It’s been seven years since Sandra Gilliam first thought about selling her Westmere home. It’s taken her that long to finally pluck up the courage to put the house on the market.
“It’s a hard house to leave, whether you are going to work for the day, off on holiday for a couple of weeks, or going permanently, like I am now,” says Sandra, who has lived in the house for 15 years and is ready to downsize. “I keep delaying, but I need to get on with it.”
You can see why it is going to be a wrench for her to leave, even before you get in the front door. The resort-like house is in a stunning location across the street from the Waitemata Harbour and although the address is Garnet Rd, which is a main thoroughfare, her home is in a quiet, no-exit section near the very end.
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“A lot of people have no idea this part of the road is here,” says Sandra. “I had tradesmen coming in to do work for me who have worked in Auckland for 40 years and had no idea.”
The great location means sweeping views from many rooms across the water to the harbour bridge, Chelsea Sugar Works and Hobsonville Marina.
“The view is just incredible – we’re so lucky to get to look at this every day,” Sandra says.
The house is as spectacular as the outlook. Originally a 1920s bungalow, in the 1990s it was stripped right back to the floorboards by the former owners who did a first-class job of rebuilding it as a stylish contemporary home that makes the most of its site but also has plenty of character.
They added another level on top and pushed out the back of the house to create extra living space. They used top quality materials throughout and made sure it gets plenty of light.
Sandra has further enhanced her home over the years, from re-doing the wooden floors with a matt polyurethane finish to putting in some striking light fittings. She took out a half wall and column in the kitchen, making the downstairs living area even more open plan. There are living spaces at the front and back of the house, with the kitchen and dining area in the middle.
It’s a very sociable house, says Sandra, and wonderful for entertaining. In summer she, daughter Annabel and their guests tend to congregate in the afternoon sun on the rear terrace alongside the heated swimming pool, where she had an outdoor fireplace installed. An electric awning provides shade when the sun is at its fiercest.
Meanwhile the covered patio at the front is the perfect spot to sip a morning coffee while gazing out over the water.
The kitchen is definitely the hub of the home, with an island topped by a striking marble bench top and containing a concealed second fridge. The main fridge is integrated into the timber cabinetry, and there’s also a clever rubbish chute (Robin’s idea) that goes directly to the wheelie bin housed in a cupboard accessed from the drive.
There are two bedrooms downstairs, including one that has French doors out to a private courtyard, and two bathrooms, one of which can be easily accessed from the pool so there’s no need to drip water through the house. There’s also a separate laundry.
A curved staircase leads to the upper level where the harbour view really comes into its own. Another living area up here has glass doors that slide back to open up the whole corner of the house to a wrap-around deck. A glass balustrade makes sure the outlook is not obstructed.
A study and the master bedroom also have access to the deck, while this level also has another bedroom and a recently updated bathroom. The dressing room off the master bedroom is huge, and could be a nursery if needed.
There’s a triple garage at the rear of the property, along with another garage/boat shed. Sandra grassed the back of the section so Annabel had a space to run around and play fun games, like sack races, when she was small.
But now they no longer need so much space, it’s time to let someone else enjoy all the property has to offer.
Agent Heather Lanting says not only does Sandra’s home score top marks for luxury and views, but also the Westmere location is hard to beat.
“You are only a short stroll away from your own boutique enclave of cafes, a great wine shop and one of the best butchers in town. Jump in the car or on the bus and you’re only a few minutes away from Herne Bay, Ponsonby and the city. We love it.”
