Raine Sellers knew she was meant to buy the 115 year old Tudor house for sale in Hastings when she saw it advertised on TradeMe on her birthday. Since then, she’s always thought of it as her birthday present.
“I’m from England and I looked at it and thought ‘yes: that’s for me!’
Raine and her then partner and four daughters moved from Auckland to Hawkes Bay because they felt Auckland was imploding, and the seven hectare property at 358 Dartmoor Road in Hastings seemed ideal for a family with equestrian interests and a love of character homes.
The needs of her family and her business are now demanding a return to the outskirts of Auckland, where their equestrian needs will be met by a new property, if not the hallmarks of a period character home.
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Approached via a long, oak-lined driveway, Silverford, as it’s called, was designed by noted New Zealand architect Charles Natusch and built in 1904. Despite its 415 square metre footprint, it has an appealing low-rise profile and is set in a U-shape, which lends intimacy to many of its internal and external spaces.
Built from kauri and utilising native timbers including rimu and matai for joinery and floors, it is surprisingly light-filled, thanks to ample oversized doors and windows. Timber floors, panelling, joinery, leadlights, authentic fireplace surrounds and many other period features set the home apart. The formal lounge, hall, study and formal dining room stand out for their beautiful detailing.
“The formal dining room is probably my favourite space,” Raine says. “It works as an extra living room and we’ve had Christmas celebrations in there, complete with the tree.”
There are six bedrooms, four bathrooms (two of which are en-suite) and an office. “My bedroom is another favourite room. It’s about as big as an apartment - maybe three times as big as an average bedroom.”
The kitchen was updated by previous owners and is large enough to accommodate a casual dining table set in front of oversized French doors to a deck. There’s a Bosky wood fired stove here that can run the 23 radiators throughout the house. Two heat pumps, fireplaces and an HRV system add to the options for winter heating.
“But the house was not like this when we bought it,” Raine says. “The previous owners had done a lot of modernising with grey paint and grey carpets. I’ve taken it right back to where it should be with beautiful Laura Ashley wallpapers I brought from England, refurbished bathrooms, new decks and new carpet. I had thought it was just going to be a renovation, but a lot of it has now been rebuilt, including doors and windows that were specially made to match the existing joinery.”
The property, which is for sale by negotiation, has also had a lot of exterior work done, including adding equestrian facilities with stables, tack and feed rooms, covered yards and post and rail fences.
The gardens contain large established trees, an expansive lawn, ponds and a swimming pool, and set away from the house is a two-bedroom self-contained cottage, currently generating income as Airbnb accommodation. Guests love it, especially those with children who can enjoy pony rides, meeting animals and playing hide and seek in the garden.
“When you drive up the driveway there’s a lovely feeling of tranquillity, and it’s all so typically English you could almost be there,” Raine says.
Outside the confines of the property the countryside is typically New Zealand, with some well-known vineyards, Puketapu village nearby, and Napier and the airport just a short distance away.
Find out more about 358 Dartmoor Road, Puketapu, Hastings
