234 Whangapouri Road, Karaka. Photo / Supplied
Despite her love of equestrian sports, and side-line breeding Hanoverian horses since 1982, Bridget Sutton and her husband Dave have never lived in Karaka. But their award-winning building company is Franklin-based, so two years ago, when they spotted a 4ha (10 acre) block with two coastal titles by the water at Whangapouri creek , they knew they could make something special.
"There was a house already there, but we knew if we bought the block we could subdivide into three," says Bridget. "The house and land are now covenanted so they can't be built out, so you'll never lose that view. One property is already built on, the second under way, so the privacy and peacefulness is its biggest thing for the original house."
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The Suttons — who've picked up bronze in the Master Builders and won Versatile Home of the Year in the past couple of years — spotted the quality of the 16-year-old house.
The house is a classical U-shaped gabled house, built of Hinuera bricks with high-quality joinery.
One of the original owners became sick soon after the house was built, so that family never realised their dreams for a beautifully landscaped garden that leads from the house to the waterfront, including a pool.
Bridget and Dave have the plans for the next owner to enjoy developing, but their exterior tidy-up included removing scruffy trees and hedges, pulling down an old barn and replacing it with a new shed and workshop.
"For the boys' toys, every guy loves that," says Bridget.
They smartened up the entrance and driveway, creating a gracious sweeping curve up to the house to the entry courtyard and three-car garage.
The Suttons concentrated their efforts in updating the main house. They tidied the entrance courtyard with its cedar sheathing and front porch (the perfect setting for some great landscaping, says Bridget), repainted in whites and added new carpets.
The house is arranged for a family, with two bedroom wings. One wing is for the master, with a smaller bedroom for nursery, and the laundry. A second has two generous double bedrooms and a family bathroom opening off its own living room. Each wing has an office, cupboards and storage galore.
The family bathroom had barely been used, so the Suttons needed only to update the master en suite bathroom with top-to-toe new tile and fixtures. The walk-in closet — nearly 9sq m — has shelving aplenty for the shoe collection (or riding boots).
Then there are the two main living rooms, both set up for country-style living facing sun and views. Opening off each other with sliding doors, one has a top-of-the-line formal fireplace surrounded by built-ins, so would be the ideal winter retreat or media room.
The main living room, that opens to kitchen and dining room, has soaring cathedral ceilings and a more casual wood stove to warm the house. (There are also three other heating systems through the house).
They didn't need to do anything to the kitchen, its soft-close drawers and walls of storage cabinets already being up to date, as is the lighting design, says Bridget.
Off the kitchen is a charming corner bay window which overlooks the fields and water, a great spot for whiling away a quiet afternoon.
But the master stroke was extending the gabled living room ceiling out to a covered porch, accessed by bi-fold doors.
With its seriously big outdoor fireplace and deck (that also wraps around the second living room) it is the perfect sheltered spot for hot summer days or cool autumn evenings.
It is easy to envisage a future pool and entertaining area to make the most of the space and views.
Bridget says that as they worked on the property, they heard from locals that the estuary used to be the site of the local school swimming sports, but now is more often the launching pad for duck-hunting season or local fishermen.
Five minutes down the road is the new shopping centre around the new subdivisions, but Bridget recommends the old-fashioned general store/market and good cafes.
"It's so peaceful and private here, the last house down a no-exit road.
"It's all about the water views," says Bridget.