SCHOOL ZONES:
Remuera School, Remuera Intermediate, double grammar.
CONTACT:
David Rainbow, Bayleys, 021 923 364, or Leila MacDonald, Barfoot & Thompson, 021 928 926.
AUCTION:
On site 4.30pm, 10 August (unless sold prior).
One of the grandest aspects of Cotter House is its ballroom, and it comes with an equally intriguing history.
Current owner Gloria Poupard-Walbridge says when the Cotter family bought the house in 1892, they had three unmarried daughters in their 20s. The parents were so worried that they would remain spinsters that they added on the ballroom so they could hold soirees and hopefully marry off the girls.
The grand, barrel-vaulted room was one of the architectural features that appealed to Gloria, who has honoured the home's Regency style in the 21 years she has been chatelaine.
She says there is some contention around when the triple brick-and-concrete home was built but her research suggests it was some time between 1847 and 1855 -- by English colonist Joseph Newman, who was a wealthy stockbroker, temperance advocate and philanthropist.
When Newman died in 1892, solicitor Thomas Cotter bought the property, adding the ballroom.
Come the 1970s, the house was, says Gloria, in a sad state and a developer who bought it was considering demolition but opted to renovate the home.
When Gloria, who was born in Colombia and raised in France, bought the home in 1995 she was determined to rejuvenate it in period style.
"I was very conscious of trying to keep the historical aesthetic," says Gloria. "So I have tried to stay true to the Regency colours of black, yellow, blue and gold."
Image 1 of 8: A grand home that fell on hard times has been beautifully renovated and much loved. Photos / Ted Baghurst
Part of that refurbishment involved covering walls in shantung silk and introducing antique oak cabinetry and granite benchtops to the kitchen.
The old coach house has been turned into a double garage and re-roofed with slate.
Set well back from Vincent Ave, the elegant home is quiet and secluded despite being close to Remuera Rd and its shops.
Inside, there is a richly painted foyer with its arches highlighted. Off to the left are two grand lounges with floor-to-ceiling sash windows that can be screened by shutters that fold out of the walls. These adjoining lounges feature ceiling roses and chandeliers, and flow through to another lounge or dining room that has a fireplace.
From here you step down to the vast ballroom with its spectacular curved ceiling.
"The acoustics are perfect in here," says Gloria.
Tucked in the northwestern corner of the house, the kitchen opens out to the pool area, which has a sauna.
Upstairs, the bedrooms sit in two wings and are just as luxurious as the rest of the house.
One wing has what could be a nanny's quarters with bedroom, bathroom and a lounge.
