*Off-street parking for six cars
Renovators are an intrepid breed and Sarah Sutherland and Dougal Watt are no exception, but even they admit they took on rather more than they anticipated when they fell in love with the historic Woodville Homestead. Built in 1856, it was one of Auckland's earliest "gentleman's residences" but by 2005 it was being moved off its Remuera site to make way for the current Registered Master Builders House of the Year.
After 150 years of constant use it was in a dire state but, little daunted, Sarah and Dougal decided to move it on to their land overlooking Lake Kereta, South Head, and turn it into the sort of home that could be used as an upmarket bed and breakfast at some time in the future. "We thought we had an adequate budget to do what was needed," laughs Sarah. "Little did we know. I think that budget went out the window some time in year two and it took five years before it was really finished. There was so much that needed doing and since everything is on such a grand scale there were no short cuts."
They were also adamant about retaining the architectural integrity of the building while introducing four luxurious bathrooms, three of them en suites to the three biggest bedrooms. "We wanted to create the option for future use as a B&B and so we needed the extra bathrooms," explains Dougal, "but the building itself had to be respected. Luckily the size of the bedrooms allowed extra bathrooms to be introduced without any significant change to the original layout which worked really well."
Woodville's layout differs from most villas in that it has no central hall. Instead, the huge entrance door leads into what could - because of its proximity to the front door - be described as a lobby. But if it is a lobby then it is like no other. This one is as big as a dance hall with a large square skylight that keeps it bathed in natural light all day long. Off to one side are the kitchen and dining rooms, each so huge that they dwarf the furniture and fittings in them; and directly opposite them, the formal sitting room. This, with French doors out to the veranda and lovely views down to Lake Kereta, is beautifully proportioned and softly lit despite the dazzling brightness of the day outside. On the remaining two opposing sides of the square are the master bedroom suite in one direction, and the bedroom wing containing three more bedrooms and bathrooms to the other. Anna - Sarah and Dougal's 2-year-old daughter - has the smallest of them and the other two await the guests and family who come to stay from around the world. What they find when they come is an area breathtaking in its natural beauty. Dramatic golden hillsides surround the gradually regenerating Lake Kereta, a dune lake which backs on to the rear of Woodhill Forest and its miles of sandy riding tracks. They are one of the reasons keen riders Sarah and Dougal fell in love with this area in the first place. "We never need to shoe the horses because the sand is firm underfoot but not hard," says Sarah.
The February arrival of Anna's sibling isn't the reason they are moving. Rather, it is the swiftly rising walls of their new home nearby on adjacent farmland. "You could call this a five-year diversion from the plan of having a Fearon Hay house," comments Dougal.
"We've enjoyed rescuing Woodville, but now it's back to plan one and living in an architect-designed modern home. We're looking forward to that, too."
