SCHOOL ZONES:
Grey Lynn School, Ponsonby
Intermediate, Auckland Girls' Grammar School,
Western Springs College.
CONTACT:
Gary and Vicki Wallace, Bayleys, ph
0274 988 585.
FEATURES:
Large city villa with extensive
decking and garden. Two living areas and a
significant 54sq m undeveloped lower floor.
Close to Grey Lynn and Ponsonby shops.
If furniture could talk, the huge wooden table in the farmhouse-style Grey Lynn kitchen of Green Goddess Wendyl Nissen and her husband, writer Paul Little, would undoubtedly have some interesting tales to tell.
This room has been the scene of many family meals - often with 12 hungry members in attendance, and of some serious (and not always completely successful) recipe testing.
Wendyl remakes vintage favourites here for her popular Nana's Pantry column in the New Zealand Woman's Weekly. She also produces a best-selling range of all-natural cleaning products, and there's often a lot of experimentation before the perfect formula is found.
Of course, there have been a fair few memorable dinner parties, too, with plenty of lively discussion and debate between an eclectic mix of guests from the couple's wide and colourful circle of friends.
"It's so warm and welcoming," says Wendyl of her kitchen. "Everyone finds themselves drawn in here."
Relaxed and charming, with a big bright hallway beyond the front door, the villa has a number of notable features. The sunny living room at the back was once a small suburban garment factory and still features an original brick wall.
The four good-size bedrooms have accommodated various combinations of the couple's five children over the blended family's decade in residence. These days, only Pearl is still at home.
The front bedroom, with its glorious working Art Nouveau fireplace, is Wendyl's office, while Paul toils in the cosy library that features extensive shelving, an essential element for these avid booklovers.
Wendyl believes the middle bedroom may have been the kitchen before an extension was added to the house in the 1990s. A large main bathroom is decorated in a simple yet classic style that's perfectly in keeping with the villa's age. It has a clawfoot bath and separate shower.
There's another smaller bathroom towards the rear of the property.
"That's the one the children use," says Wendyl.
Right at the back of the house is a spacious deck, perfectly positioned to catch the sun. In summer with french doors flung open, it's essentially an extension of the kitchen and living area, and above it sits a full and thriving garden, packed with flowers and vegetables.
Right now, Wendyl's feeling a little sad that she might not be around to see her sweet peas bloom.
"If I'm lucky they might come on early," she says, her fingers crossed hopefully.
With its own separate entrance below the main house, lies a stunning surprise; a 54sq m area which is roughly lined but essentially undeveloped.
"It's a great space with its high ceilings and it was very useful when we were starting the Green Goddess business," Wendyl explains.
"Apart from that, we've never got round to using it for anything much apart from storage, although various kids have stayed here from time to time. If you wanted to, you could put a staircase in for internal access, but you could also turn it into a little flat and keep it totally separate."
"I really thought I would live in this house until I died, but the time feels right for a change. We've been really happy here and I just know someone's going to walk in and fall completely in love with it."
