Although they frequently biked around the area, Vicky and Mark Burley had never really intended to live in Puhoi.
But when they saw a very quirky house for sale there at 445 Krippner Road, they couldn’t resist going to look at it.
Designed by an architect in the late 1990s and built in 2001, the house is defined by its three turrets, and while that was what attracted the couple to begin with, it was the feel of the house inside that captured their hearts.
“It’s charming and homely, and it wraps itself around you,” Vicky says.
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Located five minutes from Puhoi Village and encircled by native bush, the house sits on an elevated site with magnificent views stretching from Great Barrier Island in the north around to the Waitakere Ranges in the west.
The original owners had asked their architect to design a ‘whimsical’ house for this 4.1 hectares of land and that style also suited the Burleys, who describe themselves as “quite quirky”.
The timber-clad house with its interesting shapes and angles has an equally interesting interior.
The open-plan design and vaulted ceilings provide light-filled spaces which Vicky and Mark have enhanced with renovations.
“We replaced the single glazing with cedar doors and windows including three sets of bifolds,” Mark says.
These open seamlessly in summer to the outdoor entertainers' rooms set amongst the surrounding gardens.
“When we open all those up, the interior and the exterior become like one space.”
The double-glazed joinery and the big wood burner in the lounge create a cosy ambience in the winter months.
There’s a luxurious master suite downstairs, as well as a study or gym space, and turret staircases lead to a further three bedrooms and family bathroom upstairs.
The couple has also put in a lot of work on the land.
The house was being enveloped by the bush so they pushed that back by about 10metres and trimmed everything, and that enhanced the presence of kauri, totara and nikau.
They created some beautiful walks and these trails meander throughout the bush to platforms on which to rest and appreciate the views and the serene natural environment. Vicky says it’s a great way to exercise.
Also nestled in the bush is a separate studio whose interior was old, shabby and dysfunctional.
They put in a kitchen and bathroom, and gave it a light, bright re-design. It would work perfectly as a home office but it’s usually occupied by the couple’s guests, who love the space and threaten to stay forever.
Vicky and Mark would also rather like to stay in their sanctuary forever, but in the wake of Covid, feel they need to move closer to friends and family overseas.
“But first we’re going to go to the South Island and do lots of the walks there, and when we’ve done that we’re off to live in the Caribbean.”
445 Krippner Road in Puhoi is being sold via tender, which closes on August 26.
The property is listed by Jenni and Gabrielle Finlayson, of Bayleys.
