Alfriston - American dream

A large colonial-style home has the ultimate bloke's attraction: a sprawling shed.

511 Mill Road, Alfriston.

Like a true bloke, Allan Lewis says that the 560sq m shed was what attracted him to this property, although he grudgingly admits the house ``has a bit of character''.

Allan, who has an engineering business, restores vintage cars, so the large shed with three-phase power and plumbing was a big drawcard.

He and wife Beverley bought the shed - oh, and the roomy American colonial style home that goes with it - in 1990.

The house was about 11 years old then and Allan says, ``It was in pretty good shape - the colours weren't quite right and it had exposed dark-stained wood beams that the spiders loved so we battened them all off and put gib up. Then we painted the house an off-white.''

About three years later they added a three-car garage to the end of the house, and they have also revamped the driveway and put in lighting and automatic gates.

The changes enhance the grand entrance to the property down a Phoenix palm-lined driveway and past a pond in front of the house.

Within the past two years they've also put in new carpet and tiling, added a tiled bathroom upstairs and given the kitchen a makeover and new appliances.

Allan put down pale terracotta tiles here that co-ordinate with the solid Canadian oak cabinetry. The kitchen is large enough to accommodate a dining table for six.

Also downstairs are a formal dining room, with a bar area, and a formal lounge, which joins with a family room and the kitchen area.

There is also an office downstairs and a large room that would be ideal as a guest bedroom as it sits next to a bathroom. On the way out to the garage, there is a separate laundry.

Upstairs are the bedrooms - all doubles - and the 30sq m master has an en suite and two walk-in wardrobes.

Allan says the house is air-conditioned throughout, although the home is very warm as its base is 20cm-thick concrete block with a timber upper floor and concrete tile roof.

One of the downstairs family rooms opens to a patio at the rear of the house that is used as a barbecue area.

There is also more parking at the rear of the house and a former bird aviary, which the couple now use to grow tomatoes in and keep birds out.

Also at the rear of the property are some citrus trees and a paddock big enough to sustain a couple of sheep.

The couple have changed little of the landscaping in the park-like grounds apart from removing some high-maintenance flower beds.

Allan says looking after the grounds takes him ``a day a fortnight in summertime and not much time at all in winter''.

Allan and Beverley are shifting to a larger property in Karaka - about 5.5ha - where they'll have ``a bit more space and be able to run some dry stock''.

VITAL STATISTICS

BEDROOMS: 4+

BATHROOMS: 3

GARAGES: 3+

SIZE: Land 1.3711ha, house: 470 sq m.

PRICE INDICATION: Interest expected over $1 million.

INSPECT: Sun 2.30-3.30pm.

ON THE WEB: www.harcourts.co.nz #RP060705.

CONTACT: Chris Amies or Peter Migounoff, Harcourts, ph 298 6024 bus, 0274 977 108 (Chris), 0274 920 788 (Peter).

FEATURES: Immaculate American colonial-style masonry home with high stud on parklike grounds secured behind electric gates. Huge workshop shed plus small paddock.