SCHOOL ZONES:
Glendowie College, St Ignatius Catholic School, St Heliers School
CONTACT:
Alexander Babukhin, 021 956 473, or John Lantz, 027 543 3224, Ray White.
The tranquil, park-like setting of this elegant St Heliers Bay home instantly appealed to Monique Pinsonneault when she looked through it with her husband Pravir Tesiram nine years ago.
"We came to look at it and as we were going back down the driveway, I said to my husband: 'I want this house'. And he said: 'If you want it, we can buy it,'" recalls Monique.
The decor of the house, which included green wallpaper in most rooms and green carpet, did not appeal to the couple but they knew a cosmetic makeover could transform the home's interior to match its graceful layout and strong street appeal.
Built in the 1930s, the two-level, northwest facing home has white stucco exterior walls, panelled windows and terracotta roof tiles.
It sits at the top of a long driveway on 1742sq m of elevated land that is divided into two titles. The property has views over the Hauraki Gulf to Rangitoto Island, is fringed by mature trees and has meticulously maintained grounds including two sweeping lawns and a kidney-shaped swimming pool.
Being across the road from Dingle Reserve and close to two large neighbouring properties, including one that has more than 7000sq m of land, means that Monique and Pravir's property is a haven for birdlife.
"Everywhere you look outside from the house, you see green and it is completely quiet here."
The couple moved to their Fern Glen Rd South home from Remuera when their son Milon was 13 and had started school at King's College, which he could train to from Glen Innes station a few minutes' drive away.
Although the five-bedroom house was big for only three people, Monique knew the extra space would be handy when relatives came to stay from overseas.
Image 1 of 8: Enjoy sea and city views from the park-like garden. Photos / Ted Baghurst
The home's layout, which includes two double bedrooms and two separate living rooms on the ground floor, has also worked well for entertaining different age groups.
"The adults could use the formal lounge at the front of the house and the teenagers could use the family room, which has its own deck. You can be at one end of this house and be completely removed from what is happening at the other end."
Before the family moved into the house they recarpeted and repainted the interior in soothing neutral shades that complement the tranquil views to the garden from almost every room.
Beautiful parquet flooring in the kitchen, dining room, hall and upstairs bedrooms has been resanded and polished, the kitchen has been modernised and the outside of the house has been repainted.
No structural alterations were necessary to the home's thoughtful, semi-open plan layout. This includes bi-fold doors between the kitchen and formal dining room and a deep, northwest-facing, terracotta-tiled patio that opens off the formal lounge, family room and one of the two downstairs bedrooms.
"When you are entertaining, you can have caterers working in the kitchen with the doors closed until you are ready to open them," says Monique.
The front door of the house leads into an entrance hallway with the formal lounge off to the right and the formal dining room and kitchen to the left. Further down the hallway are a large double bedroom, bathroom and separate toilet to the left, the family room and a second double bedroom and en suite on the right.
At the back of the house are the laundry and an internal-access, double garage, behind which is a large potager.
Upstairs are a bathroom, a single bedroom and two double ones including the master bedroom which has an en suite, large dressing room and a Juliet balcony with sea views. The property also includes a small storage basement with a separate entrance.
