Best of both worlds

Sharon Newey looks at a terraced house which makes the maximum use of space but retains all its character.

The term terraced housing entered the local vocabulary only fairly recently and is used to describe developments where there isn't quite enough space to get the required number of stand-alone townhouses.

It is not, however, new to the suburb of Parnell, where tucked into side-streets are some early examples of terraced houses, more in the English style - cute, quaint and brick-clad.

One such example is for sale, and its character-filled facade does seem more in keeping with images of English towns. It is certainly nothing like the standard house built in New Zealand in about 1910, when transitional villas were all the rage.

It features villa elements, however, like kauri panel doors, wide skirting-boards, board-and-batten ceilings with central plaster roses, and corner fireplaces with cast-iron inserts. The simple mantelpieces carry hints of bungalow-style simplicity.

This particular house is surprisingly spacious, with none of the two-up, two-down narrowness normally associated with terraced houses.

The cosy entrance hall and stairwell have tongue-and-groove timber panelling to dado height and stained glass windows. The space is an intimate forerunner to the large and airy living area beyond.

The main living room is the width of the house and includes a dining area and a corner fireplace. Double doors of kauri and glass open into a smaller sitting area now used as a TV room. Impressive double-width sash windows look out past the prettily planted window boxes to the street.

At the back of the house on the ground floor is a galley kitchen. It has plenty of storage, gas appliances and a stainless steel bench. At the far end a door leads to a laundry and toilet, both featuring exposed brick walls.

The roof of the lean-to kitchen is partly glazed to let in light and sun. Another source of light is the wide bifold windows and bifold doors that open on to a cute, brick-walled courtyard.

Brick is also used as paving and to form raised garden beds from which flowers and herbs spill. A citrus tree provides shade for one corner and a barbecue is set into the brick walls.

To one side, a green-painted gate opens on to the street from this corner site and gives access to off-street parking. In this area of Parnell, so close to the village, the street is restricted to resident parking only.

The upstairs is the domain of the bedrooms - three in all. The master bedroom has a wall of wardrobes, specially designed and built to be in keeping with the house. The window has a view to the city, with the Sky Tower a prominent feature.

A large bathroom is furnished in classic black and white, with a tiled vanity and black and white check floor.

At the end of the hallway a narrow staircase leads to a loft area, which has been developed into a fourth bedroom. It could be an office, teenage retreat or extra sitting space. Two skylights let in the sun and the walls at both ends are exposed brick.

The house is double-brick construction, making the exterior walls about 30cm thick. The exterior detailing includes contrasting brick insets over the sash windows, with darker bricks set at an angle. Above these, a concrete arched moulding has been set into the wall.

The generous front porch is built of timber and features simple fretwork and a boot-box and seat. The flooring of terracotta-coloured tiles is repeated on the steps into the front garden, where a large urn-shaped pot sits beside raised brick flower beds.

The house shares a wall with one other and is one of six semi-detached houses in Cracroft St. The other two sets of two are all of a similar age and are built of brick, but are different in style.

Parnell Rd is only metres away, offering its large variety of bars, cafes, restaurants and boutique shops. The city is close by, as are motorways and the Auckland Domain. It's city living but with the character and space of a house. The perfect combination.