Enter the dining room at 290 Jervois Road, in Auckland’s Herne Bay, and you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d wandered into a French palace or Italian cathedral by mistake. On the ceiling is a scene that’s biblical in both theme and scale.
The wallpaper, A Priori, created by on-trend design firm Rebel Walls, is a modern interpretation of a baroque-style painting that depicts the fight between “good and evil, light and dark”. It’s quite the conversation starter and is one of the standout features of the stylish villa, which has just hit the market for sale.
According to listing agent Andrew Wall, from Wall Real Estate, the property, which sits on a near-1400sqm section, is a clever combination of space, heritage and location.
Wall, who is marketing the property with brother Ollie, told OneRoof that the “grand Herne Bay villa is a very hard thing to find. It’s rare to find sections of this size with the grand character home”.
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And while it’s just a short walk from all the renowned local shops, bars and eateries, plus Cox’s Bay Park, beach and Bayfield School, “it is extraordinarily private”.
The exquisitely modernised, five-bedroom, six-bathroom residence is enveloped within elevated grounds and enjoys an illustrious Auckland pedigree: as the city’s longest-serving mayor, Sir Dove-Myer Robinson was reportedly brought up here.
The five-bedroom villa has a 2021 CV of $8.5m. Photo / Supplied
The interior design is pared back but still makes an impression. Photo / Supplied
It’s has been lovingly maintained and enhanced by its various custodians since, with the most recent renovation undertaken by the current owners, who have lived here since purchasing it for $8.5 million in April 2021, according to OneRoof records.
Wall says in that time they have softened the previous interior aesthetic and “taken it back to a natural, classic style”. Think elegant yet very liveable spaces brought to life with opulent touches like chandeliers, ceiling murals, feature wallpaper and plenty of marble, with period features still shining proudly through.
As for the two-level, 523sqm floorplan, there is functionality and flow in its imposing form. “The house is grand without being rambling, it still has a warmth to it and feels like a family home,” says Wall. “Quite often these giant estates can feel like rabbit warrens or on a daunting scale, whereas there is a beautiful comfort to the volume here.”
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Upstairs on entry level, the key living, dining and kitchen zones, plus the office, flow out to the private front garden. This tranquil, European-inspired area is flooded with northern sun and the home’s wide frontage allows abundant natural light to illuminate all rooms. Both bedrooms on this floor have ensuites, with the luxurious master also enjoying a large dressing room and walk-in wardrobe. Downstairs offers another lounge, purpose-built media room with screen and projector, and three more bedrooms, which are serviced by two bathrooms.
The layout suits families of all ages, and kids and adults can enjoy great separation, with vast amounts of space to live and entertain quite independently. “It’s definitely got a family aspect to it because it has that great split where you can have downstairs opening up to the back terrace, big outdoor fireplace and swimming pool and then at the front is a more mature style of living perhaps, which is centred around the kitchen, a very classic dining area and beautiful manicured courtyard.”
The villa sits on a near-1400sqm private section and comes with an outdoor pool. Photo / Supplied
The listing agent says homes of this calibre rarely come to market in Herne Bay. Photo / Supplied
Despite the significant land size, it has been planned to perfection. “It’s an enormous site, but the position of the house makes the right use of it. There’s a lot of land and beautiful garden, mature trees and the pool in the back and then the courtyard at the front,” he says. “The way that it’s spaced on the section actually works really well.”
Properties of this calibre in this neighbourhood are always sought and rarely available, according to Wall. “There have only been a small handful of these that have come to market in the last few years, most of which we’ve sold,” he says. “38 Hamilton Road is probably the only other point of reference for it, or the other one was 60 Marine Parade.” OneRoof records show the Hamilton Road property was sold in October 2021 for $12m, while Marine Parade was sold in September 2022 for $11.5m, both by Wall Real Estate.
- 290 Jervois Road, in Herne Bay, Auckland, is for sale by way of negotiation
