Escape into history

Not a neighbour in sight and only 25 minutes from Auckland City ... IRIS STONE visits a picturesque Kumeu cottage.

For city folk, escaping to the country doesn't always live up to expectations of the rural idyll. Unless, that is, you find the perfect compromise, like this historic property in Kumeu.

Surrounded by the peace and tranquillity of farmland, a fully restored cottage offers a rare opportunity to breeze into easy country living without the tedious work.

Down a short no-exit road, set on a third of an acre of mature grounds, the property includes a variety of trees. Rimu, kauri, weeping cherry, liquidambar, magnolias and flowering fruit flourish in a picturesque setting where there's not a neighbour in sight.

Although it's not a large piece of land by rural standards, the property asserts ownership by virtue of its historical links to the area. For this home was built by the Farrand family, the original owner of the land.

In 1911 Arthur and Bert Farrand bought 100 acres of gum land here - land pillaged for the precious kauri gum resin, obtained from felled kauri. After gangs of diggers had worked the area, deep holes filled with water and great mounds of soil, kauri stumps and logs were everywhere. Transforming the land into a farm was a daunting prospect for the brothers but they were used to hard work.

This was not the principal Farrand homestead, which was built close by for two sisters, May and Margaret. In the 1920s it was a modest two-bedroom cottage with polished wooden floors, bright rag mats and a telephone on the wall.

The sisters shared their household duties, filling and trimming the kerosene table lamp, bringing in firewood for the wood stove, milking cows and carrying the cream can to the road about 10 minutes away. They stewed, dried and preserved apples and peaches from the orchard that surrounded the property, and drove the heifers to the Kumeu saleyards on sale day.

The present owners have filled the industrious Farrand shoes admirably by lovingly restoring and extending the cottage to an exceptionally high standard of craftmanship. Still breathing the quaint charm of yesteryear, the refurbishment ensures stylish, up-to-date amenities and fashionable furnishings that will make the pampered city-slicker feel right at home.

Breakfast can be enjoyed on the pretty front veranda hung with flower baskets, where roses clamber up timber posts. French doors open to a generous front lounge with high stud and polished timber floors.

A wooden fire surround is thought to have been carved by a previous craftsman-owner. Sash windows are elegantly draped with blue and cream curtains held open by gilt tie-backs.

Conveniently located between the formal living and the kitchen, the dining room or family room works as a warm central hub, heated by an efficient log- burner.

The new cornflower blue kitchen incorporates a breakfast bar and good storage in wrap-around cabinets and a large corner pantry. Rimu from the original house has been reused in display shelving against the wall. Timber trims and accent tiling provide cohesive decorative elements.

The kitchen flows into a well-considered utility area with a laundry and storage behind cupboards. The refurbished bathroom is tiled and incorporates both shower and bath with a period style pedestal basin.

Fitted into the new extension at the rear, the master bedroom - with French doors leading to the garden - features a lofty pitched ceiling that adds grandeur to this elegant room.

The nursery nearby exudes cute character with tongue-and-groove walls to a rimu trim at dado level.

A third bedroom ensures this is already a good-sized family home. However, adjoining the house, a big workshop with a lined sleepout upstairs presents all sorts of opportunities for further development.

With the showgrounds and pony club around the corner, and the thriving Kumeu village a few minutes away, this comfortable slice of history is a rare chance for a family to enjoy a semi-rural environment, just 25 minutes from Auckland city.

Vital Statistics

Address: 21 Farrand Rd, Kumeu.

Features: Tastefully refurbished early character home (circa 1910) with three bedrooms, new kitchen and bathroom, septic tank drainage, private roof-fed water supply system, polished timber floors throughout, two level workshop/loft attached to carport, established grounds and planting.

Size: land 1401 sq m, floor area 115 sq m.

Open Homes: Sundays 1 pm till 2 pm.

Price: In the $300,000 range.

Auction: October 10, 1 pm on site

Agent: Mary Massara, LJ Hooker Kumeu Keith Soole Realty, bus 412 8876; ah 0-9-420 8819; mob 025 881 739