Luxurious living
Only time and talent creates grounds like these, from the long driveway lined with pin oaks to the English-styled gardens with their specimen trees and buxus hedging.
It’s a fitting setting for this substantial two-storey family home with its columned entry and Georgian symmetry.
With almost four hectares of land at their disposal, the owners have created sublime surroundings which include an in-ground swimming pool, tennis court and playground, as well as several paddocks and a three-bay open barn.
With all this on offer, it’s hard to know why you’d ever go inside really, but fortunately the home is equally impressive, with its magnificent entrance hall and show-stopping central staircase.
It’s a grand country residence in every respect, offering the space, seclusion and serenity of a rural lifestyle with easy access to Christchurch.
There are options to spare here, starting with just moving in and enjoying its solid construction and the almost endlessly expansive north-facing grounds
Equally expansive is the home itself with four double bedrooms, three bathrooms, three living areas, large kitchen, separate formal dining room and office.
The tiled open-plan casual living and dining space adjoins a well-appointed kitchen and sitting room with french doors to an expansive north-facing terrace.
Having multiple living areas is always a bonus, allowing everyone their own space and providing generous entertaining areas.
The country-styled kitchen, with its timber cabinetry, natural coloured tiled floor and white-tiled detail offers generous storage and counter tops and includes a Smeg oven and gas hob, and an Asko dishwasher.
The well-proportioned family living and dining areas are flooded with natural light and sun, and link seamlessly to the extensive grounds with their outdoor entertaining areas.
Two of the four bedrooms, including the main bedroom, open through multi-paned french doors to a balcony overlooking the glorious grounds.
This main bedroom is a total retreat, with the balcony providing the perfect place to start and end your day where you can attend the free symphony courtesy of the native and introduced birds that have wisely made these botanic grounds their home.
A large tiled ensuite services the main bedroom while three more bedrooms share two further bathrooms.
A central vacuum system, separate laundry and triple garaging takes care of the practicalities, and insulation and underfloor heating make this an energy-efficient home that provides a good level of comfort year round.
Built in 1992 and situated in sought-after Clarkville, its city fringe location means it's just 10 minutes' drive to Northwood, close to Kaiapoi, even less to the new Mandeville Village retail development, and Clarkville School is just one minute away.
The opportunity to own a country estate is not one that comes along every day and this well detailed and beautifully executed home is one that has
been designed to preserve the sheer beauty of its grounds for future generations.
From its sweeping, gated driveway down to the last spring bulb, this property, grand though it is, is first and foremost designed to provide exceptional family living.
It’s the sort of home where you need to discover a work-fromhome option as soon as possible so you don’t have to leave these serene grounds any more than is absolutely necessary.
There would be few opportunities that offer such a diverse range of possibilities for a superlative lifestyle as this one.
Take a ball of string and a notebook with you to the open days this weekend when you view so you don’t get lost in the grounds or miss any of the long list of features this property offers.