QUICK LOOK
A vision for a special city home prompted Paul to buy this property at 198 Seaview Rd in New Plymouth almost four years ago.
‘‘I fell in love with the section,’’ Paul admits. Looking out into its lush and private green environment now, it’s easy to see why. But back then, you had to be able to see what could be achieved here.
This small valley setting had been on the market for a couple of years before Paul discovered it, despite its convenient location in this established residential Westown area. ‘‘I think the access scared people off,’’ he says. But he was prepared to commit substantial investment to create the impressive boulder retaining walls and lay the concrete driveway down from the road to the natural building site.
Paul spent 26 months living here in a caravan, contemplating the setting, working out how best to build his home, landscaping the valley slopes, and planting more than 400 native trees and plants to enhance his surroundings.
Plans for a home took shape on paper in the caravan. ‘‘I had a few things I wanted; north facing, large living areas, a large master bedroom, and a large garage.’’
He fitted them all into his plan, which was refined by local designer Peter Roughan and built by award-winning Hassall Homes. The results are appreciated on a visit today.
That visit doesn’t have to start with a walk down the driveway. Paul created a path and steps alongside it, laid with limestone chips and bordered with a ‘handrail’ of posts and rope that guides visitors down through his plantings to the house.
During his development work, Paul was careful to retain as many of the established trees as he could, which is why Bayleys consultant Neale Parkinson refers to this home as a tree house.
At the back of the driveway are a stand of tall Japanese cedars, alongside the house is a lightly limbed and winter-bare oak, almost touching the front of the timber deck is another Japanese cedar, further out is a striking Chinese wonder tree with its pendant clusters of bright red berries, and up on the side bank is the twisted trunk of an old pohutukawa.
The house itself presents a suitably rustic face to visitors. The cladding at the driveway end and in the sheltered deck recess in front of the living areas is bandsaw-cut, board-and-batten macrocarpa. The rest of the house is in Shadowclad ply, painted a soft grey. Window and door joinery is Ghost Grey in colour, while the aluminium balustrading around the macrocarpa deck is a similar Windsor Grey that matches the roof.
Inside the front door is a short foyerhallway with the master bedroom to the right and the door into the living areas ahead. The master bedroom is a generous space which opens out through stacker sliding doors to the side deck that leads around to the main deck area at the front of the house. The requisite walk-in wardrobe and ensuite help make this room a comfortable retreat. The ensuite shower has a rainfall shower head complementing the wall-mounted slide shower. It has an Infinity gas water heater.
The living areas are open-plan with plenty of space for the kitchen, dining and lounge areas. They embrace the long outlook into the lush valley greenery, and two sets of stacker sliding doors can open wide for easy flow to the deck. It looks like this property extends into the distance, but beyond the minimal wire fence below the deck is neighbouring land. A marshy bottom to the rest of the valley, however, makes it unsuitable for building and should preserve this view into the future.
Standing out on the deck allows an appreciation of the peace and quiet, broken only by the music of bird song. Paul says the bird life is prolific and includes kereru, tui, fantails, grey warblers, and morepork.
The kitchen is set to the side of the living space with a sliding window to the deck to provide a servery opening for barbecues or refreshments. The kitchen includes a top-of-the-line Falcon gaselectric stove. ‘‘It’s seriously good,’’ Paul says, pointing out the five-burner hob top, and dedicated grill and baking ovens complementing the main oven.
Panelled cabinet doors in the kitchen add a subtle rustic touch, while soft, earthy colours are easy on the eye. The splashback tiles’ raised geometric pattern is also seen on wall tiles in the bathrooms.
The kitchen floor has a white-washed timber finish with carpet adding underfoot comfort to the lounge and dining areas. While life in here is naturally warm with its wealth of sun and light, air-conditioning keeps it cosy during chilly winter weather, or cooler in summer.
One door off the living areas opens into a bedroom wing, housing the two other double bedrooms and family bathroom, which features a wide, deep contemporary bath and corner shower. An adjacent door opens into a handy computer nook. WHERE: 198 Seaview Rd, Westown, New Plymouth.
HOW BIG: Approximately 1350sqm in land; about 180sqm in home.
HOW MUCH: $659,000.
WHAT YOU GET: A private, tree-clad sanctuary with a custom-designed, contemporary, three-bedroom home just a year old. Proximity to schools and shops means this home will appeal to buyers ranging from active retirees to families.
MARKETED BY: Neale Parkinson at Bayleys – 06 759 5280 or 027 446 1550.
ONLINE: bayleys.co.nz – ref 2600222.
SEE IT: By appointment.
A door off the foyer accesses the integrated, oversized double garage, where laundry services are also located in a recess. Paul anticipated flexible use for the carpeted garage space, which is fully insulated, including the automatic door.
Neale Parkinson says the individual style of this home and its special setting will appeal to prospective owners who love a natural presentation, birds and native plants.