38A Spencer Street, Remuera. Photo / Ted Baghurst
In all the years she'd lived in Auckland, it had never occurred to Cynthia Sparling to consider Remuera her home. The born-and-bred Mount Eden-ite had lived in Titirangi, but when her marriage broke up she'd lived in a friend's flat in the eastern suburb and enjoyed it.
"I realised it's central; it's handy to the east, west and south by motorway," she says. "It's got great shops in the village and, when the grand kids were little, I could take them down to the park and Shore Rd playing fields. One of my sons lives nearby, so it's been great."
It is only her decision to move to a retirement apartment that is pulling Cynthia away from her haven of 20 years. Her search for a townhouse that had an internal garage brought her to this architecturally designed, three-level house down a right of way in the valley between Portland Rd and Victoria Ave.
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The house had been built in 1991 and Cynthia was only the third owner. She fell for the sunny top floor with its views through the trees to the water, loving the sweeping curve of roof and solid concrete and plaster construction.
She called on an interior designer friend to help her freshen the decor, happily agreeing to his suggestion of dark stain for the wood floor and sludgy/smokey grey on the walls and ceilings in the open plan living and kitchen level on the middle floor.
The dramatic colour highlights the change in ceiling height to an intimate lowering over the dining area — and makes the colour of the greenery outside pop.
Cynthia loves the privacy provided by the mature native trees surrounding her deck — tall enough to block out any views of neighbours, but clipped regularly to allow sunlight to the generously sized L-shaped deck.
The kitchen, tucked to one side, was brightened with new cabinet fronts and stainless steel Fisher and Paykel appliances. Off the double garage is a good sized laundry and guest loo, decorated in deep blue.
The original owner tucked storage into every nook and cranny, but there is enough wall space for Cynthia's extensive art collection, which spills into the stairwell leading up to the master suite.
This is the floor that Cynthia loves the most, with stunning views from the sitting room.
Floor-to-ceiling glass doors can be pulled back for warm days on the deck, and in summer the room is a sun-trap.
Cynthia keeps the double doors of the master bedroom open so she can see the view from all angles. There's a closet and a bathroom that's been updated with a walk-in shower, vanity and storage cabinets, lit by a ceiling skylight. Also on this floor is another double bedroom that Cynthia converted to a library-study.
The ground floor is reserved for guests. Both double bedrooms have french doors to the garden, landscaped with gravel, sculptural hedges of mondo grass and sheltered by a plaster wall. One room has a deck for lounging, and there's a full bathroom with a tub.
The neighbourhood has been great for Cynthia, with a collection of shops an easy walk around the corner at Walton Rd and the parks and seaside walks below Spencer and Portland.
While the house has been great for a single person, with its double grammar zoning, it would work equally well for families with teens wanting entry into the area, with easy bus access to Newmarket and the city.
38A SPENCER ST, REMUERA
• 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 2 parking spaces.
• Land 335sq m, house 217sq m.
• Inspect: Sat, Sun noon-12.30pm.
• Schools: Victoria Ave Primary, Remuera Intermediate, double grammar.
• Contact: Steen Nielsen, Ray White, 0275 578 336, raywhite.com/auckland-city/remuera/1915788/