Luxury that’s hard to beat
An extensive redesign — that included moving the house — shows a designer’s eye, writes Penny Lewis
Roz Gunnion loves her Mt Eden villa’s sense of luxury. The spaces are generous – and beautifully appointed. It’s no surprise, really, as the double- bay villa’s extensive renovation was overseen by its former owner, Rachyl Abraham of Tesori Design. The master bedroom is one of Roz’s favourite spaces, which she likens to a luxurious hotel suite, thanks to its proportions, amazing lampshade and feature wallpaper. She also loves her en suite.
“It has beautiful tiles and lighting and feels really sophisticated.”
Her dressing room is one to covet – the wardrobe system has ingenious features such as pull- out low shelves for shoes and pull- down high racks that make the most of storage space.
This house is luxuriously comfortable to live in because it’s suited to contemporary life, without compromising its villa roots. Number 19 Woodford Rd has a wide section, which accommodates a driveway to the left of the house, set behind secure gates.
Rachyl says when she and her family bought the house, it was “an original turquoise villa sitting in the middle of the site”. The project moved the house forward and to one side in order to accommodate a carpeted double garage with a loft above and internal- access to the house. Because of this arrangement, the position of the garage complements, rather than dominates, the villa.
Visitor access is through a keypad- entry front gate, leading up to a front porch. In keeping with the symmetry of the dual bays at the front of the house, a symmetrically arranged garden with elegant water features and topiary flanks the path.
The villa’s central hall has kauri flooring. It’s testimony to the quality of the renovation that the melding of the original and new parts of the house is seamless. Rachyl says the project saw them replace wall linings, rewire and put in central heating.
They removed original kauri boards from the carpeted bedrooms in order to match timber in the existing hallway. They replicated other villa details in the new part of the house – including board- andbatten ceilings.
The kitchen is sleek, yet its design is in keeping with the villa’s character. The fridge is integrated into a bank of wall cupboards, plus there’s a wine fridge integrated into a central island bench, ideal for entertaining. The kitchen flows on to the dining room and living area, which is warmed by a gas fireplace at one end.
“We spend most of our time in here,” says Roz. Bi- fold doors open on to a deck and landscaped garden, complete with a pool, an ideal place for Roz’s children Max, 12, Sam, 11 and Genevieve, 8, to hang out in summer.
At other times the kids relax with their friends on beanbags in a media room. Set up with a projector and screen, this is a great place to watch movies, but with its elegant dark walls and dramatic curtains, it would function just as well as a formal living room.
There is also further living space in the loft above the garage, which could also be a further bedroom for teens. Younger children may enjoy their toys in a playroom/ office just near the kitchen.
The family bathroom has a large standalone bath and a skylight for stargazing. It’s a far cry from the no- inside- bathroom original house. Rather, there was a lean- to, with a toilet that had a draw- pulley flush. The house is unrecognisable from those days.
Roz and her children will miss this beautiful villa, but the family is moving to Ponsonby.
“That will be the challenge for me,” says Roz. “I will need to find something as luxurious as this.”
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19 WOODFORD RD, MT EDEN SIZE: PRICE GUIDE: AUCTION: INSPECT: SCHOOLS: CONTACT: ON THE WEB:
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