698 Remuera Rd, Remuera, Auckland. Photos / Ted Baghurst
At its heart, this home is almost a century old. Built in 1921, the original dwelling stretched its wings with extensions and alterations from the early 1950s and on into the late 1990s.
Juliet and Tim Lichtenstein arrived here in 2008 with two young children and a dog. Eight
years later they put their own stamp on the documented history of the property by further renovating it.
This time, they went beyond the physical confines of the house. They put in a stone fence, planted native trees, clipped Lilly Pilly trees in pairs to screen bedrooms, and created an outdoor garden and citrus grove.
Upstairs, above reinforced ceiling joists, they laid plywood on the floor of the storage room in the attic.
Altogether they revitalised a home that has a respectful serving of original and replicated features throughout.
In the bedrooms and study, double-hung windows point to its 1921 origins. The stonework and the matching chimney by the front lobby and lounge dates back to 1951.
The reconfigured casual living and dining areas in the rear extension came much later.
The couple collaborated with architectural designer Chris Fraser, of Habitus Mode, and kitchen designer Anna Welsh to maximise every possibility.
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Cathy Roselli, of Ray White, describes the seamless traditional and contemporary styling throughout as "elegant modernism".
From the front lounge, the house opens through two sets of cedar-framed, glass sliding doors at each end of the central hallway to the rear living area.
The glass doors enable each living area to be closed off without depriving them of natural light and a view through the centre of the house.
"You don't realise how big it is until you come right into the house," says Tim. "When you come into the front, it seems contained but when you walk through it, it just explodes out to that northern aspect."
The view overlooking the garden is the only part of this house with double-glazed aluminium joinery. It includes the laundry/wet room off the deck and their son's bedroom in what used to be the kitchen.
Light oak flooring complements veneer cabinetry in the kitchen and island bench/breakfast bar. Beyond another cedar sliding door, Juliet's walk-in pantry has more of the same soft grey/green tones.
The natural light in here is why this is Juliet's favourite room. "The afternoon sun comes through the trees. It's a really beautiful space to be in," she says.
Artificial lighting is also used, with 1950s Czechoslovakian cut glass-look globes in the lobby and the powder room.
"We renovated this house for ourselves, not for anyone else," says Tim. "It was about moving through life as your requirements changed."
The couple, who both work in property, are now looking for a home better suited to the two of them, now that their children have left home.
"It doesn't feel very relevant to us to still be here," says Juliet. "This house is for a family, for kids."
698 REMUERA RD, REMUERA
• 4 bedrooms, 2 bathroom, 2* parking spaces.
• Auction: June 12
• Contact: Cathy Roselli, Ray White, 021 750 454
* 2 OFFSTREET