GOWER HOMESTEAD, CAMBRIDGE

98 HEWSON ROAD, KAIRANGI

John and Fiona Stares didn’t think they were being too particular about what they wanted in their country house: somewhere that allowed them to ride their horses safely on the road, somewhere private enough that they couldn’t see neighbours, peaceful and quiet.

“But far enough that we could host our own riproaring parties,” says Fiona.

But the search took them more than two years before they found the perfect combination 16 years ago off a no-exit country road only 15 minutes’ drive from Cambridge and Te Awamutu, and only 30km from Hamilton.

“Everything was too new, from the 70s or 80s,” says John. “This was a little country bungalow from the 20s or 30s, with a lot of the original period to enhance.

“It needed a lot of work, but it attracted us because it hadn’t had anyone else have a go at it, it was a blank canvas.”

After living in the house, which they named Gower after the area in Wales they grew up in, the couple hired architect Ross Singleton to completely refurbish the property.

He started by demolishing a lean-to at the back to add a smart guest room, family bathroom and huge country-style laundry/mudroom. He rearranged a kitchen and bedroom, bringing the kitchen into the sunniest space and tucking the bedroom in a quieter corner.

But the key move was wrapping the sunniest west and northern faces of the house with a large, gracious verandah, like those of original country bungalows of the area. Luckily the bay window of the master bedroom