With oodles of space and a luxurious, quality finish, this fabulous city-fringe townhouse with panoramic views lacks nothing, as VICKI HOLDER reports.
Theoretically, it's a modern, free-standing townhouse surrounded by oasis-like patches of green. But the description doesn't do justice to this grand, freshly updated, city-fringe home on the St Marys Bay cliff.
Not many residential homes could match it for sheer volume. Every room and storage cubby hole envelopes you in the kind of space often associated with a large, traditional home. From the moment you enter the sleek, aluminium-fronted doors, the house's generous spaces and the quality of finish astound.
Of the four homes built on a large property, this one stands along the street and is protected from the motorway traffic noise by the buildings further down, which act as a buffer. To optimise the views over the cliffside homes, it was built considerably taller than a normal two-storey home. The stud heights reach at least 3m and the tall internal doors emphasise that volume.
From the clutter-free, flowing living spaces, the wrap-around views of Auckland's city and harbour generate the feel of a lofty, inner-city apartment. Consequently, when it comes to offering prospective purchasers a neat label for this home, you're at a bit of a loss.
The high standard of detail found throughout the home starts at the street. Stylish aluminium lights guide you along a concrete terrazzo pathway that steers between the double garage and the house.
It leads into the warm embrace of a concrete terrazzo foyer where aluminium louvres control the light through the glazing above.
The house has the cool, minimalist aesthetic of an apartment, yet central heating gives a welcoming boost of heat to combat the winter chill. The velvety mink-toned carpet on the stairs tempts you to lie down and sample its luxuriousness.
The bedrooms are tucked away on the ground floor while the expansive living is above. There's also a fitted storage room as part of a big laundry on the lower level.
Tall and wide, each of the four bedrooms has exhilarating proportions. Either of two rooms could become the master suite. Both incorporate fitted, white oak dressing rooms and elegant en suites.
The new owners, however, might opt for the room with two balconies that open to the garden, where there's more than enough space for a pool. This, the largest room, houses an en suite with a deep bath encased in an opaque glass base that is lit from below. Additional subtle lighting filters down from the space above the floating ceiling. The effect is dramatic and beautiful.
Fully tiled shower cubicles in the en suites and in the family bathroom are separated from the rest of the room by a single panel of glass. As central heating rises up through the floor, the tiles are never cold on the feet. Porcelain basins perch, neat and square, on white oak storage pedestals that are roomy enough for the bathroom clutter.
Seizing another opportunity to make a memorable impact, a guest bathroom upstairs features a long, low, white oak bench that is cleverly lit from below.
The giant, expansive living space on the upstairs level takes in views of St Marys Bay, the Auckland Harbour Bridge across to Rangitoto, Westhaven and the city skyline.
Back-to-back with a sitting space, a dining area is partially separated by a double-sided, gas Jetmaster fireplace clad in white oak. When you step out from the sitting area to the terrazzo terrace, you feel like you've climbed on to the penthouse garden and are sitting in the view.
Beyond the white oak cavity doors, a spacious television room/library allows a chance to retreat to a more intimate sanctuary.
Sliding windows open to the view in the north-east corner, where the kitchen is designed as the hub of the house. Sleek, white cabinetry revolves around a solid, terrazzo island bench on white oak flooring. The deep island sink caters for heavy-duty washing-up and complements the smaller sink in the adjacent bench. A free-standing, double Fisher & Paykel oven lets you cook the Christmas turkey and all the trimmings with ease. Nothing has been forgotten in this kitchen, which includes a silver Amana fridge/freezer, DishDrawers and a Smeg microwave.
A stone's throw from the Viaduct and Ponsonby Rd, this surprising home provides exceptionally luxurious living where nothing has been overlooked.
Vital statistics:
ADDRESS: 25A Ring Tce, St Marys Bay.
FEATURES: Quality renovation of spacious 1990s townhouse; city and harbour views; outdoor living includes terraces and secluded garden big enough for pool; internal-access double garage; four bedrooms, two with fitted dressing rooms and en suites; family bathroom and guest bathroom with Zuchetti tapware; 3m stud heights; terrazzo, white oak and wool carpet floors; two lounges; separate dining area; central heating; data cabling; wired for surround sound; double-sided Jetmaster gas fire.
SIZE: Floor area 310sq m plus garaging and terraces.
AUCTION: At 2pm, July 31, at Bayleys Maritime Square auction rooms.
AGENT: Dinah Macky and Iain Rankine, Bayleys. Ph 309 6020 bus; Dinah 0274 935 466 mob; Iain 021 935 778 mob.
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