By VICKI HOLDER
Quintessentially country-like and clad in grey timber shingles, an old villa seems perfectly at home presiding over the landscape in rural Whitford.
However, 25 years ago it was a townhouse in Auckland's Symonds St, which was transported to the site in four parts. In the early days it
featured weatherboard, but the owners have added shingles to cut down on the maintenance. These give it the look of a home you might expect to find on America's East Coast.
Three years ago, Trina and Craig Barnes fell in love with and bought Oakridge, as it's now called. Driving through the curve of oak trees sweeping from the electronic gate at the entry, they were quickly seduced by its charms.
Hard to resist was the wrap-around view of Auckland's harbour, seen across gently rolling paddocks. Trina could instantly envisage the potager garden she would coax from the rectangle of green lawn in the walled garden at the end of the drive. Once the couple had spied the grand, timber-panelled entry foyer, the property was sold.
They spent the next six months renovating. As well as making major structural alterations and fixing all the sash windows, they exchanged a boring pink and grey colour scheme for soft autumnal tones in mainly English fabrics and wallpapers.
Having switched the family living areas from the back of the house to the front, Trina and Craig now enjoy the spectacular view most of the day. French doors help to relate the revamped rooms to the pool and the outdoor entertaining areas, including the cabana.
After visiting a specialist kitchen showroom in England, the couple recreated a distinctive, traditional, French country-style kitchen to overlook the dining room. Although the kitchen is big, rotating around a huge blackwood island bench, the couple say it offers the ultimate in practicality.
In a good kitchen, explains Craig, you never need to walk more than three steps for any one activity. "Every function you can imagine - making breakfast, baking and so on - has its own dedicated work centre here," he says.
Next door, Craig's den (or "the 19th hole") unfolds to the pool on one side and the formal sitting room on the other. Lit by a big copper chandelier, it has green-striped wallpaper. Wonderful at night and with the fire going, the sitting room makes a sumptuous escape.
This has become a grown-up house for adults rather than a family with young children, so the two spacious rooms overlooking the driveway are used as adjoining studies. Craig's is lined with green plaid wallpaper, while Trina's has camel and black toile drapes.
Although beautiful and lined with tongue-and-groove, the former kitchen/family area didn't get a peep of the sea. Now converted to a massive laundry, it's a comfortable room featuring roll-out laundry drawers, a pull-out ironing board and lots of storage space for preserves. Looking out to the potager garden, it soaks up the heat of the morning sun.
Enclosing the potager garden beside the three-car garage, a small guest cottage is dressed with pretty gold and red fabrics. Trina has always thought it would make a great place for a bed and breakfast.
Other bedrooms are upstairs, as well as a home theatre room with a full-size screen that disappears into the ceiling when not in use. Painted denim blue and with black-out curtains, it's a moody setting where the couple enjoy watching live sport or DVDs.
Another guest room and a children's room, with beautiful lightfittings and curtain treatments, are removed from the main bedroom down a panelled hallway. A recent addition is the capacious fitted dressing room, designed to accommodate a big wardrobe next door. A modern en suite includes traditional features, such as the clawfoot bath, the pedestal basin and a kauri shelf running around the room at ceiling height.
Traditionally inspired, this grand, remodelled Victorian home overflows with quality, modern, luxury features. Set on a large lifestyle property next to the Formosa Country Club and Pine Harbour Marina, it has been extensively landscaped by Trina, whose considerable design talents have drawn her to embark on other challenges.
Vital statistics
Address: Oakridge, 692 Whitford Maraetai Rd, Whitford.
Features: Renovated Victorian home on lifestyle estate with views of Hauraki Gulf, Rangitoto Island, Waiheke Island and Auckland; swimming pool and entertaining cabana; large potager garden; quality fittings, wallpaper and drapes; new French country-style kitchen and family living area; formal sitting; den; two offices; substantial laundry; guest cottage; three bedrooms; entertainment theatre; gas heating; gated security.
Size: Land area 1.7 ha.
Tender: Closes on March 27 at 4 pm.
Agent: Marylin Van Wagoner, Barfoot & Thompson, Meadowlands. Ph 535 3153 bus; 530 9094 ah; 0274 935 652 mob.
By VICKI HOLDER
Quintessentially country-like and clad in grey timber shingles, an old villa seems perfectly at home presiding over the landscape in rural Whitford.
However, 25 years ago it was a townhouse in Auckland's Symonds St, which was transported to the site in four parts. In the early days it
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