SUBURBAN SANCTUARY

This resort-style Glendowie property has been designed to provide its inhabitants with as much space as possible, finds CATHERINE MASTERS

GLENDOWIE

22A Glendowie Road

Natasya Tucker quickly fell for the section in Glendowie near the sea with the rickety garage and big feijoa trees.

Now, there’s a fourbedroom, two-level home on the site.

She and husband Carl designed the house with the help of Carl’s draftsman dad and while the couple have built a few houses, this one at 22a Glendowie Rd in Auckland is the best by a long shot, she says.

“I remember when we came and looked at the section it was a beautiful sky-blue day and the water was high tide and there’s a little yacht club down the road.

“It’s on a little cul de sac with Roberta Reserve at the end of it. and it’s only about a 750km walk to Glendowie Primary. It’s awesome.”

The theme of the cedar and Hebel house and the landscaped outdoors with palms is a bit resort-like, she says.

“I like being in the city but I wanted to create a space where you felt like you were getting away; coming home to a sanctuary as such.”

From the upstairs, the house takes advantage of the views of the estuary across the road. “There are huge pohutukawas on the edge of the estuary and the kids go and bang around in the rock pools and find crabs and things.”

Upstairs is the master suite with its big sliding window, roomy walk-in wardrobe and en suite with his and her basins, and two more bedrooms plus a TV room.

The house is designed with high stud of 3.2m in the living and dining areas and 2.7m stud elsewhere to give the feeling of space.

The dining and living area have sliding windows which flow to a big deck with panels going in the same direction as the recycled French oak floors, also enhancing the feeling of space.

A friend in the business told Natasya the imported floors are the only ones in New Zealand. “She reckoned that Jamie Oliver had them in his restaurant. They’re beautiful, extra-wide planks as well as super long. Having recycled French oak is great because if you bash it it’s already bashed. It’s quite nice not to have perfection [when you have] kids.”

The entertainer’s kitchen with its open butler’s pantry has wooden panelling to give the resort feel and this is echoed in other parts of the house.

One of the things Natasya loves is the multiple spaces which have been created. “I did a Nanette Cameron interior design course to get a bit more adventurous, so there’s an area where you can have a lounger out the end of the TV room where if the kids are kicking the ball around you can be away from it, and across the way there are seats and a barbecue so you can have multiple groups out there that can be having their own conversation, which is really nice.”

Another feature is the steel stairwell with cut metal design, also matched in other areas.

“People always walk in and go, ‘It’s an amazing house’ and it is an amazing house. It’s beautiful.”

The only thing missing is a swimming pool, Natasya says, but the reinforced backyard is ready for one if the new owner fancies it.

Sale: Auction July 30

Contact: Alison Jackson-Mee, UP, 021 410 101

“People always walk in and go, ‘It’s an amazing house’ and it is an amazing house. It’s beautiful.”