A feeling of nurturing serenity attracted couple Kirsten and Will to this sanctuary-like haven, where their home is constructed with rammed earth walls.
Will works in the CBD so they’d wanted to move a little closer to it than their previous Piha home, but still feel removed from the hustle and bustle.
“This feels like a really solid, grounded house with a sense of connection to its beautiful environment,” Will says. “We come down our driveway and feel a bit like we’re arriving at Hobbiton because, although it’s not a small house, it feels hearty, welcoming and solidly built amidst all the green.”
Kirsten likes people not realising the home exists unless they come down the driveway. The house flows out to a magnificent lawn, with views up towards the Waitākere Range. Roughly half of the property’s 1.5 hectares is in regenerating native bush, with abundant native birdlife, a trail and babbling stream.
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Will says: “And yet we’re only about three minutes’ drive from local shops and I can arrive at Britomart in 30 to 35 minutes off-peak.”
79A Carter Road in Oratia, Waitakere, is on the market for sale and heading to auction on June 30. The five-bedroom, three-bathroom property has a 2021 CV of $1.975 million and, according to OneRoof data, last changed hands in 2018 for $1.575m.
The circa-1996 home was a passion project for its eco-sensitive original owners. Will and Kirsten bought here in 2018, after second owners had turned the upper floor above the garage into a self-contained two-bedroom apartment, which could be incorporated back into the main home if desired. Abundant decks around the home utilise timber from trees felled on-site.
The 245sqm home has abundant decks that utilise timber from trees felled on-site.
“We come down our driveway and feel a bit like we’re arriving at Hobbiton because, although it’s not a small house, it feels hearty, welcoming and solidly built,” says one of the homeowners.
Will says: “We respect the original owners’ sustainability efforts. We’re not quite hairshirt-wearing greenies but we do want to leave things better than we found them.”
Kirsten enjoys watching sunsets from the decks, a gin and tonic in hand, flavoured with a slice of citrus from their small orchard. She runs a nutritional business from home and says: “I like getting my clients here, surrounded by all this greenery.”
Construction combined concrete with the rammed earth walls visible in most of the main home. These keep it toasty in winter and cool in summer.
Kirsten says: “It’s lovely living here. The rammed earth walls glow golden in the sunlight and there are nice high ceilings and curved tops to the windows.”
Off-street parking bolsters the internal-access double garage. An entry porch introduces the sunny north-facing line-up of dining, kitchen, lounge, served by a powder room and flowing out to a north-facing patio, great for entertaining. A bedroom and office/bedroom sit north of this and the ensuited master bedroom with walk-in wardrobe is to the east.
A kitchen designer conceived their new kitchen and Kirsten chose a scenic Lake Tekapo photo for its splashback.
Construction combined concrete with the rammed earth walls which is visible in most of the main home.
The 1.5ha grounds include regenerating native bush, with abundant native birdlife, a trail and babbling stream.
They installed a ducted heat-pump system throughout this floor, complementing the lounge’s wetback fireplace. Will loves sitting in this room after the sun’s been streaming in, looking up to where they host a local’s beehives in return for honey.
They’ve utilised the upper apartment, which has its own entrance, for guests including Will’s parents, and as a rental. It has a kitchen, living space, bathroom and two bedrooms.
Grounds include a small paddock where previous owners kept a feijoa-gobbling kunekune named Nigel. Glen Eden, Henderson and New Lynn are all pretty close as is a park-and-ride by the Sunnyvale train station.
Kirsten and Will are moving to the South Island, wanting to live near mountains next.
Ray White agent Steve Stone says: “This is an incredibly peaceful property with the bonus of very solid construction which makes the home a warm environment.”
- 79A Carter Road in Oratia, Waitakere, goes to auction on June 30
