SCHOOL ZONES:
Kohimarara School, St Thomas School, St Ignatius Catholic School.
CONTACT:
Vicki Wallace, ph 021 988 585, or Gary Wallace, 0274 988 585, Bayleys.
David and Keren Blakey were thinking well ahead when they bought a little old bungalow on flat land that backs on to Madills Farm Reserve in Auckland's eastern suburbs, a few minutes' walk to Kohimaramara Beach.
The Blakeys bought the deceased estate in the late 1990s and rented it out while they were still living in England.
By 2007, after returning from overseas, they had cleared the site and built a large house that is almost half the size of the 614sq m of land it occupies, and ticks all the family lifestyle boxes that were part of their well-thought-out plan.
Architect Allan Shanahan designed the two-storey masonry home, which has heated limestone tiles on its ground level that flow through to two outdoor patios, and which is designed to be warm and quiet with several flexible living spaces.
"This is a fantastic location for the lifestyle that we lead as a family," says David.
Unlike many Auckland parents with sports-loving children who face long trips to games at the weekend, the Blakeys have often been able to walk through the gate at the end of their back garden to watch their children play soccer.
"We also love the water so we can walk the kayak down to the beach for a paddle, and I do the Ocean Swim Series in summer," says David.
Keren loves that the busy Tamaki Drive waterfront feels safe for her to take a walk around in the evenings after work, even during darker winter months.
The house sits back from the street behind a tall rock wall and security gates.
Most of the living spaces are on the ground level, which has been designed with entertaining in mind.
The expansive, L-shaped open-plan living runs down the right side of the house off the entrance hallway and extends along the back which opens out to patio living and a deep, walled swimming pool.
The patio closest to the pool has a Louvretec roof that protects this resort-style outside "room" when it rains.
Internal living spaces include an informal front lounge with gas fire, a capacious designer kitchen with twin islands, and an open-plan dining room adjoined by a second, more formal living room, also with a gas fire.
Generous stud heights, and minimalist decor in these light-filled spaces, including the gallery-like long hallway that bisects this level, are the perfect backdrop for the Blakeys' large art works.
As the Blakeys have hired au pairs in the past to help look after their children, Stuart, now 15, and Charlotte, 13, their house plan included a fourth bedroom on the downstairs level, with a bathroom right next to it and separate garden access.
This level also includes a large laundry and triple-car internal-access garage with storage space for bikes and sports gear, as well as a loft that provides yet more storage in this house, which has ample cupboard space throughout.
Upstairs are the master bedroom, which has an en suite and looks out over Madill's Farm, the children's two bedrooms, with their own bathroom nearby, and an open-plan living room-cum-TV room at the top of stairs, which has which its own sunny balcony.
It will be hard to leave this family home, which has so much to offer, but when the Blakeys move, it will be just up the road to a property, with sea views, which they plan to renovate.
