This property has been described as unique, but technically speaking, there are five other houses exactly like this one elsewhere in the world.
The German couple who built on this headland at Leigh were an eccentric pair, and built the same house at five different locations around the globe.
YvonneSanders is amused by this, and the other quirky elements about the house that she and her family have enjoyed for the past 20 years.
"We were looking for a holiday house and because we had four small children at the time we wanted somewhere not too far away," she says. "This area was barely developed at that time, Matakana hadn't happened yet, there was no [motorway] tunnel and it took a couple of hours to drive here."
When they bought the house it was very woody with lots of exposed beams, so a serious refurbishment was called for.
Yvonne considered demolishing it and starting again from scratch, but was told by her architect and various tradespeople that it was incredibly well built.
Although the house was dated, the layout worked very well for the family with its large living, dining and kitchen area downstairs and two bedroom wings upstairs.
One of the bedroom wings contains a living/kitchen area which enables guests to be completely self-contained.
When she began planning the refurbishment she looked at various coastal homes in the United States and South Africa and put together what she describes as "a sort of Hamptons look".
Image 1 of 7: European flavour and coastal views provide an exquisite place for family life.
"I painted the beams and most of the internal timber white, retaining the wooden floors and some of the wooden detailing. A lot of the timber is kauri and matai."
She also kept the wide, arched openings between the living areas, the arched windows and doors and the exterior timber shutters that gives the house such character. Likewise, the beautiful coal range in the kitchen has been retained, although she admits she doesn't cook on it.
Vintage elements aside, Yvonne has created a fairly contemporary look that is both casual and elegant, and well suited to what was originally planned as a family holiday home. There's a similar feel to the three-bedroom cedar cottage on the property, which is tucked away out of sight of the main house.
It has its own garaging and storage space underneath. Other buildings include a large shed, and a charming little gazebo where the previous owner liked to practise his cello. Yvonne uses it for yoga.
The garden around the main house is low maintenance and includes raised vegetable beds and an orchard. There's a forested area nearby that the children loved when they were young, and access to the water down a broad track ideal for 4 X 4s, or feet.
"If you take the track down to the rocks, you walk around the corner to a little private beach, and if you like you can paddle to Leigh harbour," Yvonne says.
Her favourite stretch of water, though, is the infinity pool they built a couple of years after moving in.
"I love the view of the ocean and out to Little Barrier, but I will really miss the view of the pool."
