SCHOOL ZONES:
Pinehill School, Browns Bay School, Murrays Bay Intermediate, Rangitoto College
CONTACT:
Paul Arundel and Willi Bardohl, Bayleys, 0275 001901 (Paul) or 021 192 2925 (Willi)
A long-ago visit to the island of Nantucket, on the northeast coast of America, left a lasting impression on Heather Mills.
Not only did she have a great time there with members of her American dad's extended family, but she fell in love with the architecture on the island, just off Cape Cod, in Massachusetts. The charming houses remained in her memory long after she came home to New Zealand, and she dreamed of the day when she could have her own "Nantucket" home.
And Heather knew just who could make that dream come true -- her husband Mark, an architectural designer.
"Fortunately, we have the same taste in houses, and he liked the idea of an American-style home," says Heather. "I love the Nantucket and Cape Cod homes because they are so classic and timeless. The good thing about building one ourselves meant we could have all the character of those houses but also the modern benefits of a new home."
The pair have built or renovated a few homes together over the years but it wasn't until they found an elevated site at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac in Browns Bay that they decided to make Heather's dream a reality. They didn't rush into it, in fact they owned the land for five years before building began two years ago.
"We went through over a dozen concepts before we came up with the final design," says Heather. "It had to be just right."
Mark says that when they've built or renovated, he's tended to think about what prospective buyers are likely to be looking for, to make it easier to sell the home when they're ready to move on. This time was different.
"We didn't think about what the market might want, we built it for our family," he says.
But hopefully other families will appreciate the features Heather was keen on, like the American oak floors, windows with multiple panes, subway tiles in the bathrooms and symmetrical layout.
The house has a slightly imposing feel, thanks to its position high on a hill and its striking black weatherboards, but once you're in the front door it is clear that this is a family home that manages to feel both welcoming and stylish.
Off to the right of the entrance way is the open-plan family room, dining area and kitchen. The heritage-style oak floorboards have been lime-washed and given an oil finish and are not only ecologically friendly but also hardwearing.
The antique fire surround was found in a market, stripped back and re-finished by Heather, who has used her skills with a paint brush on several other features in the house, including a fireplace in the lounge and a vanity unit in the family bathroom.
Travertine tiles around the fireplace match those on the kitchen splashback. Heather put a lot of thought into the layout of the kitchen -- the sink is not in the large central island because she didn't want dishes to pile up on it; instead, the island is used for preparing and dishing up meals and there's plenty of room to eat there.
Image 1 of 5: This Nantucket-inspired house will charm you with its timeless heritage feel
Bifold doors in the kitchen lead out to a north-west facing deck. Another deck at the front of the house, accessed from the family room, maximises the view across rooftops to the sea.
This outlook can also be enjoyed via a picture window in the lounge on the other side of the house. . Also on this level is the laundry, a powder room and stairs down to the basement garage and workshop.
The main staircase in the middle of the house leads up to four bedrooms. Three of them, including the master bedroom, are located to make the most of the views. The fourth bedroom is used by Mark as his office.
Outside, the garden is spread over several levels, including an upper terrace that gets the late afternoon sun. There's scope to subdivide the large section, and Mark has drawn up plans for a dwelling that could be built in front of the house.
But new owners may prefer to use that land for a swimming pool, extra parking or a kids' play area.
Heather, Mark and their teenagers Olivia and Will have spent just two years here and never expected to be selling their dream home. But there's a chance to relocate a beautiful old Herne Bay villa to the country and then renovate it. "It will be hard to leave because this has been a very happy home for us -- it has an amazing energy to it," says Heather.
