Charming chic

Character features meet modern comforts in this splendid old villa. By VICKI HOLDER.

At least twice the size of most Ponsonby properties, this landmark corner site has always received a lot of attention.

When it last went up for sale eight years ago, Owen Higgins was enchanted by the gracious, large old villa propped up above the sloping lawn behind 100-year-old magnolia trees and a towering phoenix palm.

His wife, Jacqui, was less enamoured with the object of her husband's affections. Piecemeal alterations had done little to disguise the fact that the house had languished as three grotty flats for years. "I didn't mind living in an old house, as long as it was modern inside," says Jacqui.

Satisfying her desire meant embarking on a huge renovation project, which suited the couple just fine. Jacqui was always looking for an excuse to flex her interior design muscles, and Owen got the house he'd always wanted plus a heap of work!

With a tidy new look, the old villa now incorporates the best of its era - high studs, kauri floors, traditional fireplaces, stained-glass windows and timber joinery - combined with modern comforts.

Doing up the kitchen and living area has taken up a huge amount of the couple's spare time. Reconfiguring the area, they have pulled the old kitchen out from the sunny corner in front and installed a purple, padded bench seat under the bay window. Now, a chic, new, deep purple, lacquered kitchen with integrated appliances looks across a glossy, black granite benchtop towards the dining table under a ceiling fan with lights. The cream solar blinds at the sash windows maintain the uncluttered, modern look.

The walls in this area, as well as in the adjoining formal lounge and a sunny sitting room to the rear of the kitchen, are an unusual chartreuse colour. Owen admits that when Jacqui chose the colour combination of purple and chartreuse he had his doubts. However, once he saw them in the flesh, he knew he could trust his wife's judgment.

Silky chartreuse-coloured and silvery blue curtains create an elegant window treatment in the formal lounge. A real fire at the other end of the room is straddled by deep cobalt feature walls, which provide a stunning backdrop for paintings.

The original french doors inset with bevelled glass open to the entrance hall. Across the way, the den has also gained a colourful new coat of paint to transform it into a retreat where you just want to snuggle up, watch television or read a book. Its warm burgundy walls and roman blinds surround you as you get cosy in front of the fire.

The den opens through french doors to a deep, wrap-around balcony, which reaches from the master bedroom across the front of the house to the dining room.

The veranda serves as a viewing platform, an extra open-air room and an easy walkway to a private, landscaped courtyard off to the side of the house behind the double garage.

The casual sitting area behind the kitchen extends to another immaculate courtyard behind the house. To make the area hassle-free, it is paved, fenced and bordered with planter boxes.

The three bedrooms are on different levels. The master bedroom, on the main living level, features a luxurious bathroom arrangement with a clawfoot bath in one room and a shower and kauri washstand in another. His-and-hers wardrobes are complemented by a walk-in dressing room.

New timber stairs give access to a second bedroom with a magnificent view of the city, and a second en suite upstairs.

Beyond Owen's spacious office, a self-contained area is big enough to accommodate work premises, a nanny or extended family. Owen has fully excavated the area to turn it into a vast, open-plan living space with a bedroom at one end and a modern bathroom at the other. An old woodburning stove in a chimney adds a touch of old-fashioned character.

Opening to the garden through french doors, the downstairs level basks in the sun. The new carpets and fresh paint give a contemporary flavour.

A short walk from the city, the waterfront and Ponsonby, this thoroughly modern, restored old villa promises the luxury of far more space than the average Ponsonby home. With many flexible options, it will appeal to large families or businesspeople wanting to work from home.

Vital statistics:

ADDRESS: 6 Wood St, Freemans Bay.

FEATURES: Large, fully restored 1890s character villa on three levels; city views; self-contained apartment on garden level; three bedrooms; three bathrooms; five living areas; office; new kitchen; double garage; secluded outdoor living; gas heating and bayonets.

SIZE: Land area 973sq m.

AUCTION: At 6.30pm, August 8, at All Saints Church Hall, 284 Ponsonby Rd, Ponsonby.

AGENT: Bryce Earwaker and Maxine Lees, Ray White Damerell Earwaker Realty. Ph 376 2186 bus; Bryce 021 994 774 mob; Maxine 021 659 995 mob.