Character and sea views close to the city

www.taranakidailynews.co.nz To passers-by, 155 St Aubyn St in New Plymouth presents a modest appearance in 2018.

They see a two-storey residence, born in the early 1920s, tucked away behind a boundary of white pickets sitting on concrete-block walls, with a driveway down the side of the house to a garage in the back corner of the property.

There’s a bungalow influence to the look of the home, with its bay window, shingled gables and exposed rafters under the eaves, although it all features on two levels rather than the traditional single storey. What was originally an open porch on the right has been closed in to create a more sheltered entry.

There’s a stucco-finished ground level with weatherboards cladding the upper storey and the house looks to have been a cut above the average when first built. A tour through with Town & Country Realty consultant Jack Newsome and home owner Tho confirms that thought.

Location here so close to the centre of the city, originally on a piece of land that was likely much larger than today’s 476sqm, is a pointer to its probable status in the 1920s. And location appealed to to Tho and her husband when they were looking for a home three years ago after arriving from Vietnam.

‘‘We were looking close to the city and the walkway,’’ Tho recalls. ‘‘This is so handy and we didn’t need to drive to the office. I really like the location.’’

Tho appreciates the proximity to the sea, having been born in a seafront city in Vietnam. ‘‘The first time we visited here, we went up to the bedrooms and could see the sea,’’ she says, enjoying the sense of home that view provides.

The two-storey style also appealed, with the convenience of the living areas downstairs and the bedrooms up. ‘‘Every morning, we can wake up and see the sea.’’ 155 St Aubyn St, New Plymouth.

Approximately 475sqm in land; almost 150sqm in home.

Buyer inquiries over $560,000 invited.

Fine character detail in a two-storey New Plymouth family home that’s an easy stroll from the centre of the city. The attraction of the Coastal Walkway is just as close.

Sunday December 16, 1pm to 2pm.

Jack Newsome at Town & Country Realty – 0800 639 7063 or 027 348 6592.

townandcountryrealty.co.nz – ref TNC229.

By appointment.

Today’s modest look outside is deceptive when you see the quality still present in the interior; this is a home you really have to walk through to appreciate.

The quality starts inside that closed-in front entrance, with the curiously bowed leadlight glazing of a small window beside the original front door. That door is also filled with panes of glass, frosted in a symmetrical pattern.

Closing in this porch space has created a family-friendly area that Tho and her husband recognised when they first visited. The generous area welcomes visitors and provides a play space for the children when it rains.

In the original foyer welcome through the front door, you find the rich warmth of native timber in the rimu staircase and other joinery features. Interior doors have more grain than their frames and look to be oregon pine.

The living areas to the left reveal an easy flow from the street-facing lounge, through the dining area into the kitchen. Character and quality are evident in the decorative plaster Saturday, December ceilings in the lounge and dining areas; those features were not crafted into average homes of the era.

In the lounge, that bay window visible from the street helps bring in plenty of light, thanks in part to an aluminium joinery upgrade by previous owners. The bay feature’s reference to character is complemented by a carved timber fireplace in the dining area, although the opening is closed off following the recent fitting of efficient heat pumps down here and upstairs.

The kitchen has been refurbished over the years and its timber-topped benches allow a view through the window to the rear grounds where the family can enjoy alfresco living with privacy from the street. A timber deck reaches from the back door towards the raised paved area to the side of the single-plus garage where friends can gather on a sunny day.

The lower level is completed by a separate laundry, separate toilet, and an office or study area that links the foyer and the service rooms to the side of the kitchen.

At the top of the home’s rimu staircase, there are three double bedrooms and the family bathroom. Two of the bedrooms face north and take in the full view of inner-city homes and the sea beyond. The third, rear bedroom gains its own view to the sea from its side window. One of the front bedrooms has the extra space of what would have been an upper balcony, long closed in for convenience.

These upstairs bedrooms have all been upgraded with double-glazed window joinery and Tho says that, in combination with the new heat pump, makes life here comfortable and warm.

Jack Newsome says location alone should generate plenty of interest in this property. ‘‘It’s pretty hard to get a location so close to town now, so this is a rare opportunity on today’s market.’’

The character features add an extra appeal that can only be appreciated by a personal inspection, he adds. 15, 2018