We find our guests have crept back inside to sit and look at the view. I guess you can't blame them. You'll probably remember that the dawn of the new millennium on December 31, 2000 was incredibly rainy, but this was still the most wonderful place of all to seethe fireworks and other celebrations," says Laurie Arrow.
The Birkenhead home he's shared with wife Angela Winstone for 16 years looks out across Waitemata Harbour with an endless parade of shiny cars snaking across Auckland's Harbour Bridge -- and the ever-changing city skyline beyond.
"It's funny, but whenever we're entertaining on the back deck, which I just love with its palms, buxus hedge and flowering cherry tree, we suddenly find that our guests have crept back inside to sit and look at the view.
"I guess you can't blame them and perhaps we just take it for granted now."
In their time here Laurie and Angela have undertaken several bursts of rebuilding and renovations, interspersed within a number of years spent off-shore in the United States and then Hong Kong, where they had moved for Angela's senior management role.
"After we bought the house in 1999 we opened it up considerably and tidied up the existing bedrooms then built the double garage in front," Laurie explains.
"In 2008 we did another big burst with a major extension that included our master bedroom with its walk-in wardrobe, our bathroom, plus a dressing room which I designed for my wife. It could be a lovely nursery if a young family was to buy this house.
"At times it was hard work, jumping through all of the council's heritage hoops but they're there for good reason, and we got there in the end."
What has resulted is a stunning reinvention of a typical 1920s weatherboard house.
Reached via a handsome set of newly-built timber steps with metal balustrades, from the street-front, its outward appearance now pays breezy homage to the time the couple spent in Rhode Island -- and that's especially obvious with the big bi-fold windows at the front of the property.
"There were many aspects of design there that we just loved and the round holes in each step are another thing that we especially wanted to recreate back here," says Laurie.
Image 1 of 7: A stunning reinvention of a typical 1920s weatherboard house. Photos / Ted Baghurst
At 216sq m the property is substantial with a large integrated living, kitchen and dining space.
"I do most of the cooking." says Laurie.
"I wanted a certain amount of delineation when we redesigned the place and the kitchen faces the living room and is adjacent to the dining space, so I can talk and cook at the same time."
This area has a sense of seamless flow and features handsome joinery, quality appliances and built in glass-front cupboard space for crockery and glassware.
The basement space hadn't been well-utilised, but with stairs installed it now houses a generous laundry, huge cupboards, and a separate storage room that could possibly be used as a bedroom.
Around the side on the outside of the dwelling lies the entrance to Laurie's "man cave".
"When we moved overseas people asked how I was going to spend my time, after a busy career in the clothing trade," he says.
