This spacious, twin-deck penthouse Marshall Cook-designed apartment in St Heliers Village enjoys sunny breakfast views of Rangitoto and stunning sunsets over the Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Over the past three years owner, journalist Karyn Scherer has enjoyed the lifestyle and “house-sized apartment” with a generous 4.5m stud, east and west-facing outdoor decks and two master suites.
Living here has created many “pinch me” moments for Karyn, a long-time architecture fan and it’s strengthened her admiration for medal-winning architect Marshall Cook.
“He was just the most wonderful designer with incredible attention to details. Everything works so well and has been cleverly designed as well as made from good quality materials,” says Karyn who admits she hasn’t quite come to terms with parting with it yet and is scared she’s going to have some terrible regrets.
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Due to the nature of her work Karyn is used to being on the move. The longest she’s ever stayed in one house is five years.
Though this time the reason is to upsize and re-accommodate her boomerang children. She’s not going far though and has found a bigger place up the road because she’s fallen in love with the area.
“I’m a real beach person and in summer I just walk down to the beach, have a swim and come back home to have a shower.
“The beach is so close and it’s a gorgeous wee village with far too many good bakeries. Four Square is also two seconds away which is handy when you’re in the middle of a recipe and realise you need something,” she laughs.
Karyn snapped up the Turua St apartment when downsizing from a four-bedroom family home. She was fed up with the maintenance and wanted an apartment to live in with one son.
Karyn Scherer snapped up the upstairs, twin-deck apartment when downsizing from a four-bedroom family home. Photo / Supplied
Bayleys agent Peter Cleave: “Wonderful volume, beautifully sophisticated and exceptional design. This is definitely not your average apartment.” Photo / Supplied
Karyn and her son have been using the third room in the home as a media room but this could be easily used as a study or smaller bedroom. Photo / Supplied
“We struggled with a lot of the apartments we looked at because they all seemed too small. None of them grabbed me until I saw this one. It’s big and feels like a house,” she says.
“It’s designed so the two master suites are fairly separate so there’s a reasonable amount of privacy. It’s incredibly stylish and I absolutely fell in love with it.”
What she loved the most was the high stud and light-filled space – which also surprises most visitors – and decks that face east and west. “You get the sun in the morning on one side and then watch the sunset on the other deck. I love having all that sun,” she says.
“I have breakfast on the morning deck and watch people on the beach and drink G&T on the other one. You can see right across to North Head and the Harbour Bridge. It’s lovely when the cruise ships are coming in and out.”
The only addition made to the home since purchasing is a cover over both decks, transforming them into all-weather spaces. Other standout features of the apartment include the warm wooden ceilings and solid oak floors and built-in furniture including the TV console and oak cabinetry. And loads of glass windows tempered by wooden shutters and electric blinds in the bedroom and living areas.
Underfloor heating in the bathrooms and individually air-conditioned rooms add another layer of comfort factor.
The home also has oodles of storage, a private double garage and lift access to the third floor. Photo / Supplied
The apartment has east and west-facing outdoor decks, two master suites and views across to North Head and the Harbour Bridge. Photo / Supplied
Karyn and her son have been using the third room in the home as a media room but this could be easily used as a study or smaller bedroom. A separate bathroom adjoins the spacious kitchen, dining and living area. The home also has oodles of storage, a private double garage (convenient for charging electric vehicles) and lift access to the third floor.
What has surprised them is how quiet living right in the centre of St Heliers Village is. “It’s the quietest place we’ve ever lived and very peaceful,” says Karyn.
“The apartment itself is also really well soundproofed. There are a couple of big solid doors between my room and the rest of the house so when my son has a party I just go to my room and I can’t hear anything. It’s great!”
The main bedroom has two walk-in wardrobes which is a bit of a joke in the family as Karyn uses both. “My family make fun of me as I have such a ridiculous number of clothes and shoes.”
Peter Cleave, of Bayleys, says it is an amazing opportunity to purchase a New York-style loft apartment in the heart of St Heliers.
“Wonderful volume, beautifully sophisticated and exceptional design. This is definitely not your average apartment.”
304/10 Turua Street in St Heliers, Auckland, is for sale by a set date, closing July 1.
- Sponsored by Bayleys
