KEY POINTS:
18 TAURARUA TERRACE, PARNELL.
Size: House 250sq m.
Price indication: Interest expected above $2 million.
Inspect: Today 1-1.30pm, Sat/Sun 2-2:30 or by appointment.
On the web: www.open2view.co.nz # 159186
School zones: Parnell Primary, Epsom Girls Grammar, Auckland Grammar.
Contact: Megan Jaffe 021 611 461 or Sue Doherty 021 66 77
58 or Suzie Cox 0272 783 269, Ray White.
Features: Luxurious architecturally designed townhouse in tranquil setting. Light and airy open-plan living, designer kitchen with butler's pantry, several outdoor dining spaces. Secure basement carpark.
Building townhouses among mature trees on a sloping site that used to be home to formal gardens presents particular challenges.
But Yvonne and Cam Hadlow, of development company Abinitio, have pulled off a stunning development tucked among the trees with the help of architect Simon Carnachan.
The Hadlows bought the site four years ago and subdivided the rear of the section that used to be part of Tawari garden. Mature pohutukawa remain and, along with some tall nikau, provide a striking contrast to the clean lines of the four solid masonry townhouses.
The top of the driveway that follows the slope down to the townhouses had to be built to bridge the roots of mature puriri, titoki and nikau at the front of the section.
Yvonne said working in and around the trees made for a "tight site", so much so that the building supervisor had his office on the Hadlow's property when construction began last January. Three of the townhouses sold off the plans, leaving only No 18, one of the two central houses in the block of four, available to buyers
Yvonne said Carnachan's "light and airy style" was perfect for the heavily tree-covered site.
"Obviously, we wanted something with lots of light with so many trees around," says Yvonne. "The only fixed thing that we wanted was four units so basically we had a bit of a flick through some magazines and he [Carnachan] said what would be good."
The quality of the design and finish is evident from the moment you enter through the oversized wooden front door. The double-height lobby has soaring windows at either end and from here you can go up the blonded solid Oregon steps to the bedrooms, down to the secure basement carpark, or to your left where the tiled floors of the lobby give way to the blond American oak floorboards of the open plan living area.
The Italian kitchen has stone benches with a long island/breakfast bar and the Bosch appliances include a double oven. Behind the kitchen to the left is a toilet and laundry, while behind to the right is a butler's pantry with sink.
One of the features of this living area is that it opens to several outdoor spaces. The kitchen opens out to a walled and tiled courtyard at the front of the house, while off the lounge at the rear of the house is a wooden deck that looks out into the bush. Off to the left of the lounge is a small, sheltered balcony.
"You get the morning sun out the back, this beautiful filtered sunlight through the trees and the afternoon sun out the front," says Yvonne.
The lounge has a gas fire and, like the rest of the open plan space, can be opened up via heavy duty aluminium sliders.
Upstairs, there are three bedrooms and the main bathroom. The master bedroom has an en suite with a walk-in shower and double basins. It also has its own wooden deck off to one side that is tucked in the treetops, reinforcing the feeling that this is an urban retreat.
As Yvonne says: "It would be quite hard to find a house so close to town that's so private and tranquil."