Spreading their wings
44A RAME RD, GREENHITHE
Geoff Lowe says when he and wife Suzy started house-hunting in Greenhithe in 2001, they didn’t even know where it was. Their first visit to the then-rural suburb was to check out real estate. Son Elliott was about to start school, daughter Eve was only 2, but the city couple liked the idea of a place where they could spread out.
They liked what they saw, quickly learning that Old Greenhithe was the neighbourhood to be in. So much so that, six years later, as the kids got older and they wanted more room, the family could only bring themselves to move a few streets up the road to a new waterfront house facing Herald Island.
“We saw the water all around, the groves of old oak trees — all we had to do was move the kids’ playhouse,” says Geoff.
“A local developer had done all the work, his son was the architectural draughtsman. These 10 properties had been carved out of an old orchard, so we all have a share of the driveway and the walkway down to our own jetty. When the kids were smaller we used to keep a dinghy.”
The father and son team had designed a twostorey house on 1900sq m of land. They’d placed the house on the middle of the site to create privacy and close-up views of Herald Island across the water.
The original orchard’s oak trees were retained. Geoff and Suzy have made sure arborists keep the spreading limbs balanced, but also relish views of manuka bush and natives that hem the waterfront.
Landscape designer Kirsten Sachs has continued the native theme, replacing bromeliads with softer planting, adding concrete plinths and rain-garden plants to the front entrance for more drama.
At the back of the house, Suzy got her hedges of feijoa trees and raised beds for herbs, veges and fruit trees. Fencing keeps miniature schnauzer Elsa safe.
Terraces surrounding the heated split-level pool are a magnet for summer living. But with night lighting, the shallow paddling pool at the end of the
pool that reaches right to the master bedroom windows is a dramatic water feature, whatever the weather.
The solid house was designed for drama. Visitors can look from the elegant double-height entry atrium through to the lawn, trees and beyond to Herald Island.
The rest of the house has extra-high studs. Centred on the kitchen, the living space has a 10-seater dining table overlooking the pool and terrace.
There is underfloor heating, Father and son made a dramatic feature of the fireplace wall, sheathing it in white pebbles they carried up the walls of the roof terrace above.
The zoning of the house was ideal for kids growing into teenage years. Downstairs the master bedroom suite overlooks the pool and opens through bi-fold doors to its own courtyard. As well as its ensuite, there’s a good sized closet.
Also on this floor is an office, which could easily become a fifth bedroom, and there’s a generously equipped laundry.
Upstairs, the kids get their own space: two double bedrooms with sea views that open on to the roof terrace, plus sitting area and bathroom. There’s even a walk-in closet for toys and games.
The roof terrace offers 180-deg views of the upper harbour from Hobsonville Point around to the north. In fact the family can almost see their new place — they are selling to move into the planned community as the kids get older.