SCHOOL ZONES:
St Heliers School, Glendowie College.
CONTACT:
Ross Tierney, 021 855 721 or Wei Wei Elder, 021 0244 0885, Bayleys.
When Joyce Brown says that this is one of the most ideal places she and her husband David have lived in, she has a fair few other spots with which to compare this beach-view apartment in St Heliers.
The now-retired English couple have had houses in Spain and Nelson, among others, but moved to Auckland 18 months ago to be nearer the international airport for their travels. They were just in time to secure one of only four penthouse apartments in a new development by Cook Sargisson Pirie and Williams architects.
"We only looked at one or two other places, but when we saw this we went, 'Right let's get it'," says Joyce. "Everything was finished, all we had to do was dress the windows. The developer really did think of everything, it was quality."
The architects' finishes elevated the apartment above the usual developer-bland, with rich wood-panelled ceilings and walls, built in bookshelves and TV cabinets and a beautifully detailed kitchen.
However, the couple still added their own touches, switching out the marble counters on the waterfall kitchen island for granite (Joyce had not liked how marble stained in her house in Spain) and adding quality blinds and drapes to filter sunlight.
She scaled up the light fittings with glamorous fixtures from ECC lighting to dramatically highlight the 4.5m ceiling height. The bifold doors opening all around, making the place breezy in summer -- the fireplace (along with heat pumps) keep things toasty in winter.
The couple particularly liked the flexible space carved off one section of the huge living room by floor to ceiling bifold doors. They had the joiner copy the original bookshelves around the fireplace to create a fitted study.
Image 1 of 6: Penthouse apartment's architectural finishes go above and beyond expectation. Photos / Ted Baghurst
They use the room as a second reading room, and, when grandchildren visit can bring out folding beds from the huge hall closet and close it off for a bedroom. Next door is a beautifully tiled bathroom for the children, while the double guest room has its own ensuite and walk in closet.
With family and friends visiting from across New Zealand and the world, Joyce jokes that they have to put a time limit on stays sometimes.
It's easy to see why their place appeals: the master bedroom and living rooms open on to a huge covered balcony. Joyce and David have never tire of the views over the roof tops and trees to the beach and cliffs of St Heliers, while from a smaller balcony on the front of the property they can see the street bustle of the neighbourhood.
With its covered ceiling and huge pot plants, the balcony is a third living/dining room for most of the year. The kitchen with its oak joinery, granite and stainless steel gets a pop of colour from sea-green mosaic tiles, and is equipped with Miele appliances. The architects haven't stinted on storage, even including a full-sized laundry room, unusual in apartments. There are his and her closets in the master bedroom, bath and walk-in shower and his and her basins..
The travelling couple have loved that the apartment is totally secure when they lock up and travel for three months of the year. When they are here, they love the neighbourhood cafe on their doorstep.
But with their international travel behind them, the Browns have decided it's time for a move to a beach town where they're planning a bigger holiday house to share for long-term stays from overseas family.
