‘NOT SWANKY, JUST FAMILY’

That’s how the current owners of this fabulous Arney Crescent property describe their renovated home, writes LOUISE RICHARDSON.

The current owner of this sparkling, contemporary home with masses of glass and elegant angles, says it was quite literally the worst house on the best street when he and his wife purchased it in 1997.

“It was a very ordinary sort of property that hailed from the 1950s and had been clumsily renovated.”

After living in it for 10 years, along with their three daughters, the pair took the huge step of more or less demolishing the existing structure and starting again.

“The only original aspect that really remained was the concrete pad it was built on,” he says, although he adds that some of the basic footprint was retained for practical purposes.

Impressed by his work, the couple asked architect Malcolm Taylor to come up with a design based on a detailed brief which took account of the family’s needs, finely tuned because their children were teenagers at that stage.

In addition to expanding the area that had initially housed the kitchen, living, dining space and garage – plus two floors of bedrooms and bathrooms, Taylor reinvented significant new iterations in a modern form – at the owners’ request.

Taylor included a new master wing – and an exclusive yogarium – which is exactly as its name suggests. Changes also involved adding extra decking, carefully choreographed to better link the home and pool.

Standout features throughout the reinvented property include a sensational entertainer’s kitchen with extensive surrounding living and dining space, plus stylish bathrooms while extensive use of handsome oak veneer is obvious throughout, adding a crisp and timeless touch to many of the living and working areas.

“As far as we were concerned the results were very pleasing – not swanky; just family, which was exactly what we wanted.

“I think in its own way, this home is really timeless and the terrazzo pavers that blend everything together from the entrance to the pool are just amazing,” says the owner.

Now practically emptynesters, he and his wife have less use for the extensive space they’ve enjoyed in Arney Crescent and recently bought their next home – another very modern property – in a nearby, trendy, Parnell Road.

He says they’ve enjoyed the easy access to Remuera, Newmarket, Parnell and the city – all of which are within walking distance, meaning nothing much is going to change.

“I’ve got a nine-year-old car, which I very rarely drive.”

Ross Tierney of Ray White, Remuera, notes that 52A Arney Crescent stands out in the local market, especially because it’s such a modern offering with its dramatic zinc, cedar and stoneclad exterior and stunning views.

“We tend to have a lot of traditional character homes dating back to the 1920s and not a lot of contemporary properties available in this neighbourhood.”

“As far as we were concerned the results were very pleasing – not swanky; just family, which was exactly what we wanted.”

Tierney says the raw facade and overall industrial flavour of the home sets it apart, stylistically and that the four smart, split-levels work together really well.

“It’s big, yet it still feels surprisingly intimate, even with the amazing, enormous entrance atrium and I think it will attract a lot of interest, being situated in such a premium location.

“I’m really excited to be marketing this property,” Tierney says.

Sale: Set sale date

Contact: Ross Tierney, Ray White, 021 855 721