"We get the morning sun in the spare bedroom, and afternoon and evening sun everywhere else. We also get amazing sunsets."
"It is open plan but the spaces still feel separate, especially the dining and living room. At the same time when you have people around you can still chat to them from the kitchen.
"The apartment is warm in winter and cool in the summer because we have the balconies on each side. We can open up those doors and get good air flow," says David.
Victoria bought this 1995-built apartment on the third level of the brick and weatherboard Charlotte Mews complex at the end of 2011. She had been looking for an apartment for a year, wanting something that felt like a home and not just a boxy crash pad.
"I wanted somewhere I could go outside and get fresh air, and also have enough space for a barbecue.
"I like having breakfast when you can look over the balcony to the trees and the birds.
"Also, I assumed many apartments built in the 90s were likely to have water issues. So I wanted one that had been fixed. That was done in 2007/8 and has a code of compliance."
Image 1 of 3: Great layout, spacious and full of light, this well-designed, warm apartment is ideal for modern city living.
The latest improvement was the new rimu kitchen floor a year ago. Earlier, Victoria had painted the interior, laid new carpet everywhere, and hung new drapes.
At first she had a flatmate but in December she and David married.
Their northwest facing 80sq m apartment has an entry foyer. On the left is the open plan kitchen, dining and living area with the balcony beside their dining table.
Turning right is the hallway, two bedrooms and tiled bathroom. One bedroom has a balcony, the other looks out to the trees and the ridgeline of Great North Rd.
On the ground level are a covered car park and storage locker.
David and Victoria also enjoy being able to walk to Queen St for eating out or entertainment. "Everything is a short drive or a short walk," she says.
They are close to motorway access for when they visit family in Hamilton or head north to a beach, and the new train network is due to be built close by.
There are 20 apartments in the Mews and about two thirds are owner-occupied, says Victoria.
"These apartments don't come up often for sale. Most residents are professional couples but there is the odd retiree and family. It really suits a professional couple or people flatting.
"We don't have a building manager but the body corp members are all owner-occupiers. They are amazing, it feels so safe living here. You chat to people on the stairs, there is quite a community."
Victoria says there are two reasons they are selling. "One is that we both work on the Shore so it is ridiculous not to live near where we work. We are also keen to go lifestyle farming."
They will miss being within walking distance of great places to eat, entertainment, art galleries ... and the apartment's interesting angles and layout.
"This is cosy but still spacious," says David. "We are thinking about building when we get land and copying this layout as a starting point."
