CONTACT:
Chris Patrick, Barfoot & Thompson, ph 021 993 893.
Family expertise meant Jason and Lorna Richardson felt pleasantly relaxed about living half a world away while this sun-soaked Mission Bay home was built for them.
The couple are owner-managers of Peak Pilates and Physiotherapy, which has grown to 11 studios around Auckland since they founded the business. They spent 10 years living in Hong Kong where former professional tennis player Jason coached tennis and UK-born Lorna (who represented her county in athletics and gymnastics) was a physiotherapist.
Early this decade they knew they would soon want to move to Auckland, where Jason grew up, to start their business and a family. They bought this sunny section with sea views on a trip back here, knowing Jason's developer father, Wayne, could project-manage their build while they returned to Hong Kong.
Lorna remembers her first look at the finished contemporary five-bedroom home.
"I thought it was absolutely amazing. Wayne is very particular about all his houses."
It met their wish-list, being spacious and well-oriented for sun and harbour views, incorporating high ceilings and having a self-contained downstairs area where they set up their business.
A 15-minute walk from Mission Bay, it is quietly set, down its own gated driveway, behind a roadside home. There's expansive, concrete, off-street parking outside their internal-access double garage. It's a great place for the trampoline enjoyed by children Isabella, nearly 11, and Max, 7, and could also accommodate a boat.
Lorna says, "Because there's loads of off-street parking it's really easy when everyone comes round here for things like dinner parties."
The home has keyless entry and soaring ceilings, introduced by the formal entrance's impressive double-height atrium. Smoked oak floors extend through living areas including the north-facing spread of kitchen, dining area and formal lounge. This area opens to a covered front deck embracing the views and kept private by side louvres.
Jason says, "My favourite place here is probably our formal living room because it's got super-high ceilings and a lovely gas fireplace."
He adds with a grin, "We call that the posh lounge," explaining they tend to hang out casually as a family, with their dog Monty, watching TV in a spacious second lounge along the hall.
The smart granite-benched kitchen delivers marvellously on one of Lorna's desires, offering a fantastic view of Rangitoto.
"I wanted to be able to stand at the kitchen sink and see the great view," she recalls. "My view from the kitchen sink in Hong Kong was a brick wall!"
As well as the second lounge this level includes a polished looking family bathroom, Max's bedroom plus another bedroom serving as an office. The second lounge and bedroom-office open to a sunny rear patio.
Image 1 of 5: Built for a family and a business, this three-storey property has proven endlessly flexible
Upstairs, their north-facing master suite with its en suite, walk-in-wardrobe and its own front deck has a fine, elevated outlook. Lorna mentions she seldom draws the curtains here as she likes to lie in bed at night admiring twinkling night lights dotted around the ocean.
At the other end of this level, Isabella's bedroom is distinctive for its wallpaper featuring a large image of horses.
Downstairs is a roomy living room or rumpus with its own entrance, which was their pilates studio initially. It's accompanied by a bedroom (once their physiotherapy treatment room) a bathroom and a separate laundry. The Richardsons envisage this level suiting someone's extended family or perhaps a home office.
Peak Pilates and Physiotherapy's success has seen them take over premises such as a 280sq m Tamaki Drive studio. So they outgrew their need for the lower level many years ago and aren't really utilising the space. With Jason's family interest in property, he and Lorna can picture building another home in the future.
