Raising toast to idylic lifestyle
Lemon and lime trees the perfect mix for drinks overlooking expansive views,
The lime and lemon trees are important fixtures of this Drury property, say owners Derek and Mandy Charge. “It is definitely a house that lends itself to gin and tonics.” That’s because the couple and their three teenage daughters — Imogen, Rosie and Grace — enjoy having friends around; casual gatherings rather than formal, sometimes with the girls’ sporting teammates and their parents.
Australians Derek and Mandy bought the large home about five years ago. It’s down a 400m driveway and they liked how it presented as a blank canvas.
“It was a nice house but without a lot done around it — so we could put our stamp on it,” says Derek. “The real attraction was having open space and high-raked ceilings.
“It had large rooms, lots of glass and a good flow. All the rooms open to our entertaining and outdoor living areas. All year round we use the outside as much as the inside.”
There was little they needed to do to the interior, says Mandy, so they focused on outdoor areas and landscaping, adding a hot tub and an outdoors kitchen with woodfire pizza oven, charcoal grill, fitted wooden worktops and bar fridge.
And a lot of energy went into repurposing a Lockwood cottage that previous owners had lived in while the bigger home was being built, in 2009.
“We have totally renovated that into an open gallery studio for me to work in, and it also has a bedroom and bathroom,” says Mandy, a silversmith and painter.
“You wouldn’t recognise the space as a Lockwood now. We opened it up with the doubleglazed steel A-frame.
“I have had gallery openings and exhibitions here. It would be a wonderful workspace or office space for the next buyers.”
It’s also where you’ll find the lime and lemon trees, just out from the studio’s deck. The home and studio sit on 2ha, half in bush and stream, half in grass. The bush offers privacy from the road for the masonry home with its angled rooflines.
Plentiful glass and large entertaining decks allow full appreciation of the views, from the Awhitu Peninsula, the Manukau Harbour, across to the Waitakere ranges and the city.
“It is beautiful during the day but at night it is stunning with all the city lights,” says Mandy. “And you can see when it’s going to be a clear day or if a storm is rolling through.”
The large home is U-shaped with the open plan lounge, dining and kitchen in one section. Along the gallery hallway are the children’s bedrooms, bathroom and laundry.
On the other end of the U is the master bedroom suite. A large, private, family room has garden views. For winter warmth there is underfloor heating with a high capacity heat pump.
“We love the open-plan kitchen, lounge and dining room because we enjoy cooking and entertaining,” says Mandy.
Factor in the decks and studio and there’s always an area for groups to gather or find privacy.
The patio has remote-controlled louvres over the outdoor lounge and dining areas, and a fireplace.
At the back of the house is a garage the couple use as a games room. There is also a two-car carport near the house, plus more garaging at the studio.
The Charges are returning to Australia, to a new apartment in Newcastle. And just maybe there will be one or two small citrus trees on the balcony for a G&T to toast their new abode.