- Xero New Zealand country manager Bridget Snelling is selling her restored Remuera mid-century home for $4.83m.
- Snelling and her husband preserved architect David Allison’s 1969 design while adding modern family amenities.
- The five-bedroom, 319sqm property has attracted strong mid-century interest and exceeds its $4.05m RV.
The New Zealand country manager for software giant Xero is selling the mid-century house she brought back to life over a decade ago.
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Bridget Snelling and her property developer husband Ben bought the five-bedroom home at 24 Crocus Place, in Auckland's Remuera, from the original owner for $1.72 million.
Prominent architect David Allison built the cedar-and-concrete block house for him and his wife Jeanette back in 1969. The land had been subdivided off the former teachers’ training college on Arney Road.
The house caught the Snellings’ attention in 2014. They were keen to take on a mid-century home after years of doing up villas and bungalows.
Bridget had the tricky job of securing the house without her wingman when it came up for auction. “Ben was away, so I had to go to the auction myself. That was quite nerve-racking because I knew he really wanted the property,” she recalled.
The Snellings made only minor changes to the house’s 1969 footprint, replicating the fireplace in the pool courtyard. Photo / Supplied
The kitchen has been upgraded to modern standards. Photo / Supplied
The couple tapped architect Nat Cheshire to help guide the renovation. Photo / Supplied
“Everything was original when we bought it. It even had the orange Shacklock oven from 1969 and the blue bath.”
Ben tapped his network for the right architect to restore the property and bring it up to modern standards. After one suggested spraying the original timbers in white, architect Nat Cheshire stepped in to guide the couple through a more sensitive renovation.
Former Fearon Hay architect Rachel Higgs carried on the detailed plans, plus Ben pulled a crew of builders, kitchen and interior designers who all loved the mid-century detailing.
There was no grafting on a modern white box, but only minor extensions to the front and back of the kitchen, a relay of the stairs to the lower ground floor and enclosing a downstairs carport and courtyard to help the house grow from three bedrooms to five, plus new bathrooms and a powder room, and multiple living rooms over 319sqm.
Bridget told OneRoof: “We just love the fundamentals: the sunken living room with the block wall fireplace.
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“The use of timber was lovely. It just has a very tranquil vibe to it. It was completely authentic, which gave us a really good opportunity to think about how to renovate it.”
Listing agent Terry King, of the Kings of Real Estate, said the mid-century house was a “masterpiece” and that interest had been huge. “More than any other style of architecture, it will never be outdated. We have had mid-century enthusiasts coming out of our ears,” he said.
Bridget’s favourite spot is the new front courtyard. The sloping lawn was excavated and retained (Ben joked that the piles are holding up Arney Road) to create a flat space for a swimming pool, spa, and terrace opening off the family dining room and kitchen. The family replicated the living room’s original cool concrete-block fireplace for the outdoor sitting room and added a new Japanese garden.
“It has been such a beautiful hub for us as a family and when friends come over. It is just very tranquil,” Bridget said, adding that the sunken living room with its fireplace and window seat is another treasured spot.
The property features two sunken lounges. Photo / Supplied
Listing agent Terry King calls the house a masterpiece. It’s been very popular at open homes, he says. Photo / Supplied
Craftsmanship is everywhere: you can see it in the copper nails on the cedar board-and-batten walls; the tawa, which was matched to the original on the floors; and the original screen, which was reused in the family room.
The quietly luxurious kitchen by Robyn Ladd is made from rough-sawn oak with a stone bench, a hidden beer fridge and views to the garden. “People say it’s a bit like Titirangi in Remuera because we’ve got these beautiful native trees and lots of tui,” Bridget said.
Modern lighting, insulation and security, a wine cellar, heaps of storage and a huge laundry room are firmly 21st-century innovations, along with a striking Atlantic stone floor. A bathroom’s turquoise mosaic wall tiles nod to that original blue bath and were profiled in a magazine. Tucked away in the master bedroom closet is an original leadlight window made by former art student Jeanette, a secret the couple asked to leave in the house.
King said that buyers can see the house is worth more than its RV of $4.05m, and has put a price tag of $4.83m on it.
“We decided that whoever is going to buy it, first of all they’ll be attracted by that style because you either love it or you don’t,” King said, adding that he is upfront with buyers that the Snellings have bought elsewhere.
“And then when they ring us, we will then talk about price.”
Bridget added: “I hope that the owner-architect would say we’ve done a really sympathetic renovation that’s in keeping with his original vision but updated for a modern family.”
- 24 Crocus Place, Remuera, Auckland, is for sale for $4.83m
