Fleur Francis is drawn to character homes and was immediately captivated by this one designed by acclaimed architect Horace Massey, going on to renovate it elegantly and extensively.
Massey designed numerous prominent residences, public and commercial buildings, predominantly from the 1930s onward, earning four gold medals from the NZ Institute of Architects.
Fleur says: “I’d previously lived in a huge Horace Massey home in Victoria Ave when I was married, then bought here six years ago.
“This home is generously sized with all same functionality but it’s worked better for my children and I, as you could sometimes not cross paths with each other in the old house. This is like the quintessential family home.”
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It’s zoned for double grammar, Victoria Ave School and Remuera Intermediate. The two-storey weatherboard home on 905sqm is accompanied by a loft above triple garaging, with plentiful off-street parking.
“Because you’re slightly down from the road you don’t get road noise. And it’s incredibly private. Once you’ve come home and closed the gates you’re not aware of anyone else.”
She wanted her three children to live large, having lots of friends around here, so she initially held off renovating.
“It was an open home policy and they had so many weekend parties and get-togethers here.”
She eventually contracted Danielle Bates for an extensive renovation which included a new kitchen completed in 2022, all new bathrooms and restructuring of the upper floor.
The stunning designer kitchen, which is open plan with the family room, features exquisite sculpted, veined marble. Photo / Supplied
The five-bedroom, four-bathroom home sits on a 905sqm site, and has a loft above triple garaging, with plentiful off-street parking. Photo / Supplied
“We modernised the house but within keeping. I can’t stand it when people go in to beautiful old homes and ruin the sense of them. I like light, bright, breezy, calm spaces and this house and its living areas are north-west facing so it gets sun all day long,” she says.
Fleur inherited attractive, relatively formal gardens featuring lawn, lots of buxus and trimmed hedging, so hasn’t changed anything about them. Just off the large foyer you’ll find one room defying the light, bright and breezy edict, a darkly hued formal dining room with an ambiance of sophisticated drama.
The front living room gracefully showcases the solid oak flooring Fleur had laid throughout much of downstairs. A lavish powder room features an expanse of marble shot with green and subtle licks of fluorescent yellow.
“This new kitchen-family room is probably my favourite place because I love the stone.”
The stunning designer kitchen, which is open plan with the family room, features exquisite sculpted, veined marble. This opens out to a louvre-covered loggia overlooking the swimming pool, with an outdoor fireplace and the ability to be completely closed off in winter.
“It’s fantastic to light the fire and have dinner or drinks or play cards out there.”
“We modernised the house but within keeping,” says the homeowner. Photo / Supplied
The louvre-covered loggia, which overlooks the swimming pool, has an outdoor fireplace and can be completely closed off in winter. Photo / Supplied
A versatile third living room, ensuited bedroom with walk-in wardrobe and separate laundry complete this level.
There are harbour views from upstairs, where reconfiguration created a generous master bedroom with impeccable ensuite and walk-in wardrobe, accompanied by a sophisticated family bathroom and two more bedrooms.
The loft room above garaging has a bathroom and kitchenette and could suit an au pair or home office.
Fleur enjoys walking around the Orakei Basin. This address is five minutes’ walk from the Benson Road shops, handy to Orakei Bay Village and Orakei Train Station and 15 minutes’ walk from Remuera Village.
Children grown, Fleur is relocating to live with her partner in Melbourne, where one of her daughters is also based.
Bayleys agent Gary Wallace says: “A recent transformation has elevated this substantial residence in which architectural elegance meets effortless family luxury, in one of Remuera’s most desired northern slopes locations.”
- 168 Orakei Road in Remuera, Auckland, is heading to auction on May 28
