Richard Giles says that when he first saw the (circa) 100-year-old Parnell Californian bungalow that he and wife Sally Vogel have owned since 1999, he was immediately drawn in by its intrinsic appeal.
“It was a rainy day in autumn, and as I walked down the long, tree-lined driveway, there were tui flying around, and it was hard to believe that I was so close to the city.”
While the house at 17 Takutai Street was certainly lovely and gracious, both inside and out, Richard was completely taken aback by a three-level, super-colourful mural in the stairwell, depicting an underwater paradise, complete with coral, seaweed, and a myriad of other aquatic life.
“It was quite extraordinary,” he says. “When Sally came back with me to see it for herself, she absolutely loved it too.”
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It turned out that the home’s previous owners, who were in the publishing business, were close friends with acclaimed painter Michael Smither who would stay with them during regular visits from New Plymouth, and over a number of years in the 1970s the mural took shape.
“Michael was a keen scuba diver, and it was inspired by some of the reefs he’d seen and loved,” says Richard.
He explains that the mural, pictured below, is cleverly nuanced.
“At the bottom level, it’s dark – as is the ocean floor – but near the top, a skylight brings it alive, and the effect is really vivid.”
Of course, there’s more to this charming property than just Michael Smither’s artwork, as fantastic as it is.
The house has four bedrooms, two bathrooms and one garage.
“Sally and I were looking for a family home, and this was definitely it,” Richard says.
“We paid more than we could really afford, and it kept us poor for a few years, but we didn’t mind at all!”
Built by a WWI bomber pilot for his American wife, the house has a carport, office, storage, and laundry, on the bottom level. On the main floor lie the spacious kitchen with informal dining and living adjacent, along with a formal lounge, three bedrooms and a bathroom, while the top level, with its attractive, leafy views, is home to a master bedroom and ensuite.
Richard and Sally have based the palette throughout their home on the colours in Smither’s mural, and traditional arts and crafts bungalow features sit easily alongside more modern touches.
There are many different places on the terraced section for relaxing in the sun or dining alfresco in summer and the huge deck is an irresistible magnet for family and friends.
Parnell Rise, just around the corner, has an ever-changing array of restaurants and cafes, and Le Cigale French market is a favourite weekend spot for buying pastries, meat and produce.
Richard and Sally are moving on to something smaller and there’s no chance of taking the artwork with them.
“It was painted directly onto plasterboard and removing the panels would be a major operation,” says Richard, adding that he and Sally seriously toyed with the idea of gifting the mural to Auckland Museum, but the logistics involved proved to be too complicated.
Richard Thomson, director at International Art Centre, agrees that removing the mural would be extremely difficult, and adds that valuing it is a bit tricky too.
“Michael Smither’s work is the most expensive by a living artist sold at auction in New Zealand. His Seawall and Kingfisher fetched $340,000 in 2019,” he says. “If these panels were individual paintings, their value would exceed $1 million.”
Linda Galbraith, from Barfoot & Thompson Parnell who is marketing the property, says she loves the fact that Richard and Sally’s home has a real history, and admires the way it combines older and modern elements together successfully.
“I think the Michael Smither mural is especially fascinating because it represents what was a very arty time in Parnell in the 1970s, when lots of creative people lived in, or passed through the suburb, and left little pieces of themselves behind.”
The property will be sold at auction on May 19.
