And then there was you
A lesson in keeping an open mind, this dream home was everything its owners didn’t want.
WHEN AMBER AND CHRIS CARROLL SET
out to buy their second home – having outgrown their first, an apartment in Auckland’s Westmere – there were two things they didn’t want: a villa and a pool. Now they have both.
What won them over was the fact that their 1910 Freemans Bay villa had been completely renovated, retaining all the best features of the heritage home and combining them with modern elements that made for easy living. Happy they wouldn’t have to do anything to it except add their own touches, they were free to appreciate all the house had going for it.
In the three years since the couple first stood on the footpath outside and admired its façade framed by a white picket fence, their family has grown from three to four, and the house has transitioned into their very own home sweet home. Their goal was to add their own stamp to their new place. “We had some pieces we wanted to retain from our apartment, so we built on that,” says Amber. “We wanted to live here and get the feel of the house before we dived in, so we decided to do it in bite-size chunks rather than all at once.”
The furniture they kept has some lovely memories attached. “Our dining table came from Chris’s parents’ house – he recalls his family breakfasting around it – and our beautiful AH McIntosh sideboard originally came from Kirkcaldy in Scotland. I bought it from a man in Hamilton who’d owned it for 40 years.”
Their classic Italian-designed, gold-velvet sofa has always provoked strong feelings – people either love or loathe it – but either way, it’s proved to be very practical. “It being low and spongy and having fabric that can be wiped after spills has been good when the children are young,” says Amber. “Chris and I have eclectic taste and both of us enjoy 1970s style. I feel nostalgic for this era, probably from my childhood. Besides, I’m definitely not a beige •
“We had some pieces we wanted to retain from our apartment, so we built on that. Our dining table came from Chris’s parents’ house – he recalls his family breakfasting around it.”
“When I come home, I need to walk into a place that’s aesthetically pleasing and an oasis of calm – as much as it can be with two small children underfoot.”
person – I like quite out there, bold stuff that’s a little different and quirky.”
Along the way, Amber sought advice from interior architect/designer Janice KumarWard. “I was able to bounce ideas off her and we collaborated on different bits and pieces. She gave me the confidence to choose pink for my office and navy blue for our bedroom, as well as the bold black wallpaper with budgies and butterflies in the downstairs washroom.”
Janice also helped Amber brainstorm ways to divide up the central lounge area so it became a space that functioned well for both adults and children. Amber and Chris prefer uncluttered spaces, which isn’t easy to achieve with kids. “When I come home, I need to walk into a place that’s aesthetically pleasing and an oasis of calm – as much as it can be with two small children underfoot,” says Amber.
A central glass-panelled stairwell links the home’s two levels. The bedrooms are tucked away upstairs, while downstairs the lounge and formal dining area are arranged on one side of the stairs, with the kitchen and casual dining area on the other opening onto a deck, the pool and a longed-for lawn. “[After living in an apartment], it was a relief to have Luca be able to feel the grass beneath his feet,” says Amber.
The pool Chris feared would be too much work (he spent hours cleaning his parents’ pool as a teenager) has provided countless hours of fun for the kids. It’s heated, so they can enjoy it well beyond the summer months.
But the best thing about this home, says Amber, is that “although we’re close to the city, it’s peaceful. When you’re on the upstairs verandah, the outlook is so lush and green you feel as if you’re in the treetops. Yet at the same time, I’ve never felt cut off. That was a dealbreaker for me; I wanted to be able to push the pram around and window-shop and feel part of the action.”