SCHOOL ZONES:
Meadowbank primary, Remuera Intermediate, Selwyn College.
CONTACT:
Vicki Wallace, Bayleys, 021 988 585.
Carey Frost is torn about leaving her home of nine years.
"But this is the big family home and we're the classic empty-nesters," she says. "We moved here at the start of the teen years. We wanted plenty of space so they could all have their own individual space -no arguments about which Sky channel to watch. I wanted ours to be the house that all the kids' friends came to, and it's certainly been that."
The huge footprint of the Remuera house (more than 500sq m) in the development by well-known team of architects Cook, Sargisson and Pirie, and builder John Rosenbrand, of Premier Landscape Developments, was the initial drawcard for Carey and her husband Rob.
Rob worked in the construction industry, so recognised the impeccable quality of the build.
And Carey, who runs her own communications business from home, was sold on the sleek office tucked behind folding doors in the heart of the home between the kitchen and family room.
The house was a few years old when the Frosts bought it, and had been specified by a Japanese client, so there are serene touches of Zen, including a deep, traditional Japanese tub in one of the bathrooms.
The building has many recognisable touches from the architects - a grand double-height entry atrium, multi-paned windows both internal and external, and superb use of wooden joinery.
Pocket and french doors between the principal reception rooms are elegant panelled rimu, the study is lined with built-in bookshelves and desks, the flooring is jarrah and signature sliding cedar shutters are at many of the windows.
Rob is particularly fond of the Hinuera stone used for paving outside and the grand surrounds of the fireplace in the formal living room.
The ground-floor rooms flow easily from the three-car garage, connected to the kitchen via a handy butlers' pantry with room for a fridge and storage.
It has been an ideal staging spot for caterers who can work out of the big spaces without cluttering up the kitchen. The carpeted garage has hosted more robust messy teen gatherings.
Image 1 of 12: 4A Lucerne Rd, Remuera, Auckland, home of Carey Frost. Photo / Fiona Goodal, Getty Images.
The kitchen, with Gaggenau appliances and granite benches, overlooks the only patch of lawn, surrounded by tall, clipped hedges and tropical planting.
"Our previous place was 100 years old, with a garden that required constant trimming and rose-pruning and all that," says Carey. "A tropical garden is so easy, although I did add the clipped hedges and jasmine over the breakfast terrace."
As well as the sunny breakfast space and generous family room, also with a fireplace, there are the two formal entertaining rooms for dining and living.
All of the rooms open to the stone terrace, pool and spa, surrounded by lush tropical planting.
It is hard to believe that busy Remuera Rd is only a few houses away. The ground floor also has an en suite guest room that also opens to the pool terrace.
A sweep of stairs curves around the atrium to the second floor which features another sitting room, dedicated to fun and sports -- it got heavy use during the Rugby World Cup -- with an overhead projector, room for a football table and a kitchenette complete with dishwasher and wine fridge.
Carey points out that with the solid wood doors, no sound penetrated the master bedroom next door.
Bedroom is a bit of an understatement, as this room is as big as many an apartment. It has room for a huge sectional sofa, built-in desk, and a terrace with leafy views. Carey calls the sky-lit en suite her "hotel bathroom" as it is so lavish, with rich-coloured granite and a generous bathtub.
The further bathrooms also have striking granite finishes and the bedrooms have built-in desks and closets. Right at the top of the house is a finished loft, which has been used for study and sleepovers, a cosy little space.
Carey and Rob are not sure where they are downsizing to, but have become attached to the neighbourhood, with the great cafes on nearby Benson Rd, easy access to Orakei Basin walks and train stations nearby for the boys to go to King's.
