Herne Bay: Understated hideaway

Just about every room in the house has a view - if not of the sea of the garden

This elegant mansion on the cliff at Herne Bay offers the best in refined living.

When you've got it you don't need to flaunt it. This amazing home built without compromise on the Herne Bay waterfront is less than inspiring from the street.

Enter the wide, pivoting, heart rimu door and it's quite a different story. The scene that greets guests to the home of Richard and Lizzie Craddock is powerful - breath-taking, in fact.

In one direction your gaze soars through the bulging gallery dining room area to a pool and waterfall. In the other, through a sunny, double-height atrium, you look out across a tailored garden to the sea, framed by lofty pohutukawa trees. Standing at the junction of the two rooms, with the movement of water down the stepped granite weir on one side and the peaceful harbour glinting on the other, it's an incredible feeling. With expensive art clinging to walls that are perfect for such pieces, you sense immediately this is no ordinary house.

Designed by architect Noel Lane 10 years ago, it's a home that has been carefully considered in every respect. The modern style is so elegantly timeless and it has been maintained in such a pristine manner, it could have been built yesterday. Its many spaces are intimate and welcoming,infused with a Zen-like calm that's heightened by the secret coastal setting.

The detail is amazing, with simple shapes and textures the key. If anything, the theme is understatement, say the owners. The only flourish is an abundance of many different types of marble that lends richness.

Beautiful crafted cabinetry and sculptural fittings adhere to the 'less is more' maxim with clean, strong lines. It goes without saying, the quality throughout is the finest.

The Craddocks wanted a home that could house three generations in separate, self-contained quarters yet where everybody could easily come together in the main living areas. Because the spaces can readily be linked, it offers huge flexibility for future families.

The couple live in what they call the west wing, which is the central core of the house. Here, an elegant family lounge is softened by voluptuous taffeta curtains. When the big sliding artworks at the windows are ajar, the room peeps through to an outdoor dining area warmed at night by a built-in fireplace. The barbecue beside it is so pristine, it looks as if it has never been used.

The rimu storage cabinets in the lounge are a work of art and a feat of engineering. Press a button and the television rises up through a polished, black granite top. The firescreen on the hearth opposite is a solid black slab of basalt, which slides away when not in use. The same disappearing act disposes of the clothesline in the garden when it's not required, so the neat pebbled surfaces between rectangles of ground covers can be appreciated without clutter.

Upstairs, the Craddocks share a massive private realm with their two grandchildren when they come to stay. Most of the time, they are alone at this end of the house. Facing the sea, their bedroom adjoins a large dual office/library space with desking built in along one wall. The detail behind the cupboard doors is masterful.

Separate entry to the west wing from the entrance portico gives independent access to the house from the garage. Richard has used the downstairs lounge in this area as an office, but it is set up like a hotel suite with a full kitchen, bathroom, laundry and another bedroom.

Upstairs is another suite with another kitchen in an open-plan living area and two more bedrooms. All the bathrooms are very spacious in honey-toned timbers and marble.

Underneath the house, there is a sauna beside a relaxing sitting room and space beneath the garage designed as a pit for working on cars.

Just about every room in the house has a view - if not of the sea of the garden, which is lush and subtropical with sculptural rather than floral plants. Strong shapes and many hues of green with the occasional sweep of burgundy complement the straight, unadorned lines of the house.

Easy paths of stone have been cut into the hill, which is well-hidden from any prying eyes. Access is by boat alone. The paths gradually take you down to a grassy clearing at the water's edge sheltering under the pohutukawa trees. The hill forms a natural ampitheatre, which the Craddocks have made good use of by having musicians play there at their outdoor parties.

A rare retreat laden with beautiful craftsmanship, this dazzling home with riparian rights is a treasure so close to the city centre. It provides ample space for a large family to share each other's company or to escape and hide away.

VITAL STATISTICS

ADDRESS: 20 Cremorne St, Herne Bay.

FEATURES: Waterfront home designed by architect Noel Lane; three self-contained areas in two separate wings for guest and owner privacy; three kitchens; three laundries; six bedrooms; five bathrooms; three laundries; water views from nearly every room; north-facing courtyard with fireplace and barbecue; manicured courtyards and lush subtropical gardens; four-car garaging, including pit for car servicing; sauna with bathroom facilities.

SIZE: Land area 1745 sq m; floor area 698 sq m, including garage, plus decks.

TENDER CLOSES: March 4. CV $5,710,000.

AGENT: Nicola Bull, Kellands Real Estate. Ph 302 2209 bus; 021 474 645 mob.