SCHOOL ZONES:
Orakei School, St Joseph's School, Selwyn College.
CONTACT:
Joe Telford or Heather Walton, Ray White, 021 191 7769 (Joe) or 021 432 167 (Heather).
*2 Covered parking.
After owning a substantial Remuera home with gardens, pool and tennis court, Joanna and Tim Williams struggled to find anywhere that met their requirements when apartment shopping in central Auckland.
The places they looked at seemed to always fall short on a couple of factors.
Interior designer Joanna says: "Size was a big challenge. I love large open spaces and everywhere we looked the rooms felt tiny.
"Then we walked in here and the space was amazing."
Her husband, Tim, says this Orakei apartment, which is the largest of the nine residences in Azurion Apartments, also trumped central city ones they'd viewed, thanks to its direct ground-floor access.
"We liked the immediate access rather than having to cart the shopping up lifts and down corridors," he said.
They'd often walk around Orakei when they were Remuera-based and knew that this location, two-minute's walk from the waterfront, promised ease and handiness.
Tim says: "It's a quiet neighbourhood that gets lots of sun and a certain amount of seclusion."
Youngest daughter, 16-year-old Honour is five minute's walk from the train to Kings. Tim's daily commute into town from their apartment's dedicated, carpeted double garage takes about five minutes.
And it's easy to head North from here to their Omaha boatshed beach-house, which Joanna designed.
Image 1 of 7: This quiet neighbourhood gets lots of sun and a certain amount of seclusion. Photos / Ted Baghurst
She could see the potential for her design ethos, which favours upmarket simplicity and functionality, to transform the apartment. The entire space was stripped back and re-invented including rewiring and some modification of the floorplan.
Natural Habitats created the north-facing entry garden after removing burgeoning yucca, which blocked some interior light.
Now the simple beauty of a wooden boardwalk leads to the covered tiled patio flowing out from the front of the apartment. This patio area with built-in seating nook integrates a pull-down screen for cosiness and privacy.
Inside, Joanne uses her skills as a health- living cook in the upmarket streamlined new kitchen which shares one large space with the dining and main living. Its marble and Corian benchtops proffer a matt-black sink, instantly boiling or chilled water, a wine fridge and the latest rising Miele extractor fan as part of a suite of Miele appliances.
Oiled French oak floors extend into an angular corner seating area.
Lush cream carpet seen in the peaceful second lounge off the main living area is one of the few elements retained during renovation. Joanna added two air-conditioning heating units and created a separate office. Lighting includes subtle blade lighting, which gives a lovely soft glow.
The rear master bedroom with dressing room opens to the apartment's second outdoor living area, a grassed patio handy to the complex's shared pool area.
The organic curves of a free-standing bath emulate a curved wall in the master's spacious en suite, reminiscent of a beauty spa. The en suite features marble, as does the second bathroom, which is accompanied by two other spacious bedrooms, a little conservatory area and a separate laundry.
Joanna thinks the lighting, flooring and kitchen were her most important additions.
"But it's hard to say because it all came together so well to create a totally different feeling from what was here before."
