This picture-perfect fully renovated 1930s villa on Takapuna’s golden mile offers an unbeatable lifestyle with the beach and nearest restaurant/bar just a four-minute stroll away.
Its prime location, and the fact that it’s “the prettiest house on the street”, is why home owner Shane Coote snapped it up 10 years ago.
“I’d always wanted to be able to walk to the beach and to a bar,” says Coote, who shares the home with his fiancee Lara Featherstone and their two children.
A happy coincidence is that Lara’s father, Peter Featherstone, grew up in the home from 1949 to 1955, a fact they discovered when they began dating.
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The couple spent close to $1.5 million renovating the home for a modern easy-living lifestyle while maintaining the villa’s historic charm, and Peter’s old bedroom is now the ensuite and walk-in wardrobe.
A real estate agent, Coote has learned over the years what buyers want and has incorporated these features into the two-storey home.
“Everything in the middle of the home has been changed, and we completely changed the layout downstairs and made everything more open, as well as creating an extra bedroom downstairs.
“We added cladding around the back door to create a kitchen scullery and louvres to the outdoor living area where we also extended the deck,” he says.
All living areas are thoughtfully arranged on the ground floor, creating an easy, intuitive flow that extends seamlessly outdoors. Flexible interior spaces can be opened up or closed off as needed – ideal for modern family life. A sliding barn door, for instance, allows the living room to be separated when children are playing, while adults gather elsewhere.
Home owner Shane Coote snapped up the home 10 years ago because it was “the prettiest house on the street”. Photo / Supplied
The kitchen, at the heart of the home, is modern with a nod to the home’s heritage and a servery window. Photo / Supplied
At the heart of the home, the kitchen is modern with a nod to the home’s heritage and has a servery window, flanked on each side by a bar, that opens wide to the outdoor zone, making entertaining effortless.
“Before the kids came along, it was a bit of a party house. We’d have people around all the time. It’s really good for that,” says Cootes.
The covered outdoor area with a TV, louvres and blinds creates an extra room. “In New Zealand you need a covered outdoor living space when it’s too sunny or too wet,” Coote says.
He jokes that there are little details that probably only he would really care about such as ensuring the TV can pivot around so you can watch TV or an All Blacks test from the spa pool.
The fully fenced property also ticks all the family home boxes with a swimming pool as well as the spa. The front yard with two swings on a giant pohutukawa tree is the stuff of Kiwi childhood summer dreams and easily accessible from the living room with a front deck added to create flow to the grass.
Special permission was also granted by the council to move a lamp post to create a new driveway and double garage. The previous garage came straight off the road which meant backing out into traffic, but no more.
“The level of detail that’s gone into creating the most functional house you can imagine for what we had to work with is significant,” says Coote. “It’s the most beautiful home and the best location, and is really easy to live in.”
The 263sqm home has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, garaging and off-street parking, multiple living areas, and a swimming pool on a 654sqm section. Photo / Supplied
The owners are selling to build a bigger home in the same neighbourhood. Photo / Supplied
The couple opted for a palette of white and light timber, carefully preserving the home’s original character. The rimu floors have been stripped back and lightly stained, bringing a softer, brighter feel to the interiors.
Some people like views but for Coote location is number one. With walking access to Takapuna Beach from Brett Avenue, “it’s a four-minute walk to our feet in the sand”.
“It’s probably the same to the nearest beer on tap,” he adds. “I like character homes but that wasn’t the reason I bought this because there’s no better location in New Zealand in my opinion. It has everything.”
For the family it’s time for a new chapter with the opportunity to build a new even bigger home in the same neighbourhood.
Property agent Kris Cunningham says Ray White is genuinely excited to bring this property to market.
“It has to be one of the prettiest homes we’ve seen on the Golden Mile in some time, beautifully renovated, rich in character and charm, and perfectly set up for family living with a pool and yard,” says Cunningham.
“Whether it’s for entertaining or family living it’s perfectly set up, from rolling home from the pub or rolling the kids to the park.”
- 205 Hurstmere Road in Takapuna, North Shore, Auckland, goes to auction on June 4
