To say that the pretty villa at 28 Collingwood Street in Freemans Bay, Auckland, is ‘not the typical footprint of a villa’ is a serious understatement.
A fabulous renovation about six years ago retained the vintage exterior, but inside the house has an innovative redesign thoughtfully laid out across three levels.
Ray White, Ponsonby agent Cristina Casares, who is marketing the property, describes it as “architectural elegance where there are multiple spaces with a wonderful flow”.
28 Collingwood Street is on the market for sale by a set date of sale, closing September 22. With a current RV of $3.425 million, the Freemans Bay property last sold in June 2017 for $2.55m, OneRoof records show.
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The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home with a double garage has a floor space of 218sqm spanning three levels and sits on a compact 288sqm section.
Behind the villa frontage with its pretty verandah, the home opens to a formal lounge and a large kitchen with state-of-the-art stainless steel appliances, a richly coloured mosaic tile splashback, and a spacious pantry behind a sliding barn door.
Down a couple of stairs is an open-plan living space with a casual lounge, a dining area, and a stairway which is an artistic focal point of the space. Timber stair treads are encased in a metal framework which was all made in one piece, and expresses modern, industrial style.
The stairway at 28 Collingwood Street is a focal point where the timber stair treads are encased in a metal framework. Photo / Supplied
The house was exactly what present owner Daniel Cook wanted when he was looking for a property in 2017.
“We were looking for that mix of modern and traditional, and what drew us to this was the blend of modern and industrial styles, and especially the stairway,” Cook says.
“We were looking in Remuera but there was nothing that suited our lifestyle, and then we came across this. It’s really close to Ponsonby, which is the go-to place for food and fashion, you can walk into the city, and it’s easy access to the motorway.”
The three-level house has four bedrooms – two on the lower level which share a luxurious family bathroom, one on the main level and a master suite on the top floor. The master is a serene space with skylights giving lots of natural light, and views across Freemans Bay. With an ensuite and study nook, it’s a favourite space when the sun goes down.
In some areas of the house period features such as decorative skirting boards and window surrounds have been retained, providing a subtle reference to its history.
The backyard was a steep slope so it was landscaped and tiered to make the most of the city views. Photo / Supplied
28 Collingwood Street in Freemans Bay has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a double garage and multiple living spaces. Photo / Supplied
With such an extensive and stylish refurbishment, Cook had little to do here apart from adding a modern gas fireplace on a raised hearth, and landscaping the section.
“It was really just a steep slope when we bought it so we tiered the backyard to take advantage of the skyline and the amazing view of the Sky Tower,” he says. “The top area is Astroturf so it’s really low maintenance – all we have to do is sweep it.”
Despite the tight space – the section is 288sqm and the house 218sqm, the clever landscape design has given the property spacious outdoor living areas, and a feeling of privacy and enclosure.
There is access to a private, walled deck from the open plan living and dining area, with stairs leading to a dining setting on the top tier of the garden. Another of the standout features of the house is the double garage on the lower level, which has internal access to the house.
It’s a rarity in this area, and as Cook explains: “You don’t really appreciate that internal access until it’s the middle of winter and it’s raining!”
