Time to reflect
Having six months to plan their new home’s decor meant an Auckland family got things just right
A SIX-MONTH settlement on their new home gave Keri Astley and her husband Rob time to plan what they would transfer from their old home, what they would sell and what they would buy.
It’s nearly a year since the family moved into their Auckland home but Astley says she’s only just got around to putting out some of her treasures, including a wall of hearts that she’s been adding to for years.
“It was great having that six-month settlement period to find out exactly what I wanted,” she says.
It was purely by chance that the Astleys came across the property.
“We were away with friends for the weekend when one of them picked up the Weekend Herald and said, ‘Keri, here’s the perfect house for you’. I looked at it and agreed that if we were ever to move, it would be the kind of house we’d want.
“Then the paper got thrown away and I didn’t think any more of it.”
Until a week later, when Rob suggested they go to see the house. One drive-by and three visits later, it was theirs.
The house has stunning views over Auckland City and an impressive double-height living area. It is made of concrete and steel, with travertine marble on the walls and floors throughout. It feels modern but not austere.
“I can’t stand a sterile environment,” says Astley. “It’s a family home and that means everyone has to feel comfortable.”
The couple love the easy indooroutdoor flow, something that their previous home lacked and their two children, Jackson ( 14) and Millie (12), are enjoying the outdoor area, complete with swimming pool that’s ideal for entertaining their friends.
The all-weather outdoor entertaining space off the open-plan kitchen, living and dining area downstairs is created by a distinctive cantilevered balcony that protrudes from a second living area upstairs.
While the house has large spaces that suit groups of people, there are also places to be on your own. The kids retreat to the second living area to enjoy computer games and host sleepovers.
A mezzanine floor has been turned into a home gym, where Rob and Keri work out in the mornings as they watch the city wake up. And there is even a wine cellar tucked away off the scullery.
A year on, the house is feeling like the home Astley knew it could be when she first saw it in the newspaper. “Coming home is the best feeling ever,” she says. “I still have to pinch myself every so often.”