TRANQUIL SETTING

Scandanavian connection adds an air of mystery to family home, discovers Louise Richardson

“It might sound crazy, but I came halfway around the world from my home in London on my OE six years ago and fell in love with a Yorkshireman, right here in Auckland,” says Kirsty Dalglish. Her husband, James, managing director of a rental car firm, had already lived in the Onehunga house they share today with toddler son Hugo.

It was built in 1990 and with Kirsty’s arrival came plans to upgrade it a little — although little turned into quite a lot.

“It was liveable but we agreed that it was definitely dated,” she says.

“The layout was awkward, especially in the kitchen and living areas.”

At the time, Kirsty, a teacher, was facing a serious health battle and had her family coming from the United Kingdom for Christmas.

“I know that renovations usually take ages, but we had loads of tradies among our friends and James simply went and mobilised them all.

“They got it done to the very high standard we required in just five or six weeks,” she says.

The couple transferred the kitchen — now state-of the-art with Smeg appliances — from one end of the living room to the other.

It was designed by James’s father, a professional designer, who was able to oversee the whole project from the UK, thanks to Skype.

During the family Christmas reunion that transpired, James proposed to Kirsty, in front of everybody, much to her delight.

“We had the perfect entertaining area, ready for lots of celebrations,” she says.

As well as the living-space transformation, Kirsty and James also added a huge rear deck, perfectly positioned for catching the sun. Established trees surround the house.

“Living here really is just like being in Titirangi, but in the city,” she says. “We have a resident tui each summer, and other bird calls come all-yearround.”

What’s more, Kirsty notes that once-busy Queenstown Rd is not as hectic since the Waterview motorway extension opened.

“Pulling out into the traffic used to be difficult sometimes, but now it’s easy.”

Elsewhere in the house, which she and James believe was designed by a Scandinavian architect, the glass atrium is a dramatic central point.

Kirsty says that as well as being attractive, it bathes the property in constant light. The master bedroom lies adjacent, and in turn opens into the bathroom. “Essentially, it’s our en suite,” she says.

There’s a spare bedroom in this wing, and a room that is little Hugo’s domain, but could make an ideal home office.

On the bottom level of the house is an internalaccess garage and yet another bedroom, where visitors from overseas stay.

As a mother, Kirsty just loves the surrounding neighbourhood.

“Hugo and I go out walking almost every day and we’re spoilt for choice with the Onehunga waterfront, which has been upgraded and redeveloped, and Cornwall Park or Monte Cecilia Park.

“We’re also an easy cycle ride from Ambury Farm at Mangere.

While she and James had further visions for this house, they have an urge to try something different, so their new challenge lies not far away in an Epsom bungalow that needs some fresh imagination.