In 2014 Julie and Jeffery Bird found the perfect city apartment – except it wasn’t in the city, and it was in a pretty appalling state. But they knew that the apartment style unit could become something, and the location and lifestyle in the heart of Devonport were ideal.
“We absolutely love it here, we can walk everywhere, we rarely take the car out,” says Julie. “We walk to the shops and the doctor, we can bus into Takapuna, or ferry, bus and train to get where we need to in the city.”
Eighteen months after they bought the apartment, the upper floor in one of two blocks of four, the Birds commissioned Hilary Skinner to completely refurbish the design. Out went a dangerous deck, and in went floor to ceiling double-glazed glass doors that slide away. There’s a new glass balustrade so that Julie and Jeffery “can see the world from there” and the raked ceilings make the space seem airy and bright.
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They’ve watched yachts practising for the America’s Cup, ferries and cruise boats coming and going, the busy waterfront is spread out in front of them. Both bedrooms open on to the north facing back deck which looks out over “their” Mount Victoria.
“The deck is drenched with sunshine, we get the full vista of Mount Victoria, and we can just sit and watch the world.”
As well as enclosing the balcony, Skinner’s design cleverly rearranged the floor plan to create a master wardrobe beside the ensuite, and a good sized laundry in the second bathroom. The attic space was developed into an office, fully lined with windows and a heat pump, accessed by an efficient pull down ladder. The bonus space, Julie’s “ancestors’ attic” she calls it (she researches genealogy), is popular with the grandchildren.
The quality kitchen has all new appliances, and Skinner added pure oak floors and wool carpets as part of the upgrade, as well as beefing up insulation and adding new hot water system. There’s a pretty brick courtyard and garaging for one car.
“It is so beautifully looked after, it’s as new,” says agent Lynda Betts. “And it’s so quiet, even though it’s right in the middle of the village. The city and harbour views are stunning.
“This is something a bit different, because we don’t have a lot of apartments in Devonport.”
The Birds are moving to Nelson to be closer to family, but Julie says they’re very sad to be leaving. She says the apartment suits downsizers, laughing that “you’d never get bored if you were retired.”
