Ever Green

Some deft tweaks and a new colour scheme saw this previously dingy mid-century home become a classic natural beauty

- Tina Stephen

1| BACKGROUND

When Jane and Bryan Smith’s family of four began to outgrow their bungalow in the Auckland suburb of New Lynn, they set their sights on Titirangi, a bushclad suburb further west in the foothills of the Waitakere Ranges.

“Since moving to Auckland from the US in 2008, we’ve loved Titirangi,” says Jane. “The village, the bush, the views out to the Manukau Harbour, and its closeness to the Waitakeres. When we went looking for a bigger house, we zeroed in on Titirangi.”

A particular home caught Bryan’s eye online and he knew instinctively that the house would be theirs. “If this place is half as cool as it looks, I think we’re going to have to buy it,” he remembers saying at the time.

With a lifelong love of the mid-century aesthetic, Bryan needed little convincing that the home, with its round windows, sunken lounge and sea views, would be perfect for them. Jane, on the other hand, had her reservations.

“On-screen the layout looked unconventional and I wasn’t sold on the 1970s style. But at the first open home, we walked through the house and the layout made sense. The views were spectacular and the space seemed made for the way our family live,” she says. A decision was quickly made and the property was soon theirs.

2| THE LAYOUT

The home is a stone’s throw from Titirangi village, local schools and the beach yet is still secluded, tucked away down a long drive and surrounded by bush.

“We love its proximity to the village with all it has to offer, but the privacy is amazing – the kids love to watch the kereru in the trees, look out to the beach, and spot airplanes taking off from the airport in the distance,” says Jane.