Character and comfort
Adesire to be able to walk their two small children to school led Amy Wagstaff and her husband Ivan to Wainui when they were looking to move from Swanson.
Amy says they’re old-fashioned like that, so it was no contest when they found a character-filled old villa right opposite a school. Furthermore, it came with almost 2ha of land that enabled them to fulfil their dream of having sheep and a few chickens.
“There was already a chicken coop on the property, and there were flat paddocks, so we got 10 sheep and 11 chickens, and at the moment we’re getting a dozen eggs a day,” Amy says.
The property comprises the main villa, a selfcontained sleepout and a settler-style cottage.
“We had wanted a home-and-income situation and felt we were really lucky to get a lovely house, an income and a piece of land in such a good location. It all fitted perfectly.”
Amy says the place was previously owned by experienced renovators who, she says, did an “excellent job”. They cleverly combined the character features with contemporary elements including surround sound, heat transfer system, HRV, a smart, modern kitchen and an en suite with spa tub.
The kitchen had undergone a renovation with the addition of a pantry, a large island bench, sea-green glass splashbacks and matching glass benches. Glass has also been used for several of the internal doors, letting light stream through the house.
These contemporary touches sit comfortably with high ceilings, bay windows, polished timber floors and a traditional fireplace with an exposed brick chimney. Amy and Ivan have added homely touches such as elegant curtains, floor rugs and a log burner.
Good storage has been added with built-in bookcases, floating shelves, loft beds in the children’s rooms, and a chunk of the master bedroom being repurposed into a wardrobe.
And indoor outdoor flow has also been considered, with bi-fold doors from the dining room to an outdoor dining space, and a paved, covered barbecue area complete with open fire and sink-bench.
Next to the main house is the sleep-out, which provided ideal accommodation for the family’s au pair and for guests.
It has two bedrooms, a bathroom, a lounge area and a private deck.
“I’ll really miss it,” Amy says. “It’s been great to have people to stay and be able to give them their own space.”
Separated from the main house by the sleepout is a traditional-style cottage with a living area, bedroom, bathroom and a whole second floor of finished storage space. It has a separate driveway and parking area and two covered verandas which provide all-weather outdoor space.
“The tenants moved in at the same time as we did and they love it, so they’re keen to stay on,” Amy says.
The property also has a large barn, established fruit trees and gardens, a glasshouse and a bush block at the rear where the children have explored and built forts.
The family and the tenants have lived here for more than three years now, and a job transfer is driving Amy and Ivan’s move.
“It took us months to decide if we would really do it and it was such a hard decision,” Amy says. “We’ll be going to a smaller piece of land so we’ll miss the chickens and the sheep, and the paddocks.”
They plan to still be within walking distance of their new school, but it won’t be quite the same as having it just across the road, and getting the key to the school pool in summer.