Polished to fine lustre

40 Eastbourne Rd, Remuera. Photo / Ted Baghurst

40 EASTBOURNE RD, REMUERA

4

4

2

SIZE: Land 931sq m, house 349sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: All buyers around the mid-$2 millions and beyond should inspect. Auction 1pm, August 28.

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 1.15-2pm.

ON THE WEB: rwremuera.co.nz/RMU21418

SCHOOL ZONES: Remuera Primary, Remuera Intermediate, Auckland Grammar, Epsom Girls' Grammar.

CONTACT: Roy Champtaloup, Ray White, ph 027 555 5557.

FEATURES: Modern, sleek transformed family house by Scarlet Architects in one of Remuera's tightest-held streets. Mature trees, heated pool and well thought out interior and exterior spaces create plenty of space in which to relax and spread out.

The 80s and 90s were not kind to architecture in New Zealand, with some mash-ups that didn't quite make the Memphis post-modern grade. It takes a lot of vision to see past the bright colours and chopped-up spaces of the period to the bones of a good modern home.

Luckily, then, that the infamously blue box in the private enclave of Remuera's Eastbourne Rd was spotted four years ago by Nick and Jodie Archibald, who realised there was potential behind the overgrown garden and rabbit warren of living rooms. They had the sense to call on architects Lindley Naismith and Jane Aimer of Scarlet Architects to make sense of the floor plan and open up the house to the sun and garden.

In the eight month-long gut and rebuild, the Archibalds fitted in a complete rewire, full waterproofing of the ground-floor rooms, and refurbished the solar heated swimming pool. The garden is framed by a hedge that Jodie laughs is now famous in its own way - for a stupendously fast growth that, with some pretty intensive clipping, shields the grounds completely from the street. Jodie points out that the siting of the house, in a slight dip, surrounded by neighbours' mature trees, means winds completely bypass them while the house is soaked in sun all day.

The major reconfiguration began on the ground floor, where the former garage was converted to two generous double bedrooms, a utility room and a pool bathroom added (the basalt shower and bench a luxury touch). The existing pool room, with wet bar, was one of the few rooms that didn't need work. It opens to the re-landscaped yard - the layering of lawns, foliage and retaining walls both front and back the masterly work of planting designer Barbara Garrett.

The new double garage, which now pleasingly balances the boxy original house, does double duty as a further pool/party room when sliding shuttered walls slide back to open the space to the pool terrace. Jodie has lost count of the parties for kids and adults that they, and their two girls, aged 13 and 4, have hosted.

"The pool gets thrashed in the summer. We're swimming from October to April," she says. "It's a neighbourhood where there are loads of children in the street, and they all wander from house to house. Eastbourne Rd is very tightly held, families have been here for years."

That had been the plan, too, for the Archibalds, until they spied an enormous old house in a neighbouring street in need of a major overhaul. Jodie had so enjoyed the Eastbourne conversion that she is busting to start another project.

She has added plenty of smart details. A niche beside the pool room became an enticing summer space when Jodie installed a custom daybed overlooking the cool water of the front entry pond. On the main living floor, with tongue firmly in cheek, she made a feature of the curved dining room wall, papering it with a lavish wallpaper of Fornasetti plates and hanging a chandelier featuring knives and forks (she also designed the industrial dining table to offset the antique chairs).

The kitchen centrepiece island, a slab of beautiful carrara marble with stainless steel legs, is her favourite and will be copied in the next kitchen. During the week, Jodie loves to cook while older daughter Phoebe does her homework at the handy computer nook. At weekends, everyone congregates at the island. The well-thought out pantry, double fridges, industrial St George stove and custom-made extractor make this kitchen as smart as any city bistro.

The architects reworked old features like the Shugg windows, but updated the glass doors which slide away to open the kitchen and living room to the newly extended deck. Quality details - solid maple floors, new fireplace, the marble - speak of the thought that went into the design. The new covered porch is the year round dining space - with a sunny aspect (and a built-in ceiling heater), it is enjoyed on all but the wildest rainy days.

A second sitting room converted from a bedroom, opens up to the last of the afternoon sun and newly terraced back lawn to the west. The family had planned to add a covered terrace and outdoor fireplace beside the spa pool, but will leave that to the next owners.

The main floor is completed by a further family bathroom and two bedrooms. The master suite features more of the curved wall - this time in a cityscape wallpaper, also by Fornasetti, and more of the deep white shutters which have helped modernise the space, plus a handy door from the en suite to the spa pool for late-night dips.

Buyers will be able to boast that the turn of the century was much kinder to architecture.