More than meets the eye

TENDERS close on March 14 for a supremely renovated Ngaio home that stands out for its character, specifications, spacious living and sunny, private setting.

The five-bedroom, twobathroom house at 1 Karamu St is on a landscaped 723-square metre section with lawn and garden front and back, off-street parking for three cars, and an internal-access double garage.

It dates to 1926 but was renovated in the mid-1980s and largely rebuilt and extended in 2009.

‘‘The owners have opened up the interior and created a big family home with fantastic indooroutdoor flow,’’ says Andrew Brodie of Ray White, who’s marketing it with Pano Focas.

‘‘The renovation was so comprehensive that they had to move out for eight months.’’

The split-level, 250 square metre dwelling, which has weatherboards over a cavity system and a Colorsteel roof, is double-glazed and insulated throughout, with solar hot water, two heat pumps, underfloor heating in the bathrooms and a DVS system.

The front door opens into an entrance with polished floorboards that also distinguish the open-plan kitchen/family room and bedroom wing.

‘‘The kitchen/family room is one of the aspects the owners will miss the most,’’ Brodie says.

‘‘They’ve loved being able to throw open the bifolding doors to the west-facing deck and large flat lawn.’’

The family area includes built-in storage while the stylish kitchen was built specifically for entertaining.

For instance, the five-burner cooktop and Miele oven are in an island facing the step-up dining

room, so cooks can interact with guests.

Other features include an integrated double DishDrawer dishwasher, air extractor and waste disposal, and a skylight.

The dining room opens to a private west-facing balcony and adjoins the exceptionally large lounge, with its views over Ngaio towards Mount Victoria.

The main bedroom suite overlooks the rear garden and opens to wraparound decking.

It has a triple-wardrobe with extra storage and an ensuite with a double-headed shower, vanity and toilet.

The bedroom wing also includes

the family bathroom (deep bath, shower cabinet, vanity, toilet), hideaway laundry, and two doublebedrooms and a single.

The larger bedrooms overlook the front garden, with its lawn, deck, olive trees, buxus hedging, lavender bushes and roses, while the fifth is on the lower level and opens to a private west-facing courtyard.

‘‘It’s really rare to find in such an established street a large home that’s modern and sophisticated yet still retains its character, with stunning indoor-outdoor flow and amazing flat lawn,’’ Brodie says.

‘‘It has lovely street appeal but offers so much more than you expect.’’