SCHOOL ZONES:
Takapuna Grammar, Belmont Intermediate, Stanley Bay School.
CONTACT:
Linda Simmons, Barfoot & Thompson, 027 459 0957 or 09 445 6337.
AUCTION:
Closes 4pm Wed, Nov 30.
While Rachel and Mark Unwin are creative enough to like doing up houses, it is the garden transformations that have really characterised their family moves.
When they found this quirky Arts and Crafts house in Stanley Bay four years ago, they immediately recognised its potential.
"We've always loved to build and create cool play spaces for the children," says Rachel.
"Our last place we'd dealt with a sloped property around a tree, so we could see what we could do. We computer modelled for maximum sun for the terrace and the pool, as we wanted to create rooms that got the sun."
The kids - then 11, 9 and 5 - sure got the coolest yard in the neighbourhood. Landscape architect Sara Zwart made the most of the generous backyard (an old-school Kiwi quarter acre) based around a grand old pohutukawa tree.
She installed a series of decks wrapped around the house, then used Auckland bluestone to terrace walls leading up to the newly flattened lawn. Clever touches - a sunken trampoline, a vege garden that doesn't need stooping, steps that double as seats, and outdoor shower for post-beach rinsing off - show the thought that went into the plan.
The swimming pool, with a spa beside, is sited at the top corner of the garden, where it can be seen from the kitchen bench, gathers the best of the sun and views out across the road to the water of Stanley Bay.
The careful design process and build took nearly nine months, just in time for the family to celebrate with a pool party in December 2014.
"This is our resort area, we've had two summers' use," says Mark.
There are cunning lift up bins for storage, with more room for toys in the basement garage. The Unwins did not want roses and buxus, working with Sara to install easy care natives, sculptural to complement the hardscaping and requiring little work.
At the front of the house, Sara created a series of stone walls and steps to welcome visitors to the imposing front door and porch, adding a good swathe of lawn behind the high fence and gates.
"The front of the house was a parking lot, with this tall unbalanced house on it and you felt like cars could drive right into the front bedroom," says Rachel.
"Sara made the drive softer, wrapped a pergola in front of the bedroom's French doors so it now feels like a room." Smart painting finished the job: a dark grey anchors the house to the property, warm creams and beiges pick out the original Swiss-influenced surrounds on the porch, windows and doors.
"When I walked in and saw the placement of the rooms, I wanted this," says Rachel.
"The brilliant thing about this is that there are four zones, all interconnected. We can be cosy at night with the fire going, there's a place for TV watching, one for homework, I can keep an eye on the kids in the garden."
Inside the former owners had done most of the renovations, opening out a generous kitchen with an island, two ovens and two sinks into a great sized family room with doors opening to the deck.
Rachel and Mark love how all rooms share high stud ceilings and there's an ornamental fireplace in the front room.
The original doors, windows (still with their quirky ventilation panels) and staircase joinery are all in mint condition, the couple just had to add pocket doors to close off the sitting room and painted in a smart scheme of Karen Walker sophisticated blues and greens.
The family-friendly design includes a mudroom/office by the front door and a laundry with toilet for easy access from the swimming pool. There is gas heating, but Mark has also installed solar panels.
The staircase walls are lined with beadboard and the family bathroom on the first landing has more. Rachel and Mark were told by the builders that this form of woodwork is more typical of boatbuilding, a very fine quality.
Each of the three children's bedrooms has its own personality with paint and paper, and updated fresh lighting - there are views of trees or the back yard, while the master bedroom gets views across Stanley Bay (and some pretty good sunsets).
The lower ground floor holds a generous garage, meticulously fitted with storage cupboards and workshop, with a wine cellar in the coolest part.
The fifth bedroom is now a sheltered spot opening to its new patio and pergola, a good private retreat for visitors.
Rachel and Mark have created a special family haven that will delight the next generation of owners. And now that Mark owns his own company he is free to move headquarters, so the family is going back to Nelson to be closer to family.
