Colin Baker says there’s a special feel about the house he owns in Auckland's Parnell with wife Katrina Wilson.
“It’s so quiet and calm – it’s got a calmness that’s really hard to describe,” he says.
“You go into the bottom garden, take a deep breath and close your eyes, and you’ll feel the whole of the energy coming through the garden.”
Start your property search
The two-level house at 1 Papahia St, which is for sale by negotiation, was designed with feng shui in mind, says Colin.
>>> Go straight to the listing
“The architect got these walls that have curves in them; it’s quite amazing. They curve around and bring all the energies back into the room.”
Colin and Katrina bought the property four years ago. It was tired inside and out and they updated everything. “We upgraded the total interior, including putting in new bathrooms, updating the kitchen and all paintwork,” she says.
“We attended to all the maintenance, so the building report is faultless.”
The biggest transformation was the garden, however. It had been an award-winner but became overgrown.
“We used Tony Murrell for inspiration and the pond design, and Adam Shuter, of Shuter Design, to design and implement the gardens,” says Katrina.
“The inspiration was a Balinese tropical holiday in a luxury boutique hotel.”
Many of the tall trees were thinned or removed to bring the sun in lower, and eye-level plantings added to give every room a green room experience.
At the entrance they wanted “ a sense of arrival”, using Italian white tiles which looked like old stone tiles.
“The Balinese pond gives way to a white-walled and palm-filled courtyard which then descends to a Japanese-style woodland garden area with maples and islands of tranquillity studded with stones in a nod to a zen-style garden,” says Katrina.
The look and feel inside the house was to complement the garden and reinforce the Bali holiday feel, Katrina says.
“We feel we achieved a tranquil and calm abode that soothes the senses and feeds the soul.”
Kellands agent Martin Dobson agrees: “This nod to the Eastern philosophy permeates throughout the home,” he says.
“You can’t help but feel calm as you float from one floor to the other.
“It will make you feel like you’re on holiday every day. An excellent lock up and leave, it’s also very likely to become your private retreat.”
Martin says families and professional couples will love the peacefulness of this hidden gem which is also just minutes from the city.
Find out more about 1 Papahia St, Parnell, Auckland here.
