Hillsborough: My house, my castle

This big, solid home of grand proportions - tucked away from the hustle and bustle - offers enviable family living with a host of luxury extras. By VICKI HOLDER.

As big and solid as a castle, this grand home treats owners to inspiring bush and water views from a sheltered glade, with hardly a neighbour in sight.

When Surend and Parul Patel came to New Zealand from Fiji 10 years ago, they took time to find this special location for it had to satisfy many criteria.

After living in big, wide, open spaces in Fiji, they weren't interested in an average surburban home with small, closed-in rooms. They wanted a large family home with areas for specific functions on a site that wasn't hemmed in by neighbours, yet also not stuck out on a limb. The children attend schools in Remuera and Parul frequently returns to Fiji for business. The thought of spending hours travelling by car didn't appeal.

The Patels found this Hillsborough property, surrounded by a reserve on all sides, down a little-known private road shared and maintained by 11 other home-owners. Without the intrusion of rooftops, it seems as if it rolls down to the water's edge. Although it's not quite waterfront, the beach and coastal walks are only a short walk away through the bush. Lit up at night, the pohutukawa trees bordering the property frame the expansive views across the harbour to Manukau Heads.

Designed to feel as if you're living in the great outdoors, the home looks out from large picture windows to views from almost every room. Even the broad hallway leading to the living areas on the ground floor gains uplifting internal vistas across a sheltered courtyard with a heated pool, spa and outdoor barbecue kitchen.

The house - built of concrete and with heated concrete floors on both levels - was designed by a Fijian architect and built by a commercial builder. All the rooms hang off a t-axis of concrete internal walls running through the middle of the house. Because of its solidity and the fact many of the floors in high traffic areas are tiled, the home has weathered well and shows no signs of age.

Every space was carefully planned with the family's lifestyle in mind. Four spacious living rooms include a quiet, formal sitting room and separate dining room for entertaining guests. A more relaxed entertainment room flows out to the pool through bifolds, as well as a library and small meditation space. Right at the far end of the entrance hallway, a balcony off the entertainment room opens to the water views. Setting the scene for the rest of the home, it's the first distant glimpse of the view that guests gain, and as they step into the three-level-high entry, it lures them along to the formal areas.

The family sitting area and huge white kitchen combine across a black acrylic benchtop and breakfast bar. Featuring large panes of glass in a skylight above the cooking area, this tall room captures the warmth of the sun. In summer, air conditioning cools it down if the heat becomes too intense.

Parul's office, big enough for several staff, is just next door so he can chat to Surend as he works. The entry to the office cuts through another private courtyard so visitors don't need to enter the main part of the house. Another large area underneath the office, opening to a terrace, was originally planned as a home theatre. It's now a great children's play area with its own separate bathroom and masses of storage - and it's a favourite room for a game of hide and seek.

All the family bedrooms are on the upper floor. However, a guest suite, overlooking the pool courtyard, just inside the entry makes it easy for extra guests.

Three upstairs bedrooms are all big and have their own tiled en suites with black Villeroy & Boch fittings and Grohe tapware. One of the rooms has a balcony where a rung ladder against the wall leads up to amazing views from the roof. The master bedroom is a restful sanctuary looking through the trees to the water. It features a walk-in dressing room, make-up area and en suite with a spa bath where you can luxuriate while appreciating the view.

So that there's always someone else on the premises when Parul is overseas, a fully furnished, self-contained apartment underneath ensures Surend has company. It has its own separate access and off-street parking in front of the double garage below.

More space under the house incorporates a laundry, sewing area, gym, gardening room and the kind of dedicated storage room that every home should have but doesn't.

With spaces for everyone and everything, this large home - close to the airport and the city - covets its privacy in its peaceful, bush-clad setting.

Vital Statistics

ADDRESS: 4 Wesley Bay Glade, Hillsborough.

FEATURES: Large, solid, three-storey concrete home in private bush setting with views of Manukau Harbour; two entries; four bedroom suites plus self-contained apartment with separate access; four large living areas plus library; full bar facility; large office opening to courtyard and balcony, wired for two telephone lines and broadbank internet connection; large rumpus room; many balconies; gym; internal courtyard with solar and heat pump heated pool plus spa; underfloor heating on both levels; double garage with off-street parking for guests; solar/electric heating on roof provides all bathrooms with hot water; big storage rooms.

SIZE: Floor area 725sq m; land area 2000sq m.

TENDER CLOSES: October 16 at 4pm.

AGENT: Russell Joblin, Barfoot & Thompson, Remuera. Ph 524 0149 bus; 027 493 1452 mob.