SCHOOL ZONES:
Newton Central School, Kowhai Intermediate, Mt Albert Grammar, Epsom Girls Grammar, Western Springs College.
CONTACT:
Robyn Ellson, Ray White, 021 800 891.
*2 Off-street
A bottle of gin, some stylised leaf wallpaper and a career in landscaping have all played their part in making this Kingsland bungalow hum.
Landscape architect Shannon Bray and his partner Sue Whiteley bought here two-and-a-half years ago after a short stint living in Avondale.
They've renovated this 1920s home, which now pops with some colourful accents and sports an eminently usable landscaped backyard.
Sue, a human resources manager in the wine industry says: "I think of it as having a slight Scandinavian style with the lighter wood of its kauri floors, a bit of colour and plenty of light and warmth."
They've drawn on diverse inspiration. A feature wall of stylised leaf wallpaper in the dining room-kitchen was an early choice; its colours mimicked in pink, blue and orange accents elsewhere in the decor.
Shannon says: "We were trying to decide what colour the kitchen splashback should be, when we looked at a bottle of Bombay Sapphire gin sitting on the bench and said, 'Actually, that turquoisey-blue would look good'."
He adds: "We're not lushes but we call that front sunroom 'the Gin Room' because it's a lovely sunny place to sit and have a gin and tonic in the afternoon.
"Because we put big double bifold windows along its front, you feel like you're really part of the neighbourhood and the city sitting in there. No one can see you but you can hear people walking along the street and you can look out at the neighbourhood greenery and the Sky Tower.
"This location, so handy to all Kingsland's restaurants, shops and cafes, was a big attraction."
Image 1 of 7: Light, warmth and gin have played a part in creating this colourful space. Photos / Ted Baghurst
They're very close to Kingsland's main strip and Shannon finds the proximity of the nearby train station useful when he's headed for his company's CBD-based offices.
The bungalow was predominantly cream when they bought it, so they scouted for ideas when walking their rescue dogs, wire-hair pointer crosses, Digger and Blue. The friendly owner of a nattily painted neighbourhood home happily shared his colour choices, which they replicated in their blue-on-blue exterior.
They created an invaluable front double off-street parking pad, behind which is secure under-house storage, useful for things such as their camping gear.
Wide kauri floorboards grace the interior. Their builders, Simon and Nick, of Eden Builders, told them back in the day a portable mill would be set up on the street to mill logs into wood.
Their cat Mix (who outlived her counterpart Match) lolls in the warmth of the sunroom, which fronts the first sizeable bedroom.
There are two further bedrooms, another front one and the master, which now boasts an en suite with walk-in double-head shower. Their reconfigurations created the en suite to supplement the renovated main bathroom.
Turquoise tiles surround the lounge's gas fireplace, which bolsters the home's ducted underfloor heat pump.
The couple love the sociability of cooking with friends around the dining table in their renovated kitchen. This includes a big pantry, Corian benches and a skylight.
They really like its connection to their rear outdoor living, which Shannon redesigned, choosing a smart blue retaining wall, which creates defined level areas. He says: "I wanted to create rooms within the garden."
There's a lounging-barbecue patio immediately outside the house with steps to the upper level doubling as extra seating. The elevated, private and sunny upper level offers lawn, a second seating area and green-and-white themed planting.
Sue says: "Shannon's managed to make a lot of usable space which feels quiet and secluded and is easy to enjoy."
The couple are moving back to the Hawkes Bay, where they used to live, to renovate a 100-year-old farmhouse villa.
