SCHOOL ZONES:
Bayfield School, Ponsonby Intermediate, Auckland Girls Grammar, Western Springs College.
CONTACT:
Blair Haddow, Bayleys, 021 544 555.
AUCTION:
July 13 (unless sold prior).
Looking for upmarket, easy-care inner-city living, Stephyn St James bought a show home townhouse unaware that it came with sheep.
Well, neighbouring sheep at the Kelmarna Organic Community Gardens.
"When we bought here it was summer and we had all the windows open and I could hear sheep," he says. "I couldn't believe it at first until I found out that the organic farm was there.
"You're 2.5km from the city centre with a swimming pool, and sheep in the backyard -- you're really living the Kiwi dream."
Nine years ago, Stephyn says he had his eye on one of the other homes in this enclave developed on land that was sold off by the Catholic Church but when that didn't work out he looked at No.22, which was built as a show home.
"As soon as I walked in here I thought it was too big but I loved it. It is so modern and low maintenance, it has different zones, the bedrooms are amazing and there is storage everywhere."
Built by Jalcon Homes and designed by Ashby Baker Architectural, this highly specced home has a variety of cladding materials -- including dark stained cedar weatherboards and stack bonded block -- that provide interest from the street and break up the bulk of the building.
A double-height glazed atrium greets visitors and draws them up some stairs and into the north-facing living space, which opens out to a neatly landscaped backyard with swimming pool in the northeast corner. "I retrofitted the pool to solar heating and salt water," says Stephyn. "And I like to keep it really warm."
Illuminated by another double-height space, the kitchen/dining/living area has bifold doors opening to the patio by the pool and windows in the kitchen that can be thrown back to create a servery out to the barbecue.
"It's a great entertaining house in summertime," says Stephyn. "We have lots of parties."
Imported from Italy, the kitchen has stainless steel bench tops with a linen finish and mirrored kickboards that make the dark cabinetry appear to float.
Image 1 of 5: Former show home's owners are able to live 'the Kiwi dream'. Photos / Ted Baghurst
On the southern side of the ground floor, the carpeted formal lounge is a quiet retreat warmed by a gas fire. Heat pumps throughout the house make it warm enough for Stephyn to wear shorts and T-shirt inside all year, something he is accustomed to doing after growing up in tropical Darwin.
One bedroom sits on the ground floor at its western end and opens to a north-facing patio.
"We call this the Hukanui Suite when people come to stay because it's away from the rest of the house so people have got their own space and can sit outside and have coffee," says Stephyn.
At basement level, a wine cellar sits under the stairs that take you down to the carpeted double garage, which has a laundry.
On the top floor there are four bedrooms -- two north-facing and two looking south with views across the valley.
As you would expect from a house of this standard, the master bedroom has a walk-in wardrobe and luxurious en suite with bath and walk-in shower. The main bathroom on this level has an invitingly deep bath to luxuriate in.
Stephyn says he will miss living in this enclave where owners are house proud, supportive and social.
"It's like an extended social club here," he says. "And we look out for each other's places when someone's away so we've all got each other's phone numbers if anything happens like an alarm going off."
He says the rejuvenation of West Lynn, with its food outlets, cafes and bars, and the proximity to Ponsonby Rd has made for a great urban lifestyle. And nearby Hukanui Reserve feeding into Cox's Bay Reserve provides the ideal space to exercise his dog.
But Stephyn is leaving this behind for coastal living somewhere around Leigh.
