One of St Heliers’ most recognisable homes is for sale, after being transformed with a major rebuild by the current owners.
With its classic colonial architecture – stylish symmetry, shuttered windows and portico entrance – the home feels straight out of a nostalgic American movie and has earned widespread admiration for its distinctive street appeal.
It was this gracious frontage that sealed the deal for the owners and Mark Wilson from Masonry Designs, who they had brought on to help them create a special family home.
“We had originally planned to buy land and build new but Mark was quite adamant we had to buy this and do a project on it,” one of them shares.
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“We loved it from the front too, it’s quite stunning. Everyone seems to know this house and has a story about it.”
They had been living away from New Zealand for around 20 years, returning home with three young kids and the dream to create a spacious, functional haven that would grow with them.
Finished around eight years ago, the project was far more than a renovation, it was a full house rebuild that took 18 months to complete.
“We basically propped the front wall of the house up with the staircase and took everything else out, including the slab. So it has a brand new slab, brand new footings and foundations.”
When it came to design, they were laser-focused on collaborating with Wilson to get the flow right and move well away from small, poky rooms commonly found in older homes.
With its classic colonial architecture, the home feels straight out of a nostalgic American movie. Photo / Supplied
The residence has five bedrooms, three bathrooms, garaging, multiple living areas, a tennis court and swimming pool on a 1619sqm section. Photo / Supplied
“We wanted flow out to the pool and downstairs out onto the tennis court – getting that right was really vital for us because of how we live.”
Although there was initial reticence about building a three-storey house, Wilson alleviated their fears.
“He said you won’t live on three storeys, you’ll live on two, your kids will live on three and it’s so true. When the kids were younger it was fantastic, we had this lovely family area flowing out to the terrace and swimming pool – everything in sight.
“As they’ve gotten older, they’ve now taken over the ground floor, which has the gym, the games room, the movie theatre and flows out to the tennis court and outdoor fireplace.”
Rooms are spacious and illuminated with natural light and sun, and enjoy an easy connection to each other. As well as the beautifully appointed kitchen, living and dining and guest bedroom on entry level, the formal lounge has been retained as an homage to the past and nod to the origins.
“We got a specialist plasterer to redo the horsehair cornicing – that’s a beautiful room.”
The owners bought the home after living away from New Zealand for 20 years - and then embarked on a major renovation. Photo / Supplied
The ground floor flows seamlessly out onto the tennis court. Photo / Supplied
For the rest of the interiors, modern functionality was the name of the game.
“We kept it pretty simple and classic with timeless features like Carrara marble floors and Carrara marble bench tops in the bathrooms.”
The top level offers four double bedrooms, including the luxurious primary with its grand, spa-like ensuite and walk-in closet. A large family bathroom and office are also in place.
The symmetry and traditional elegance of the home is reflected in the 1619sqm site’s landscape design, which was curated by renowned designer Robin Shafer. The property has worked incredibly well for their growing family.
“We can have our friends over and be up on the balcony doing our thing and the kids can have their mates over downstairs and outside,” says the owner.
“We’re together but nicely separate as well, it’s been a real haven for teenage kids. We wanted a situation where our kids wanted to bring their mates over and we’ve hosted the pre-ball for all three of them here. We’ve made amazing families memories.”
Bayleys salesperson Gary Wallace used to deliver the Auckland Star to the residence when he was 12 years old. Photo / Supplied
For Bayleys salesperson Gary Wallace, selling this property is a full circle moment.
“I used to deliver the Auckland Star when I was 12 years old and did Grampian and Lammermoor. I used to cycle past and think, ‘this is my most favourite house I’ve ever seen’,” he says.
“Now 50 years later I’m selling it.”
He says the gracious street presence is reminiscent of the beautiful, upmarket mansions in the United States.
“I’ve got friends that live up around the Boston area and they have homes like that. It’s a fabulous family home and they’ve finished it beautifully, you can’t fault it.”
- 7 Lammermoor Drive in St Heliers, Auckland, is for sale, deadline closing June 4
