NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Property

Love of French flair abounds

NZ Herald
2 Dec, 2016 04:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

11a Cullwick Rd, Mission Bay, Auckland. Photograph/Ted Baghurst.

11a Cullwick Rd, Mission Bay, Auckland. Photograph/Ted Baghurst.

11A CULLWICK RD, MISSION BAY
3
2
2
SIZE: Land share of 819sq m, house approx. 218sq m.
PRICE INDICATION: Mid-$2 millions.
INSPECT: Sat/Sun 1pm-1.30pm.
ON THE WEB: https://www.bayleys.co.nz/Listing/Auckland/Auckland/Mission-Bay/1750992
SCHOOL ZONES: Kohimarama School, Selwyn College.
CONTACT: Gary Wallace, 0274 988 585, Vicki Wallace, 021 988 585, Bayleys.
AUCTION: Dec 8.

Michele and Barry Wright absolutely love France. So much so they make an annual trip to their beloved destination to soak up the food, wine, design, culture and everything else the country has on offer.

You're never likely to see Michele carelessly fling her hand luggage about on the flight back to Auckland. She and Barry love to pick up mementoes of their travels to bring home. This year's trip saw her carefully pack a glass snail ornament in her carry-on bag.

Last year it was guinea fowl figurines from a village near Uzes. Previous trips have seen Michele carry delicate vases from Paris. A painting was too cumbersome for the plane, so the Wrights shipped it back and it now graces their master bedroom.

Their delight in French style can be seen in their Mission Bay home, which they renovated with the help of Michele's friend, interior designer Paula McIntosh. What started out as some minor improvements turned out to be "quite major", Michele says, as the couple saw the potential of the circa 1995 house.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Paula suggested opening up the interior to make the space feel more generous. The footprint of their home hasn't changed, but the flow is much improved, thanks to raised door heights, larger skirting boards and a reconfigured entrance atrium with a rejuvenated wrought-iron balustrade on the stairs.

On Paula's suggestion, the project also saw two rooms - a downstairs bedroom and a dining room - reborn as a large wine room with custom-built shelving that doubles as a library and dining room, big enough to accommodate the French 10-seater antique dining table Michele has had for years.

The couple lived in the house during the renovation. "It was throughout winter," Michele recalls. "We were sitting here in our parkas, with the house wrapped in plastic.

The builders said we were nuts." Barry says they initially thought they would redo the bathrooms later. "But John the builder said to me, 'Forget about that, do it now'." As soon as the renovation was completed in June, 2013, they were off to France.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
11a Cullwick Rd, Mission Bay, Auckland. Photograph/Ted Baghurst.
11a Cullwick Rd, Mission Bay, Auckland. Photograph/Ted Baghurst.
11a Cullwick Rd, Mission Bay, Auckland. Photograph/Ted Baghurst.
11a Cullwick Rd, Mission Bay, Auckland. Photograph/Ted Baghurst.
11a Cullwick Rd, Mission Bay, Auckland. Photograph/Ted Baghurst.
11a Cullwick Rd, Mission Bay, Auckland. Photograph/Ted Baghurst.
11a Cullwick Rd, Mission Bay, Auckland. Photograph/Ted Baghurst.
11a Cullwick Rd, Mission Bay, Auckland. Photograph/Ted Baghurst.

Image 1 of 8: 11a Cullwick Rd, Mission Bay, Auckland. Photograph/Ted Baghurst.

When they got home they could relax and enjoy the Juliet balcony added to the master bedroom, which has views over the neighbourhood to Bastion Point.

The two upstairs bathrooms, which the Wrights are pleased they renovated at the same time as everything else, are both tranquil retreats.

With Carrara marble tiles and elegant fittings, they're both easy care. The master en suite and family bathrooms both have walk-in showers with no doors, so there's no glass to scrub. The family bathroom also sports an elegant standalone bath tub. There are two guest bedrooms, both doubles, allowing plenty of room for family and friends.

Downstairs, the living area and kitchen spill on to a wrap-around courtyard, which features elegant formal planting and an alfresco dining area. "The garden was quite eclectic before," says Barry, but they've pared it back and made it more akin to French style, including a fountain in the courtyard that provides the soothing sound of water. "It's a green and white garden now," says Michele.

The living room is cosy in winter thanks to a gas open fireplace that's the centrepiece of the room. The kitchen has a pale granite benchtop in keeping with the pale palette used throughout the house, including the washed oak floors.

The Wrights have loved their French-inspired home in this quiet street, but are looking to do more travelling. No prizes for guessing where they are going.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Property

Property

$1m deceased estate overlooking prestigious golf course for sale

08 Jul 03:30 AM
Property

Beach elite trading up for the hot suburb next door

08 Jul 03:00 AM
Property

'Expectation gap' dividing buyers and sellers in South Island's biggest city

08 Jul 12:56 AM

Audi offers a sporty spin on city driving with the A3 Sportback and S3 Sportback

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Property

$1m deceased estate overlooking prestigious golf course for sale

$1m deceased estate overlooking prestigious golf course for sale

08 Jul 03:30 AM

Couple’s retro pad up for grabs.

Beach elite trading up for the hot suburb next door

Beach elite trading up for the hot suburb next door

08 Jul 03:00 AM
'Expectation gap' dividing buyers and sellers in South Island's biggest city

'Expectation gap' dividing buyers and sellers in South Island's biggest city

08 Jul 12:56 AM
Cardrona Hotel sale could set Trade Me record: 21k views in under a week

Cardrona Hotel sale could set Trade Me record: 21k views in under a week

07 Jul 09:01 PM
Gold demand soars amid global turmoil
sponsored

Gold demand soars amid global turmoil

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP