This week in real estate
Liz Sharek’s Westmere home is no stranger to the camera lens. Appearing as our cover star today ( and in a story on pages 40 and 41), this 12- year- old house has featured in numerous books and magazines over the years, including Architecture NZ shortly after it was built and in the February 2013 issue of NZ House & Garden.
I had the pleasure of writing about Liz’s house for the August/ September 2002 issue of NZ Home & Entertaining ( now HOME NZ) when it earned a finalist placing in the magazine’s annual home of the year award for architect Andrew Lister. Remembering the house fondly, I jumped at the chance to revisit it for HeraldHomes. Tucked down a long driveway and barely visible from the road, Liz’s house is entering its teenage years with grace and charm. The sub- tropical garden is now lush and abundant, while inside the reflective surfaces still look sleek. The house has aged well, as all good design should. As Liz says, ‘‘ If you are going to build, build the best you possibly can.’’
On page 67 we feature the personalityplus Kerikeri home of Gael and Alan Warwick. Alan, an architect and yacht and power- boat designer, designed this distinctive home for his family after they purchased their coastal section in 1976.
Other stories include Luise Lockwood’s resort- like home on massive grounds ( page 3) a cool mid- century pad in Sandringham ( page 4) as well as a character- filled Ponsonby villa on page 5.