Sometimes even the most familiar rolling hills keep their brightest building prospects under wraps for a long time and, for Mike and Ann Alexander, who bought this land 20 years ago, this was certainly the case.
Back then, they pulled on their sturdy jackets and footwear and ventured into the bush and undergrowth to see what, beyond the obvious views towards Long Bay, they'd signed up for and which other potential buyers had put in the "too hard" basket.
They found their patch and built their first rural family home hunkered down in the valley and then wondered, as their children were growing up, where else they could build, and do so even better.
They scoured wider rural north Auckland until Mike tuned into his instincts that their best building site might be right under their noses, on elevated land in their immediate backyard.
Once more, they pulled on their coats and boots and ventured into the bushy area at the back of their home. The contours weren't easy to discern and access was difficult, but they knew they'd found their platform with the privacy and outlook across covenanted bush that was the lifestyle they'd been looking for.
"We wanted the house to be hidden in the landscape rather than sitting above it," Ann explains of the land they subdivided from their original 4ha block. "We really wanted a pioneering stone building that had grown up, but the question was 'How do we grow it?"
Working with the architects and interiors team at Signature Homes, they developed their vision for a rustic home designed for adult and guest living, with three bedrooms and north-facing living areas on the entry level and two bedrooms upstairs looking out over their land towards Long Bay.
They chose bagged, rather than stacked, schist from Wanaka in keeping with the pioneering aesthetic and to achieve a less dominant look as the front face of the house that comes into view down the driveway.
To further enhance the pioneering style of their Colonial-profile weatherboard they chose boxed timber corners. These were important choices because they see this exterior form looking out from their lounge, kitchen and family room as it opens out on three sides to the deep tent-like courtyard and deck.
Mike's vision for the architectural form of the house and Ann's eye for interior functionality, combined with their team effort on every detail, rewarded them with a home that had everything in it they wanted for the long-term.
Image 1 of 6: 321 Glenvar Road, Long Bay. Photo / Ted Baghurst
They installed their bath in their en suite rather than the family bathroom, they chose granite featuring with petrified wood in it for their hearth and light oak timber for their flooring. The hot-water tap just inside the scullery within arm's reach of the kitchen is a personal favourite of Ann's. The purpose-built under-bench laundry at the end of the carpeted garage near their daughter's equestrian tack room is functionality at its best.
Ann and Mike Alexander subdivided their original 4ha block of land to complete the project, moving in just last November after the year-long build.
However, the small matter of an increasing number of horses coming into their daughter's competitive and working life has forced their hand in favour of a shift to a much larger rural property.
Ann and Mike admit that leaving this home and the land they've come to know so well is particularly hard.
"It is such a calm spot and such a beautiful home. We never really thought we'd be leaving here and that is really hard."
