Peace and privacy on Seaview Rd
A home located off the street, at the end of a right-of-way, has an increasingly sought-after seclusion in today’s complicated world. That seclusion attracted Christine and Dennis in 2015, when they bought 190a Seaview Rd in New Plymouth. The driveway runs in off the road and then turns a corner to reach the home, ensuring complete privacy from passers-by.
Privacy isn’t the only appeal. This property offers generous landscaped grounds of 1100-plus sqm and a family-sized 200sqm home. With a sunny, sheltered, flat main lawn bordered by handcrafted, split-stone walls and established trees and plants, it’s no wonder Christine and Dennis held their wedding here.
On the eastern side of the property, the grounds are terraced with more of those split-stone retaining walls and there’s an elevated area from which you can look over the grounds and the neighbourhood.
Established trees add colour and texture, from rich tones of a copper beech to varied greens of pseudopanax, griselinia and magnolia. Smaller plantings complete a presentation that the couple has thoughtfully refined.
‘‘It was a forest when we moved in,’’ Christine recalls. ‘‘We opened it all up.’’
You can appreciate the space and sunny nature of the grounds from the shelter of the wide covered patio in the centre of the house. Clear roofing lets plenty of light through into the rooms behind. ‘‘This is party central,’’ Christine says, with a smile.
That makes sense, with doors opening on to it from the sunroom in front of the lounge wing, from the dining-kitchen space in the middle, and from the living area of the self-contained quarters on the eastern end of the house. Sliding windows along the kitchen bench provide a servery for gatherings.
The 1960s house is mainly clad in weatherboards, recently repainted around the lower level. There is plenty of space for a family, mostly on the spacious ground floor, but also in the upstairs addition. The house was originally two bedrooms but is substantially larger with the fully consented additions.
The spacious western lounge has floor-to-ceiling windows that let in lots of light; a gas heater; and sliding doors to the northfacing sunroom, which is lovely in winter when the sun is out but the wind is blowing and you can’t sit outside, says Christine.
The kitchen, open to the dining area, is a modern design in grey tones with the warmth of rimu trim. There’s a gas hob, underbench electric oven, a wealth of bench space, and a handy servery hatch into the lounge. Polished timber floors add colour and grain, in contrast to the white walls and ceiling.
New grey carpet has been laid through the rest of the house.
A double bedroom sits between the kitchen-dining space and the self-contained quarters. The quarters comprise a large living area, a bedroom behind a folding wall panel, a kitchenette, and refurbished bathroom; ideal for extended family.
Along the back of the house are a generous lobby area, fully refurbished family bathroom, and the original laundry space repurposed as a hobby or store room and which opens into the separate tandem garage.
Upstairs are two more bedrooms. The master has twin wardrobes and a private balcony and there is potential to reshape the bedroom behind into walk-in wardrobe and ensuite spaces to make this a parents’ retreat.
Windows up here look north over the tree-clad neighbourhood and back to a striking view of Taranaki Maunga.
Property Brokers consultant Jan Bishop says the mix of privacy, space and setting makes this a unique package. ‘‘It looks great now, but there is still a lot of potential and I am expecting a high level of interest.’’