Mission Bay Reworking design
Buying a penthouse off plans but redesigning the layout worked wonders, writes Robyn Welsh
When Bob Strevens paid the deposit on his penthouse, he didn’t part with a cent. Instead, he sold the land on which the twin apartment complex was to be built.
He and his wife Diane had owned and lived on the site in Mission Bay for 16 years — their original house is still there.
But the opportunity to slice off a chunk of the section for a developer and downsize to enjoy a lifestyle change was too good to miss.
So was the chance to buy off the plans. It enabled Bob and Diane to re-design the layout to suit.
They’ve enjoyed what they penned for the past 10 years. The bespoke design has been perfect to showcase their love of books, art and sculpture .
Weather permitting, they’ll take their morning coffee on the large covered deck, where they enjoy views past Bastion Pt to Devonport and North Head.
At the other end of the house, they get the morning sun in through the master bedroom that overlooks bush filled with birdsong and the lawn of the apartment below.
Bob and Diane’s redesign also included their “must have” lift from the ground floor to the lobby outside their front door.
Inside, their priorities were scale, proportion, display shelving and storage, along with plumbing, gas and electrical essentials.
A double linen cupboard at the end of the rear hallway services the master bedroom, guest bedroom, and the study/third bedroom.
Past the front door and opposite the purposebuilt laundry, two more double cupboard doors hide Bob’s personal pride and joy — a built-in bar that backs on to the kitchen.
The bar comes complete with sink, bench, and shelving for glassware.
It has been a boon for entertaining, along with the kitchen’s expansive bench space for food preparation.
“It is wonderful being in the kitchen cooking and still being able to join in the conversation with guests,” says Diane.
Bob set out to maximise every design feature of the kitchen. “We wanted a feeling of spaciousness. We didn’t want to feel restricted in any way.”
That feeling is evident in the main deck-side lounge and through full-height sliding doors into the “winter lounge”.
In this snug space, the fireplace is at one end and the TV at the other. Moveable seating sits in the middle.
“The biggest thrill is having everything working perfectly and not having to walk around furniture as you move through the house,” says Diane.
Now, after 55 years of married life in St Heliers and Mission Bay, Bob, a former retailer, and Diane, a former teacher, are further downsizing to retirement village living at Grace Joel in St Heliers.