Estates of over 3600 sq m, wrapped in bush, are common enough on the country fringes of Auckland.
But to find one in the heart of Remuera’s dress circle is rare indeed.
“On two large titles, with two street entrances, this is one of the biggest properties ever to be available in central Auckland,” says Ray White Remuera agent Steen Nielsen, who is marketing the property with a set sale closing November 28.
The owners, who are moving across town, were drawn to the single property on 99 Arney 20 years ago where a gracious 1860s kauri villa had already been substantially renovated by the previous owner. Two year later they acquired an adjoining property off Bell Road, picking up a third neighbour three years later.
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The original kauri house dates to the 1860s, when the property was farm owned by Rev John Kinder. Photo / supplied
Then the fun began.
The two existing houses were removed, and engineers, landscape architects and stone masons were brought in to amalgamate the three properties into one magnificent estate. The championship-standard tennis court hides an underground carpark, but it was the two bedroom pavilion guest house that was to be the centre piece of the new half of the property.
The brief to heritage architectural designer Stephen Cashmore was simple: make the building extremely sympathetic to original home. That meant scrupulously replicating joinery and finishes of the 1860s main house, while adding modern features like a stained glass roof lantern that floods the living areas with light, and the huge glass doors that slide back to open to the tennis court.
Heritage architect Stephen Cashmore was briefed to create the guest house and tennis pavilion to replicate historic details. Photo / supplied
“It was more about getting the look. He [Cashmore] did such a good job that everyone says ‘aren’t you clever that you turned the stables into a guest house?’” the owner says. “It’s so true to the era.”
“In winter mornings, it’s my favourite spot. There’s full sun down there, you can just open the curtains, there’s a great expanse of glass and you can just look out at the court.”
Stone masons took three years to build the walls and steps that lead from the original property to the tennis court, which includes a golf green and underground carparks. Photo / supplied
The owner admits that the family’s many international guests do tend to park themselves in the two bedroom guest house, enjoying their own private access and separation from the main house.
“It’s all about the end product. It’s just beautiful for entertaining, we’ve had 50 or 60 people there,” says the owner, who was a keen tennis player, as was his son. But with son now grown and gone, and golf more their game now, the couple have realised it is time to move on.
The house has been sympathetically restored by earlier owners. Photo / supplied
“It was very spacious for just the three of us,” the owner says. “We always wanted to live in a park, and we got that. The birdlife is ridiculous, the number that travel through.”
The meticulous landscaping of stone stairs and walkways, cascading waterfalls and a bridge across a small lake to the pavilion connects the two gardens. There’s an outdoor stone fireplace and even a two hole golf course with a bunker. Stonemasons took three years to complete the work. One of the owners is a keen gardener, supervising the addition of hundreds of trees and shrubs in the new section and enhancing the native bush that provides complete privacy from the street at the front of the original house.
The owners’ favourite part of the villa, added to over the years from the modest farm house established by Reverend Kinder, is the wisteria-draped verandah overlooking the pool garden, perfect for the weekend papers and coffee.
“It’s very sad to be leaving, it’s been fabulous here with kids and soccer teams and swimming parties. If we are lucky enough to recreate this at our next place, I’d be very very thrilled.”
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