QUICK LOOK

Lifestyle was the focus back in 2009 when Mark and Jules were looking for rural land to build a new home for their young family. The views they found at 396 Upland Rd, near New Plymouth, were the bonus.

‘‘We had looked at a number of properties,’’ Mark recalls, ‘‘but at the time, the cost (of existing properties) meant it was better to buy bare land and build.’’

The Upland Rd location suited them. ‘‘We were going south a lot, so this part of town was important. And Lepperton School was close for the kids.’’

The views sealed the deal.

The four hectares (about 10 acres) of land they bought here extends along the level ridge line off the road and then drops down to encompass a small valley where a large pond is an appealing feature. The house sits near the lip of the valley, giving it an expansive view over the North Taranaki landscape to a sea horizon.

Mark points out the pencil shape of the old power station chimney in the distance and the bulk of Paritutu Rock nearby. ‘‘We can see ships parked out at sea at night, and the stadium lights when they are on.’’

Weather adds its variety. ‘‘We see some great electrical storms out there. And the fog that rolls up the valley; it closes the airport and we can’t see two feet in front of us. But we vary rarely get a frost here.’’

The lights of the city stretch across the evening outlook, and each November, the family has enjoyed free fireworks displays as the rush and burst of varicoloured skyrockets created coruscating patterns against the dark sky.

Mark and Jules have not been alone in seeing the advantages of this elevated location. Other high-value properties have taken shape near here as larger farms were subdivided and smaller lifestyle properties developed. A drive along Upland Rd reveals many quality homes enjoying peaceful, rural settings that come with the convenience of proximity to city services.

‘‘This area seems to be within that cutoff that people are comfortable travelling,’’ Mark says. ‘‘I can be in the middle of town in about 14 minutes. Ever since they upgraded the northern outlet, it’s been a comfortable drive.’’

That travel time is no hardship; people living in New Plymouth’s outer suburbs could take almost as long to negotiate city roads and traffic to achieve that.

Mark and Jules envisaged a lowmaintenance, family home with space, and the flat land along the ridge line allowed that easily. The original plan was for a onelevel home, but, when the initial drawings came back, their builder pointed out an unexpected option. ‘‘There was all this space up in the roof, and they said we might as well utilise that.’’

An extra room was created within the high-pitched roofline that resulted in a floor area of about 410sqm, with five bedrooms and three living areas. It’s definitely a family-sized residence.

The home doesn’t overpower the

WHERE: 396 Upland Rd, Hillsborough, near New Plymouth.

HOW BIG: Approximately 4.028 hectares in land; about 410sqm in home.

HOW MUCH: To be set at auction, at Bayleys premises in New Plymouth, at 1pm on Friday, June 12, 2020 (unless sold prior).

WHAT YOU GET: Inspirational, elevated rural setting, with views to a sea horizon from a beautifully designed executive home.

MARKETED BY: Neale Parkinson at Bayleys – 06 759 5280 or 027 446 1550.

ONLINE: bayleys.co.nz – ref 2600491.

SEE IT: Open homes on Sundays and Wednesdays, from 12pm till 12.45pm; or by appointment.

setting, however. It’s a long, relatively low design in pale bricks with similarly pale Linea-board accents, and topped with the simplicity of long-run corrugated steel in a dark charcoal colour. It sits nicely into hedge-bordered lawns with a couple of paddocks buffering it from the road.

The driveway curves into a generous parking and turning area and there’s plenty of room to accommodate cars for a larger gathering of family and friends.

A planted approach defines the entrance alongside the centrally located double garage, and you step through the front door into a foyer that reaches across to the stacker doors that frame the view through a covered patio to that valley outlook and sea horizon. It’s a striking welcome for visitors. ‘‘That takes most people,’’ Mark says with a smile.

This foyer space separates the home’s interior: open-plan living areas to the right, and the hallway to the bedrooms and bathrooms at left. There’s a doorway from the foyer into the garage, with another off the hallway for easier access to the laundry services there. To the left of the doors out to the covered patio are French doors into the formal lounge that can easily open up or close off this room as needed.

Most of the rooms in this house enjoy those valley and sea views; just the two back bedrooms miss out, but they boast peaceful green views as an alternative.

The living areas celebrate the views to the sea through a large floor-to-ceiling picture window in the dining area, and wide-opening bifolding doors in the adjacent lounge space. Another set of bifolds at the back of the lounge open to the rear lawn. Mark says both these doors can be thrown open on a summer’s day to let fresh air through the house; and if there is a breeze, one can be closed to enjoy the shelter of the opposite side of the house.

The wealth of windows means this is a light and airy environment, helped by the raked ceilings in the lounge space. The morning sun angles into the back windows of the kitchen and lounge and then works its way around the house to the dining area and covered patio. The polished