St Marys Bay: European affair

Flamboyant furnishings enrich this retro-style home that hugs the contours of a steep site in St Marys Bay. By CHARLOTTE COSSAR.

Renovated and redecorated, interior designer David McNee's St Marys Bay home exudes a rich, welcoming and glamorous ambience.

Tucked behind security gates, controlled by a video surveillance system, the home's serene bush-like setting belies its convenient central city position.

The angular contours of the three-storey home hug the steep section and offer a challenging, and interesting, backdrop for the spectacular interior.

David says: "I put my heart and soul into this house. It is my showcase for clients and has been completed to a quality standard.

"I wanted something different - not white and minimalist. I have lived overseas and wanted to step out of the square and show people they can get away from beige, khaki or white."

Using metres upon metres of imported fabrics from Europe to sumptuously decorate the walls and furnishings, the home has a softness that couldn't have been achieved with anything else, says David.

The entrance leads to living areas above and bedrooms below. Upstairs and to the right is the study - small and cosy, it is ideal for relaxing in year round. The living areas on the left also enjoy loads of natural light through retro-style windows and doors leading to the deck. This space, which has been pushed out and opened up, is enriched with luxurious furnishings and rich floorboards. A feature of the room is the mirror fireplace that has been decorated with peonies, resembling 1940s Hollywood style.

The dining room, which opens to the deck where the generous plantings from the neighbour's garden offer a glorious vista and peeks of the sea, is an idyllic place for hosting soirees that run late into the evenings. Cocktails can be taken outside on the decks, which liberally extend the living areas.

The kitchen, albeit compact, has everything you need. The sturdy concrete benchtop sits below display shelves and glass tiles. Two storage cupboards, one for food and the other for crockery, line one wall and are pleasantly interrupted by the stove. A gas hob completes the cooking essentials.

Down one flight of stairs is the master bedroom suite that has been created by combining two bedrooms. The room has upholstered walls and is bathed in sunlight through floor-to-ceiling windows. The dressing room, separated from a bedroom by a wall, is airy with spacious shelving.

At the other end of the large area is the sitting room and small bathroom. Covered with a Schumacher screen print, the sitting room is peaceful and refined - the ideal place to unwind at the end of a busy day. Next door, the bathroom, which has been squeezed into a cupboard-sized spot, offers everything you need.

A second bedroom, separated by the main bathroom complete with spa bath, also has an upholstered wall (more than 80m of fabric was used in the bedrooms). Padded and panelled, the Jane Churchill fabric embellishes this light room with ample storage.

The bottom floor with separate access hosts another bedroom. The walls are painted in yellow mixed to match the silk curtains, giving the substantial room a sophisticated, glowing feel. Ideal as a teenager's retreat or as homestay accommodation, this room also has its own tiled bathroom, and a laundry is behind double doors.

Taking 18 months to complete, this striking aubergine-coloured home with not a straight wall or rectangular room in sight offers retro-style living in central Auckland.

Vital statistics

ADDRESS: 5 Hackett St, St Marys Bay.

FEATURES: Three-storey retro-style concrete block and cedar home with three bedrooms; 3.5 bathrooms; European fabrics throughout; extensive decking with harbour and bush views; two-car carport; security gates with video screening; one bedroom with separate entrance.

SIZE: Land area 231sq m.

TENDER: Closes December 17 at 4pm.

AGENTS: Jan and Brian Parish, Barfoot & Thompson, Ponsonby, ph 376 3039 bus; 307 2555 ah; Jan 025 924 858; Brian 021 924 858.