The big time!

A vast dining room that can seat up to 40 people is one of the many impressive features of this grand Remuera property, as VICKI HOLDER reports.

Once home to celebrity couple Matthew and Sally Ridge, this large 1920s property in Remuera was originally a farmhouse and a chapel.

The Ridges spent around $550,000 extending and renovating the house in a sympathetic Arts & Crafts style before they moved in 1997. They turned it into an outstanding family home for those who appreciate space and large-scale entertaining.

Everything about the three-level home is big and Sally's interior design touch is evident in the decor.

The old chapel, which is distinguishable by its lofty, pitched, beamed timber ceiling and an impressive panelled fireplace with bench-seating, is now a spacious dining room that provides the perfect setting for parties. The rich blue and red tones of the walls and the glow cast by the elegant iron chandeliers create a convivial atmosphere.

Colour greets you in the panelled entrance foyer on the middle level. The walls above the panelling are dark blue and the area is lit by a multicoloured Italian glass light. The drawing room to the left of the foyer features indigo walls to complement the patina of the polished timber floors.

Decorated in a soft orange colour, the vast family area rambles along the north-facing part of the house. Incorporating a sitting area, a family dining room and an enormous kitchen, the room includes french doors that open to an extensive veranda with city views, a swimming pool and a barbecue area.

Central heating has been installed, but the original fireplaces still exist in most of the living rooms and two bedrooms. The fireplace in the family area sports the original Victorian kauri surround, while elsewhere Sally has replaced the Victorian tiles with colourful glass mosaics.

The kitchen features a 900mm Smeg oven, a Kenmore fridge/freezer, indigo cabinetry, ample storage that wraps around an island bench, a mosaic splashback along one wall, and bifold windows above the bench that open to the veranda.

Along the passage and opening to the veranda, a large guest bedroom features a charming, bungalow-style, oak fire surround with little leadlight doors above the mantle. This and a second bedroom share a bathroom with a stainless-steel vanity bench, white wall tiles and a colourful listello around the dado.

Another guest bathroom beside the dining room features a mirror above the vanity that is heavily decorated with mosaics.

Upstairs, there are two pretty children's rooms decorated with spotted wallpaper. These two rooms share a bathroom, and there is a fifth bathroom that belongs to the sumptuous main suite.

The large main bedroom features mosaics on the walls and in the shower. Storage cupboards line the passage to the master wing, and there is further storage in a sitting area between the bathroom and the bedroom.

The lower level, with french doors that open to the pool and the deck, makes a fantastic office for seven staff. The owner has resource consent to run a business from home and it is equipped with a separate entrance, parking for 12 cars, a filing room, a spa room and a secure lock-up room or wine cellar that can store 1032 wine bottles. This huge space has the flexibility to be converted back into an expansive entertaining area.

Be it relaxing on the large balcony soaking up the sun, basking by the pool or tucked up by the fire, every corner of this home is an absolute delight.

Vital statistics



Address: 712 Remuera Rd, Remuera.

Features: Grand 1920s renovated home; five bedrooms; three bathrooms and two guest bathrooms; 10m swimming pool and spa; dining room with 40-person capacity; large downstairs area for office/separate accommodation/entertainment; resource consent to run a business; secure entry from road; central vacuum system; alarm system.

Size: Land area 1690 sq m; floor area approx 614 sq m.

Capital Value (1999): $1,400,000.

Agent: Fiona MacKenzie, Kellands Real Estate, Parnell. Ph 302 2209 bus; 376 1537 ah; 025 296 8884 mob.