Elevated luxury on city seafront
Apartment living has a serious appeal for those buyers who no longer wish to tie up weekends working in the garden or mowing lawns.
There’s no guilt associated with an extra round of golf, or taking off to travel. You won’t dread returning home to chores that have piled up.
And when home comes with the wealth of benefits that you find at Apartment 17 in The Quarterdeck in New Plymouth, that return will be a distinct pleasure.
Location adds to the lifestyle appeal, helped by the meaning of the quarterdeck name.
Historically, a quarterdeck was the elevated deck behind the main mast of a sailing ship where a ship’s captain exercised his command of his vessel, seeing everything happening below him and the wide views around him. A similarly elevated setting is a feature of this upper-level Quarterdeck apartment on the city seafront.
From here, you enjoy panoramic views of the city shoreline and the expanse of sea in front of this address. Stand out on the sunny balcony like a captain on his bridge and look left to see the Coastal Walkway meander along the seafront towards the port, where large ships come and go and little yachts set out on their dance across the water.
Immediately below you, waves tumble in with the tide movements . . . and windsurfers can brighten a day with their multicoloured sails darting, jinking, sweeping across the water.
Sunsets turn the window wall of the apartment into a shifting work of art as the dying sun turns the sky and sea into a palette of rich colours. When wild weather comes in, the picture becomes a completely new artwork, a moody but equally enthralling image.
You appreciate all this in the space and comfort of this contemporary apartment that’s just a stroll from New Plymouth’s mainstreet shopping and cafes.
A visit here starts at street level with entry through the coded access of the garage where apartment owners have their own dedicated car parks and storage lockers. The foyer off the garage reveals the choice of lift or stairs to reach the apartments above.
When you open the door of Apartment 17 and step in, the view captures you; the shimmering sea outlook draws you across the apartment to take it all in. Only when you’ve done that, can you take the time absorb the detail and finish your surroundings.
They are generous: about 175sqm (not counting the garage and storage space below) which provides a large open-plan kitchen-dining-living area, three bedrooms, two bathrooms and good storage. That’s the equivalent of a good-sized traditional home in the suburbs.
And the spaces are finely finished, reflecting the Quarterdeck’s standing in the upper echelons of the city’s property market. New carpet has even been laid throughout in the past couple of weeks.
The kitchen sits to the back of the living areas, allowing the cook to enjoy both an easy rapport with visitors and the view across the space to the balcony and sea beyond. Granite and stainless-steel bench tops emphasise quality, as does a wide gasceramic to of cooktop. There’s plenty of storage to make this a practical as well as attractive place to prepare meals.
The dining area is to the side of the kitchen with plenty of space to move around; it’s an easy task to host a dinner party here. The lounge reaches from the kitchen-dining area through to the stacker doors that open out on to that balcony.
Life in this apartment is well insulated and energy efficient, with a gas-flame fireplace for warmth and atmosphere and a heat pump as another heating and cooling option.
The spacious master bedroom is located off the lounge and has its own window-wall views and access out on to the balcony.
You can also soak up the views while soaking in the bath that’s a feature of the ensuite. Bifolding panels over the bath allow you to open up the ensuite to the bedroom and the views.
At the back of the apartment are two more double bedrooms enjoying views over the city to the graceful slopes of the mountain. The main bathroom incorporates the laundry services and is beautifully finished in the same combination of tiles, timber and glass that’s in the ensuite.
At the end of the short hallway, there’s a handy office or study nook.
Benefits of living here extend beyond the apartment and garage; there’s also an on-site gymnasium facility for Quarterdeck residents to use.
McDonald Real Estate consultant Rachel Hooper is marketing the property, which she says is attracting good interest from a diverse range of buyers. ‘‘People are looking for low maintenance, executive styling, position and views. This is a perfect entertainer’s apartment . . . and it’s so close to the CBD, shops and cafes. New owners can just move in and enjoy a new life here.’’