Bayleys salesperson Cristina Casares specialises in selling properties in the greater Ponsonby area and rates 79 Sussex Street as one of the best.
“This is genuinely one of my favourite villas in Grey Lynn,” she says.
“It’s such a unique design. I love how the extension has been designed to wrap around the pool – it gives the home a beautiful sense of flow and calm, while making the most of the views of the pool from every angle, including from the master bedroom.”
The current owners purchased the home for their daughter six years ago and were also instantly struck by the style, quality and craftsmanship.
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“It was certainly a notch above anything else we had looked at because the extension has made it so light and airy, and it’s got a lovely, enclosed backyard,” one of them shares.
“It’s cool and sunny in the summer but warm and cosy in the winter. We loved the location because it’s a couple of streets back from Ponsonby Road, so is far enough to be quiet, but close enough to walk to the shops, bars and restaurants.”
The renovation project was undertaken by the previous owners, Clare and Nick McIntosh – the brains behind renowned Freemans Bay company, McIntosh Design and Build, who are responsible for some seriously stunning local heritage renovations. Clare is in charge of design while Nick does the building and they have created a masterful marriage of old and new here.
Essentially, the original villa at the front is connected to a contemporary pavilion at the rear via a gallery corridor, with the two buildings enveloping the private north-facing pool and garden that lie at the heart of the 481sqm site.
Bayleys salesperson Cristina Casares says: “This is genuinely one of my favourite villas in Grey Lynn.” Photo / Supplied
The renovation project was undertaken by the previous owners, Clare and Nick McIntosh – the brains behind renowned Freemans Bay company, McIntosh Design and Build. Photo / Supplied
Clare shares, “I’ve always loved an architect called John Pawson and was inspired by his Baron House – I used it almost as a vision, that the pool would be in the middle and the house around the outside.
“We’d done the renovation on number 75 Sussex Street, two to the right, so we knew where the sun travelled throughout the day and designed it so it would flood into the living space and around the pool.”
The accommodation wing at the front incorporates three bedrooms and the family room, which can also double as an office or fourth bedroom. These rooms are serviced by the main bathroom, while the primary suite savours bespoke walk-in wardrobing, a marble-clad ensuite with dual vanities and direct access to the pool terrace.
Living and dining is at the rear, as is the entertainer’s kitchen that is finished in marble and boasts Gaggenau appliances and a fully-equipped scullery. On one side is an alfresco lounge with suspended fireplace, while lush palms and landscaped gardens create a private tropical backdrop on the other.
Secure internal garaging is complemented by off-street parking, with laundry and utility areas located on the lower level.
A palette of luxury finishes add texture and depth to the crisp white interior and exteriors, including Italian Oak floors, Invisible Blue Marble on the kitchen island, a leathered slate bench in the scullery and Sukabumi stone pool tiles.
The villa has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a stunning extension around an enclosed backyard. Photo / Supplied
The primary suite features bespoke walk-in wardrobing, a marble-clad ensuite with dual vanities and direct access to the pool terrace. Photo / Supplied
The McIntoshs’ inspired reimagining of the villa is a celebration of both its eras.
“When we renovate houses, we like to keep the integrity of what’s there. As well as the spatial design, we like to keep the quality and what we loved about the house in the first place, then incorporate those beautiful modern touches,” says Clare.
“Everything is about the feeling as much as it is the scale. It’s really about giving each room in the house wow factor, it needs to be treated independently to make it shine.”
Casares reiterates that moving through the house is a sensory journey.
“From the moment you walk in, the long, wide hallway, with those solid oak timber floors, leads your eyes straight to the pool. Other elements like the skylights, European radiators, and marble finishes add a soft and understated elegance that makes the whole home feel very special. It is one of those properties people walk into and instantly fall in love with.”
- 79 Sussex Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland, is for sale by auction, September 10
