"We had started out looking at poky bungalows and poky villas," says Stacy, "but we wanted a lot of space and a north-facing aspect. We walked in and ignored the fact it was a soccer club."
What they saw, instead, was a large airy space in a sturdy building on a section that bordered a nature reserve, in a suburb they liked for its proximity to the CBD, its harbour beach and its good schools.
"It just really seemed like an up-and-coming area," says Stacy. "And we liked the idea of a big space. It seemed like the right sort of project for us at the time."
They immediately disposed of the lager-scented carpet to reveal matai floorboards. This helped to remove the "pub-ishness" of the building, says Michael. Otherwise, they barely touched it for a year while they devised renovations.
They had both lived in converted warehouses, so the distinctly un-homely surroundings didn't faze them. But, because the ablutions block was in a room under the building that could only be reached from outside, bathroom breaks were a chilly adventure that first winter.
So, converting the ablutions block into a large, stylish bathroom and laundry and installing an internal staircase became a number one priority.
Also at the top of the list was opening up the future living space to the sun. They installed massive, cedar-framed sliding glass doors along a chunk of the northern face of the building, which also allowed easy flow to the deck.
Michael says it wasn't a complicated renovation, although they did replace the roof and ceiling and add insulation. Most renovations involve knocking down walls. In this one, the walls had to go up - to form three north-facing bedrooms, an entrance and a hall. (Within a couple of years, one of the bedrooms became occupied by their baby daughter, Issy, now 11).
"We wanted to keep the openness so we didn't stick in any more walls than we had to," says Stacy.
Thus, the living space is large, open and sunny, with a loft feel. The white-panelled walls and ceiling make the space soar, while the dramatic dark floorboards keep it anchored.
At one end of the living area is a stylish kitchen; at the other end is a floating wall that hides the staircase and shelters a home office (which in former lives accommodated a stage and a pulpit).
Having a large, sunny study near the heart of the house turned out to be fortuitous. Since moving in both Stacy and Michael have become self-employed - Stacy as the author of two successful series of children's books. They've recently added a "fale" in the backyard, giving them an outdoor room in which to work or relax.
Stacy says the fact they spend so much time in the house makes it harder to give up. But they've inadvertently fallen for a Spanish Mission-style home in Westmere.
"It's going to be tough to leave," says Michael. "This is just such a good house to live in. It's a very tranquil spot and we can just hang out."
