SCHOOL ZONES:
Churchill Park School, Glendowie College.
CONTACT:
Douglas Melville, 021 702 500 or 215 8134, and Janis Upton, 021 999 238 or 578 5000, Ray White
AUCTION:
April 19.
The 1970s is a decade that often doesn't get a lot of credit when it comes to its contribution to architecture.
However, Ray and Pam Owers' Glendowie house celebrates some of the best design ideas from that era, while also proving to be a comfortable and practical family home.
Its soaring beamed ceilings, circular windows, central courtyard and combined brick/weatherboard exterior are striking, and testament to the fact that the 70s wasn't only about shagpile carpet you had to wade through.
When Ray and Pam bought a large, slightly sloping section in a quiet cul-de-sac, they weren't put off by the fact that it took two goats to keep the gorse and grass under control. Instead they were excited about the prospect of building a home for themselves and their two young children, Ashley and Daphne, which used lots of design features of the day.
Ray, who has an engineering background, was particularly keen to incorporate some concepts he'd come up with -- such as making circular window frames out of fibreglass, instead of concrete.
"I had quite a few ideas, plus we worked alongside architect John Strickett and we also got some input from students at Auckland University," says Ray.
However, there was a slight catch -- money. At the time, they couldn't afford to build the large family home they envisaged, so they did the next best thing -- they built half of it.
In fact, the house was deliberately planned to be constructed in two stages. The first stage was fairly small, with three bedrooms, a bathroom, lounge and kitchen. The Owers family lived there until the early 1980s when they were able to add on the second stage, which more than doubled the size of the house.
"It was wonderful to have all that extra space," recalls Pam.
The extension created three wings that enclose a paved area, forming a sheltered, sunny courtyard that has been the ideal location for dining and entertaining.
Image 1 of 9: There's a surprise around every corner here. Photos / Fiona Goodall, Getty Images
This second stage includes a triple garage on the lower level and, above it, a spacious living room that opens out to the courtyard. This room has a stunning cathedral ceiling with beams made of exposed Douglas fir that was sawn to order.
A staircase leads up from the living room to two single rooms that have had many uses over the years, including being Pam's sewing room and Ray's design office.
There's a larger bedroom downstairs next to the lounge, along with a bathroom, and around the corner is the hub of the house -- the kitchen, dining and family room. "This is where everyone tends to congregate," says Ray. "It's a very big space."
This area was renovated last year, and now there's a brand new kitchen and appliances, along with a stylish porcelain tiled floor.
A row of windows overlooking the courtyard lines one wall, and there are bi-fold doors out to a covered patio on another. The garden includes a long flat strip of lawn that used to make a great cricket pitch, and lots of mature trees.
The rest of the house, part of which was the original stage one home, is comprised of four more bedrooms -- including the spacious master bedroom with en suite -- a family bathroom and a bathroom/laundry.
There is also another lounge with external access and a loft that makes a great kids' play space or storage.
Over the past 38 years, the house has catered admirably to the family's needs. They were even able to divide it into two flats for almost a decade, when they were spending five months a year on a canal boat they owned in France and wanted tenants at home looking after their property. Now seamlessly converted back to one sprawling family home, it is too big for the two of them.
