SCHOOL ZONES:
Stanley Bay School, Belmont
Intermediate, Takapuna Grammar.
CONTACT:
Liz Capovilla and Victoria Bidwell,
Bayleys Devonport, mob 021 452 276 (Liz) or
021 947 080 (Victoria).
FEATURES:
*plus off-street. Spacious, privately located
contemporary home incorporating legal one-
bedroom apartment and enjoying wide harbour
views and subtropical garden.
A carved Balinese gate hints that this property's unassuming road frontage conceals much more.
Cliff and Rae Hill are fairly private people so enjoy that their home's stellar harbour views, subtropical gardens and bonus apartment are not on public display.
Cliff says, "I think people are shocked when they come in that gate and see the garden and through the house to our view. I guess that's a bit of a surprise that you don't see coming."
"We came here for the view," says Rae, nodding towards the wide harbour outlook stretching all the way from St Heliers to SkyCity.
"My mother used to come here and say, 'You could never feel lonely living here', because it's not a static view. There's always something happening with ferries coming and going, yachts sailing by, cruise ships and all the night lights."
The Hills moved to this spot, a stroll from Devonport's ferry and village, nine years ago. They came from a big villa on the same road, which had lots of character but no outlook to the sea nearby.
Cliff's late mother, Betty, was already part of their household, so the property's legal self-contained apartment with its own entrance worked well.
They understand a local dentist had this contemporary-style, two-storey home built in the early 1980s.
They are its third owners and its mature subtropical gardens, complete with trickling pond, are particularly impressive given there was barely a plant here when they moved in.
The property has an internal-access double garage and its additional offstreet parking could fit a boat seeing it has accommodated their 9m-long mobile home.
The Hills have holidayed in Bali many times and that's where they commissioned the carved wooden gate which announces the main home's entrance. It opens to a private northerly courtyard garden where family dogs Zeezee, Kizzy and Zappa take the odd cooling gulp from an outdoor half-tonne Buddha fountain - also sourced in Bali (which stays with the home).
Having this courtyard complemented by a wide promenade of deck along the home's seawards side promises somewhere sheltered outdoors whatever the wind direction.
The main lounge-dining room wrapped in deck and views is a good example of the generous dimensions typical of the 430sq m layout.
The rich terracotta tone of its feature wall with open fireplace shows how Rae has used the occasional splash of tropical colour in the decor.
But key features, such as the stone-benched kitchen in the neighbouring kitchen-family-informal dining room, rely on neutrals so the home could easily be tweaked for those who prefer to live in a neutral nirvana.
A large office opening to the deck can alternately be a bedroom, with a separate toilet and bathroom nearby.
Completing this level are a gym, rumpus room and laundry plus a covered outdoor utility area and leadlight-edged doors opening to a side courtyard.
Although the large downstairs lounge easily accommodates bigger groups, a smaller sea-gazing central lounge upstairs is a nice place for the couple to retreat to in winter.
It's between the master suite, which has its own balcony, en suite and walk-in wardrobe, and one of two further roomy bedrooms serviced by a polished family bathroom.
The apartment is attached to the main home but, being completely self-contained with its own entrance, is suitable for elderly parents, independent children or for renting out.
Stairs lead up from its front courtyard to a spread consisting of a deck off the lounge-kitchen, a bathroom-laundry and a bedroom.
Now that their children are grown-ups this home is far bigger than Cliff and Rae need, especially as they intend to do more travelling.
