First-time visitors often exclaim, “oh my God, and there’s more”, as the charms of this extensive modernised character villa and its abundant grounds unfold to them.
“I think this is a place that surprises you,” says Alicja, who bought 70 Ladies Mile in Remuera with her husband Michael in 2009.
“You come into the villa and the rooms are big and then you go out to the outdoor area and there’s still more house to come and then the pool and the tennis court and the vegetable gardens.”
Michael’s career had taken their family overseas for around 15 years before they returned to New Zealand wanting their two children to feel connected and anchored to this country.
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“Having two teenage children, we thought it’d be good to find somewhere which would be the centre point of their lives and was relatively close to town so we could have a good sense of where they were going with who,” Alicja says.
They initially planned to buy somewhere which was already completely ‘done’.
“And then we bought this lovely old girl.”
The property’s sense of charm and big 2195sqm grounds won them over, despite the couple feeling some aspects were a little tired and needed their attention. They embarked on significant renovations, resulting in its current blend of character detail and modern functionality which offer easy family living and great entertaining options.
The home is set well back from the road behind stone walls, it’s dual-access gated semi-circular driveway bestowing easy entrance and exit. Mature trees, level lawn and a sympathetic double garage with gym grace the fore of the property.
The circa 1910 single-level weatherboard villa is instantly appealing with its shingle accents and grandly proportioned covered front porch, incorporating leadlights they commissioned to match ones already in place elsewhere in the home.
It has four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a double garage.
The overall ambience is relaxed, while the soaring stud height and beamed ceilings add elegance. A large front lounge neighbours the sizeable kitchen-dining room with marble kitchen benchtops.
This flows out to a picturesque covered loggia admiring the kidney-shaped swimming pool.
“Apparently the previous owners who added it modelled it on the pool they’d loved at the old Mon Desir,” Alicja says.
The line up of bedrooms on the right hand side of the hallway culminates in an additional family room, which opens out to a patio topped with a pergola adorned with wisteria.
A front bedroom precedes the master, which has his’n’hers walk-in wardrobes and a gorgeous ensuite. Next are two more bathrooms, a powder room and laundry. The third and fourth bedrooms are teen-friendly in size, having been created from four smaller bedrooms.
They’ve re-planted and unified the gardens. Behind the half-sized tennis court is a man-shed and raised vegetable beds.
“I can be coming back from the vegetable garden on a lovely clear morning and it’ll still strike me what a pretty house and pretty setting this is,” Alicja says. They’re planning to downsize.
Unlimited Potential agent Mark Atterbury, who is marketing the property, says, “This elegant yet relaxed home with beautiful character detail enjoys generous grounds and everything a family could want.”
The house is to be sold at auction on May 12.
