SCHOOL ZONES:
Western Springs School, Pasadena Intermediate, Western Springs College.
CONTACT:
Martin Dobson, Kellands, ph 021 376 952
Bret Gower and Suzy Timpson wanted a home that combined the contemporary and nods to the past against a backdrop of uninterrupted sea views.
Stevens Lawson Architects designed them this cedar home which won Home Magazine's 2007 "Home of the Year" award. The couple wanted to replicate aspects of theirprevious Group Architects Mt Albert house in this waterfront avenue where Suzy's late father also used to live.
Suzy says, "We wanted this home to be timeless; a bit of looking back and a bit looking forward."
Bret says, "Our Mt Albert house had lots of wood and a sort of twisted entranceway which didn't reveal everything straight away, which we liked."
The pair favour distinct spaces over open-plan and liked their "Group" home's emphasis on access to outdoors. They're also fans of Zen-like tranquillity and a subtle 70s feel, seen in this home's sunken lounges.
They first lived in a bungalow on-site, which they bought along with an old launch around 2002 from an octogenarian boat-builder and his wife. Their children moved here as pre-teens, a great age to enjoy the seaside lifestyle.
Suzy says, "We'd take them out on the launch at night hunting for 'creatures of the deep'."
Graphic designer Bret and psychotherapist Suzy recount epic fishing hauls and comparing bird sightings with Suzy's Dad over the phone. They've watched sunsets, boating mishaps and once saw a great white shark splashing offshore.
Street frontage is discreet, focusing on landscaping by Patrick Stokes that is heavy on natives but with a Japanese flavour. Little house is evident bar the dark battened front of the double garage, preceded by a parking pad. The long site lent itself to a layout that unfurls as you explore. Suzy says, "We wanted it to be like a voyage of discovery for anyone coming to this house."
A big door pivots revealing a long hallway culminating in the blue of a sea outlook. Every batten lining the hallway was individually measured because the floor and ceiling slope differently. Along the hallway rooms are organised around the greenery of tranquil side courtyards. Faceted planes in the stairwell's origami style ceiling fall into light and shadow as the sunlight moves.
Image 1 of 12: Home of the Year-winning pad unfurls before you with zen-like serenity
One of the downstairs' three bedrooms looks out to a night-lit cherry tree. Narrow rectangular tiles curve around the family bathroom, supplemented by a powder room.
There's a laundry and a multi-purpose room that former fashion designer Suzy uses as her cutting room. Her book-lined office under another origami ceiling is one of her favourite spaces, looking through the home to the water.
A portion of hallway wall pushes open to reveal a concealed media-second living room. Bret likes reading in the sunken lounge, which can be toasty with its wood fire or opened to embrace the outdoors in summer.
The kitchen-dining space's marble-topped American oak island incorporates a dramatic curve, emulating a wave. They enjoy cooking, and entertaining often moves from the rear living to outdoors' decks, barbecue alcove and sunken gathering area around an outdoor fireplace.
Upstairs, the master suite with walk-through wardrobe and en suite with claw-foot bathtub has sea views.
"That's our James Bond style window," says Suzy, referring to the en suite's round internal window with two opening panels. Windows open around the master bedroom's corner daybed, making it a lovely open-air spot to sleep in summer. "You feel like you're camping, listening to the seagulls at night."
Sunken hedging around the rear swimming pool with spa replaces fencing. Steps lead from the level lawn to a private boat-ramp complete with the previous owner's World War II winch.
Now their children have grown, the couple and their cat Dick don't need such a large home.
