It was a chance visit to friends in Mangawhai that led the owner of this stylish and serene seaside sanctuary to fall head over heels in love with the area.
Originally from Christchurch, the owner says she was taken with the picturesque Northland region’s “eclectic people, art, ease of living, relaxed feeling and the ocean – it’s a great place”.
After a fruitless search to find the right home – most were either too large or baches – she decided to build.
“I fell in love with this section because it captures everything – the estuary, the sand dunes, Little Barrier and the sea.”
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While she collaborated with an architectural practice in Whangarei to bring her vision to life, the owner was incredibly clear about the features she wanted to incorporate, right down to the finest of details.
With purposeful, considered design, she’s created a beautiful, bespoke homage to the magnificent coastal landscape. The elevated house is orientated to enhance privacy and showcase the sea.
In terms of layout, liveability and putting up visitors were key considerations.
“I wanted a separate master wing, a guest wing and flexibility to bring in a third bedroom. I call it the piano/art room but it can be used as accommodation if you have an overflow of guests. I was also downsizing from a five-bedroom home but I wanted it to feel spacious, so the main living area has three-metre ceilings and all the bedrooms are 2.7 metres,” she says.
28 Jordan Street in Mangawhai Heads, Kaipara, is on the market for sale by a set date closing August 1. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom, double garage property has a 2023 RV of $1.88 million. According to OneRoof data, the section changed hands in 2019 for $715,000.
The homeowner collaborated with an architectural practice in Whangarei to bring her vision to life.
The piano/art room can be used as accommodation for an overflow of guests.
The open-plan living, dining and kitchen zone is the hub of the home and clever use of glass on both sides also adds to that dimension of space. Interior textures and tones have been inspired by the landscape and curated to feel like summer in northland.
“I didn’t want it white and sterile, but I wanted it very simple.”
The calming, off-white colour scheme has engineered wood floors that match the sand dunes, as well as Italian tiled bathrooms reminiscent of the estuary.
“I also quite like that industrial feel but I wanted it to be soft, so I put the feature of the handrail to the downstairs entranceway in steel, as well as the French cast iron Phillipe Chiminees fireplace in the living area – I love that contrast. You get that hard line with softness throughout.”
Sustainability was another important aspect of the build. “I have solar panels, an EV charger, a heat exchange hot water system and induction heating.”
While there is plenty of wall space for displaying art, beautiful pieces are also built in – like the lights that illuminate the Davinia Sutton-designed kitchen.
“They’re from a women’s collective in Central America and are made out of PET bottles – they tear them into fine strips and weave them. I love the story as well as the art of them.”
The fireplace outside sits on a big concrete slab which you can also sit on, and the sun sail is retractable and can tilt from left to right depending on the sun’s location.
The homeowner fell in love with the section because of the view.
The two bedrooms and lounge flow out to an infinity deck at the front via huge glass stackers, while the rear area is super private and protected, and feels like another entire room.
“The retractable sun sail comes in and out, but you can also tilt it to the left and the right for when the sun moves around. The colour of the sail is the same colour of the walls inside, so when you put that out it’s like an extension of the house.
“The fireplace out there sits on a big concrete slab that you can also sit on – it’s relaxed and easy and it plays to Mangawhai’s weather, because it’s so warm up there,” says the owner.
A built-in barbecue, hot spring spa, Finnish dry sauna and plunge pool, which can be iced, enhance the lifestyle here, and for the dog-lovers, also comes with a bespoke dog kennel with built-in shower.
Listing agent Shane Romani, from Ray White Mangawhai, says it’s an absolute pleasure to take such a beautiful property to market.
“It’s going to be someone’s dream home – you can’t fault it, the owner has thought of everything. You could walk in and just think ‘wow, I’ve found what I’ve been looking for’.
“It’s a perfect coastal haven within walking distance to everything, including the shops and estuary,” she says.
- 28 Jordan Street in Mangawhai Heads, Kaipara, is for sale by a set date closing August 1
