"But that is testimony to how flexible the house has been," says Sara, now mum to William, 10, and Grace, 7.
For example, with great indoor-outdoor flow to the deck that runs the length of the house and a sunny patio at the front, the house has always been ideal for entertaining.
But it has proven to be just as suited to children's parties as adult get-togethers, especially as the outdoor area is contained within fences and walls so kids can't escape.
Meanwhile, two sets of cavity sliders that section off the open-plan living/dining/kitchen/lounge could be left open when the children were small so Sara could keep an eye on them.
Now they're older, the doors can be closed so the children can be in the rear living room watching their TV shows while their parents are the front lounge catching up on the news.
"It works really well - you can shut the children off or if you're entertaining you can open it all up and it's a big space."
Meanwhile, a room next to the master bedroom upstairs has served dual purposes.
When the children were little, it was a perfect nursery; now it's a great office for Sara, who sometimes works from home.
Brian and Sara commissioned architect Brent Hulena to come up with plans for a major makeover after they had been living in the house for a couple of years.
It had already been extended by previous owners, who pushed out the back to create another living area, but they wanted even more space.
Rooms were reconfigured and an upper level added.
There are now three levels, including the spacious double garage under the house, reached by an internal staircase.
The ground-floor level comprises the double-height entrance (recently redecorated with a stunning flocked wallpaper), the living areas and kitchen, plus the children's bedrooms and a large family bathroom. William's bedroom also has a separate toilet.
Upstairs is the study and the oversized master bedroom.
"This will be really hard to leave behind," says Sara, looking around at the huge room.
"Most bedrooms are so small in comparison - it's going to be difficult to find anything like this again."
The bedroom has a large en suite, complete with a walk-in shower that boasts two shower heads, plus a spacious walk-in wardrobe and a deck that offers a peep of the sea and Coromandel Peninsula in the distance.
Careful attention has been paid to the decor, with the matai floorboards downstairs given a dark stain and most of the walls painted a crisp white, apart from those adorned with striking wallpapers.
The kitchen is Sara's favourite part of the house. It has a huge island bench with a terrazzo top where the kids sit and do their homework while she cooks, and a skylight that makes this area light and bright.
Outside, the garden features classical, low-maintenance design with camellias, gardenias, buxus, mondo grass and a magnolia.
This compliments the clean, simple lines of the house, which manages to be impressive yet unpretentious.
It has proved to be a wonderful family home, says Sara, but she and Brian are now looking for a new project.
