Tucked just off Ruskin Street in Parnell, this special home unfolds as a private retreat, complete with a tiled infinity plunge pool, covered outdoor dining, and tranquil views from the master bedroom.
It’s a lifestyle the current owners Helen Roberts and John van Hest admit they are going to find hard to give up. When the couple bought 25 Ruskin Street in 2004, it was a four-bedroom home. The late 18th century home had originally been a two-bedroom kauri cottage before previous owners added an upper storey and garage.
It ticked the boxes for John and Helen who were looking for a family home on the city side with easy access to the motorway. In 2010 they completely renovated the kitchen to a standard that Helen – a foodie and former caterer – required. Complete with lots of bench space and an induction oven.
Over the past five years – since their “boomerang kids have well and truly flown the nest” – they’ve completed the second phase and made significant home improvements which has transformed the previously unusable backyard into a lush retreat space.
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They’ve achieved this by extending the back deck, putting in a tiled infinity plunge pool and levelling and raising the formerly sloping lawn where there is now room for a trampoline.
A sheltered spacious outdoor dining area on the deck provides a space for all-year-round dining and entertaining. A fixed roof replaces the former umbrella, offering protection from the elements, while custom-made louvre screens provide adjustable light, shade and privacy.
A built-in gas fire, electric heater and Weber BBQ add to the space’s creature comforts. The sun also travels from the backyard in the morning, to the front and then back in the evening to what John calls “the gin deck”.
The floors of the laundry – previously a washing machine on a concrete pad under the house – have been lined and area transformed into a proper standalone laundry with an adjacent storage room for suitcases and Christmas decorations.
On the street level of the home, they also levelled the floor – removing any unnecessary little steps – installing a beautiful wooden floor with an oak finish and converted one of the downstairs bedrooms into a dining room. The master bedroom overlooks the pool, providing a tranquil outlook when enjoying a morning coffee.
25 Ruskin Street in Parnell started life in the late 18th century as a two-bedroom kauri cottage. It is now a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home. Photo / Supplied
The owners made significant home improvements over the past five years after their “boomerang kids” flew the nest. Photo / Supplied
A new ensuite has also been added and cleverly designed by the architect with dual lockable sliding doors accessed from a door under the stairwell as well as the master bedroom. “It’s very clever and looks like a proper little powder room,” says Helen.
Everyday living is comfortably contained on one level, with the upper floor reserved for family and guests when they come to stay.
“When the kids were growing up it never felt crowded. It feels as if you’re living in a big apartment, but you don’t feel lost in the house. It’s homely but elegant and could be a house for anybody,” says Helen.
Other improvements include the installation of a security system, strengthened glass windows on the ground level, tech for controlling the lights in the home and temperature of the pool and out-of-sight heat pumps.
The couple had planned to stay on and enjoy the finished home, but Covid-era delays meant the work took longer than expected. A lot has happened in that time with their children moving to new cities, meeting significant others and starting families, and they want to spend more time with them.
A sheltered spacious outdoor dining area on the deck provides a space for all-year-round dining and entertaining. Photo / Supplied
The renovated kitchen comes complete with lots of bench space and an induction oven. Photo / Supplied
During a recent trip to Sydney, when the rest of the family was busy, Helen booked herself a night at a Darling Harbour hotel. “It was really nice, but I got home and thought my house is better than the hotel. I’m living the dream every day of my life. I’m going to miss this place in that respect,” she says.
What the couple have loved most about living here is the proximity to the city, motorway, waterfront, Newmarket – “you don’t even need to use Uber here. You can just walk into the city to go to a restaurant and walk back again,” says Helen.
And the quietness. They only have one neighbour and back on to Scarborough Park. “It’s a little green oasis down here.”
“A lot of thought has gone into this home which has a special feel and is architecturally impressive with a blend of the old kauri cottage and the new modern contemporary living,” says Bayleys’ Libby Greenwood. “It’s a property that needs to be viewed and experienced to fully understand its style and what it offers to the sophisticated buyer.”
25 Ruskin Street in Parnell, Auckland, is on the market for sale and heading to auction on February 25.
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