailey designed the house for his parents and made sure much of it was protected from wind.
When Ros and Ian bought it in 2012 they were impressed there were decks on both eastern and western sides, and there was always somewhere sheltered to sit.
They hadn't been looking for a place out west — their property search had been centred on the city — but on impulse they decided to take a look at Muriwai.
"The real estate agent showed us this at night and we made an offer right then, conditional upon seeing it in daylight," Ian says. Daylight proved they had made the right decision, revealing the big views of the sea and Oaia Island.
The location was also ideal for Ian, who is a keen mountain-biker.
They also found facilities for golf, tennis, horse-riding, bush-walking and fishing close by. They also liked the fact that the commute is about 25 minutes to the city.
Positioned on the cliff above the Tasman Sea, the contemporary cedar house, built over three levels, is dark stained to blend into the surrounding trees.
At night, the recessive colour serves to emphasise the glow from the interior spaces that so attracted Ros and Ian when they first saw it.
15 Ngatira Road, Muriwai Beach. Photo / Supplied
Now, they say, they have many other favourite aspects too. "We like that it's near the beach but not on the beach, and that it's in a wonderful, old-fashioned Kiwi cul-de-sac where there is a sense of community and kids can still play in the street."
The three-level design is also a winner for these two, who like to entertain. The master suite is on the top level and has a walk-in wardrobe, a tiled en suite with a bath and separate shower, and bi-folds to its own paved terrace — "an amazing place to sit and contemplate your navel," Ros says.
The middle level houses the main entranceway, internal access from the double garage, and floating stairways. The open-plan living area on this level features beech floors throughout, and beech cabinetry and granite benches in the kitchen.
15 Ngatira Road, Muriwai Beach. Photo / Supplied
"It's a great kitchen and we both cook and do lots of entertaining — especially barbecues," Ros says.
On one side of the kitchen is the dining area with a table that easily seats eight, and on the other the lounge, which opens via sliders to decks on two sides.
The whole area is heated by an open woodfire.
Downstairs are two more bedrooms and the main bathroom, which features a walk-in show with a door to the garden.
15 Ngatira Road, Muriwai Beach. Photo / Supplied
The section is close to 1500sq m and combines coastal bush and lawn. When Ros and Ian moved in there was a rose garden below the house but Ian wasn't keen on spending his weekends working in the garden so he planted native trees and shrubs, created a level area and sowed a lawn. Stairs lead down to this private hideaway.
"I like watching the surfers from here and there are sometimes as many as 20 or 30 people surfing," Ian says.
