See the light in Milford

6 HOLIDAY RD MILFORD

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SIZE: Land 641sq m, house 250sq m (approx).

PRICE INDICATION: Current interest is over $1.5 million. Auction November 10.

INSPECT: Sat/Sun 3pm-3.45pm.

ON THE WEB: www.bayleys.co.nz/201460511

SCHOOL ZONES: Milford Primary, Takapuna Intermediate, Westlake Boys' and Girls' High Schools.

CONTACT: Peter Christoffersen, Bayleys, ph 021 220 8681 or 487 0645.

FEATURES: Beautifully extended, recently renovated original 1900s solid weatherboard home with polished timber floors. Two sunny, indoor/outdoor living areas flowing to immaculate level grounds. An easy, flat walk to Milford shops and a stone's throw from the beach.

The Schnauer family's much-loved home of the past eight years is situated in a quiet street one block back and less than a minute's walk from Milford Beach. Unfortunately, the children's new colleges are much further afield and their parents are reluctantly implementing their long-term plan to move back across the harbour bridge when secondary education called.

"If it wasn't for that, we wouldn't sell in a million years," says their mother, Sally. "We love the house."

The original 1900s weatherboard home, once the property of the Selak wine family, was extended by previous owners and then renovated by the Schnauers. It was in good nick when they bought it - it's in even finer fettle now - but their alterations have literally opened its dear old heart to a contemporary, fluid, 21st century way of life. Without insulting its character and carefully preserving original features, such as three graceful leadlight windows, they reconfigured, rewired and re-carpeted. They polished the floorboards in the new open-plan kitchen and casual sitting area. They installed lovely new bathrooms with underfloor heating and did other things besides.

The result, says Sally, is a house that "makes life easy. It just works."

Even on a dull day, vast quantities of uplifting light pour through its abundant windows and all the French doors open the front bedroom and living areas to wraparound decks, and the master bedroom above to a tiled balcony with an ocean view. All bedrooms are of generous size and a back one upstairs accesses capacious fully floored storage under the roof.

The living spaces that run the full length of the house revolve around Classic Kitchens' glamorous but highly functional composition of stone-topped benches, double ovens, five-burner gas hob and lashings of cabinetry. Drinks are served from a built-in bar area tucked between the kitchen and the separate lounge, which can be closed to each other by glass-paned, sound-muffling cavity doors. The big room off the back of the lounge is used as a playroom, but it could function as a third living area or a large office.

Gas heaters have supplied all the warmth the Schnauers have needed, but the rewiring that introduced the sound system provided for a gas fire in the lounge. It also allowed Andrew - Mr "Ambient Illumination" - to indulge his passion for lighting; so a house already receiving abundant natural light enjoys a galaxy of independently operable recessed and feature lights as well.

Outside, there's a pretty circular summer house set in meticulously kept gardens behind a secure electric gate; and a hot-water outdoor shower rinses the beach off salty, sandy bodies.

The Schnauers moved to the North Shore 13 years ago - Andrew practises law in Milford - and they've loved it. "It's got such a nice, warm community feel."

Part of that sense of belonging came from connections madevia Milford Primary School, "which is fantastic. All our kids went there. You can't get into it now unless you live in zone".

It isn't easy to relinquish the luminous house, seconds from sea and sand and near Milford Mall, and move on. "We have all the essential things in life here," says Sally. "To us, this isn't just another house in another street. I feel as if that's what we'll be buying - just another house."