Aimee and family were already very familiar with this beautifully renovated and marvellously private villa when they bought it three years ago.
They purchased it from Aimee’s parents, who’d added their own touches during their eight-year ownership but now live in Pakiri.
Aimee says: “My partner and I and our two daughters and little griffon Flora were stuck in a townhouse with no grounds during lockdowns, so the west-facing rear grounds here have been a particular delight.
“Out there, it’s easy to imagine you’re not in the city and I forget that Ponsonby Central is only a minute’s drive away.
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“The backyard is sunny, flat and private with tiered perimeter hedging and meant we could add rescue greyhound Boomer to our family. He loves doing zoomies in the backyard and we’re close to Grey Lynn Park where we go walking.”
The family appreciate their location, which is practically on the Grey Lynn-Ponsonby border, about five minutes’ walk from Ponsonby Road’s bustle or Richmond Road School (with zoning also including Ponsonby Intermediate and Western Springs).
9 Millais Street in Grey Lynn, Auckland, is on the market for sale by auction on October 26. The property has a 2021 CV of $3.475 million and, according to OneRoof data, last changed hands at the end of 2020 for $3.45m.
The downstairs 1200-bottle climate-controlled wine cellar. Photo / Supplied
The backyard at 9 Millais Street in Grey Lynn is sunny, flat and private, with tiered perimeter hedging and a pohutukawa as a focal point. Photo / Supplied
Barfoot & Thompson agent Matt O’Rourke, who is marketing the property with Ryan Harding, says: “This unique home fuses style, function and versatility with seamless flow out to extraordinary west-facing rear grounds which are beautifully flat and extremely private.”
Aimee can remember this villa way back when it was a flat, painted violet with ‘50s butterflies adorning the exterior. She understands developers totally renovated and extended it a couple of owners ago.
“My mum is an avid creative who made some changes to the interior, including turning one of the three bedrooms on the main level, which could easily be reinstated, into her fully fitted-out dream dressing room.”
As well as décor changes to add more warmth to the ambiance, Aimee’s parents created a 1200-bottle climate-controlled wine cellar downstairs.
“Both my father and I are definitely wine nuts,” Aimee says.
People often mistakenly assume the securely gated, fully fenced home is not particularly large before comprehending its 274sqm two-level layout on 481sqm of land. It has an internal-access carpeted oversized double garage, some high-tech features and ducted temperature control.
The main level’s rear open-plan kitchen-dining-living flows seamlessly out to decking. Photo / Supplied
One of the bedrooms has been converted into a sizeable dressing room. Photo / Supplied
The main level’s rear open-plan kitchen-dining-living flows seamlessly out to decking, admiring the very private backyard. This focuses on level lawn and surrounding hedges with a pohutukawa as a focal point. Bedrooms are carpeted while polished timber floors grace most of the home, including the designer kitchen.
Aimee’s mother added interest with wallpaper, such as the abstract floral which accents the kitchen and elsewhere. Dark chocolate brown wallpaper adds drama to some of the open-plan space and to the traditional hallway.
This feeds the ensuited master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe, the second bedroom, sizeable dressing room (or fourth bedroom should you reinstate it) and main bathroom with bath.
Coloured tiles, wallpaper and antique Japanese cabinets repurposed as vanities now feature in this level’s bathroom and ensuite, which used to be white-on-white.
Versatile is one of Aimee’s descriptors of the layout. The lower level’s bedroom can suit teens or guests or alternatively be a second living area, movie room or work-from-home space. It is accompanied by a walk-in wardrobe, the third bathroom, the wine cellar and garage with laundry.
The family like the fact their home has character while being fully renovated. They are selling to pursue business opportunities.
- 9 Millais Street in Grey Lynn, Auckland, goes to auction on October 26
