An urban tale

Sitting pretty in the city, there’s a lot to love about these townhouses that emphasise the positives of medium-density design

THE NUMBER OF building consents for new townhouses, flats and units in Auckland reached a 10-year high in 2021, with more than 8000 consents granted in the year ending June. As more Kiwis start to experience medium-density living, it’s less a case of abandoning the quarter-acre dream, and more an opportunity to be grasped with both hands as the benefits become clear. Weekends spent weeding or sprucing up paintwork on an old, cold villa are replaced with visiting a gallery, having friends around for a long lunch, and a post-prandial stroll in the park. The lock-up-and-leave aspects of owning a home where security is no issue holds great appeal and even young families are more in tune with the buying smaller is smarter mantra.

Of course, not all townhouses are created equal. When you’re living closer to neighbours, it pays to look for dwellings designed to balance privacy with enough light, and a build quality that is solidly crafted.

This boutique development in the seaside suburb of Herne Bay is a contemporary expression of the form. Three standalone townhouses, oriented to capture sun F

THIS PAGE Alister and Libby Cain found the perfect fit for their age and stage in this Herne Bay townhouse. OPPOSITE Abodo Vulcan timber cladding, brick painted Dulux ‘Okarito’ and TRS Super Seam roofing in ‘Raven’ combine in an urban-smart palette.

and each with a pocket of outdoor living, take their design cue from the heritage fabric of the neighbourhood. The gabled rooflines create a mini village on the site while the materials – dark-stained Abodo cladding on a brick base painted white, and steel-tray roofing – are robust and won’t need another lick of paint for many years to come. A single-car garage puts the lure of public transport in the frame.

While quality fittings, such as Poggenpohl kitchens and German tapware, inject some extraordinary into the everyday, a neutral palette encourages each owner to individualise to their heart’s content. Townhouse living may not be for everyone, but it has growing appeal. As Brett Christie, a David Reid Homes franchisee who chooses to specialise in this realm, points out: “It’s hard to go wrong with a house that is well built and warm, with a sense of style, in a location that offers great amenity.”

But don’t just take his word for it. Here one owner in this boutique Herne Bay development shares his reasons for buying:

ALISTER CAIN

“We lived in a 100-year-old Grey Lynn villa for 26 years but once our children had grown up, we looked to downsize. The villa had been renovated but was starting to need more TLC, so we looked for a new-build in the area – a place where everything opens and shuts, and that was more compact so easier to heat.

We liked this development straightaway as we didn’t want to go the apartment route, and these were standalone townhouses which meant no body corporate fees. The location was close to our friends and the restaurants and cafes that we already knew.

I’m not a person who can visualise things and I’m also quite risk-averse, so buying off the plans sight unseen felt like a risk. But we were familiar with the David Reid Homes name, which gave us peace of mind in terms of materials, design and quality of finish. Plus, the price was within our budget, so we signed up within a week.

I work in marketing and promotions in the music industry and my wife, Libby, is a midwife, so we’re both F

OPPOSITE A Poggenpohl kitchen with a Consentino Dekton Opera Carrara Marble benchtop is streamlined and light within the open-plan living spaces.

LEFT One of the townhouses features a balcony deck, but Alister and Libby’s has outdoor living at ground level.

BELOW APL Altherm joinery in ‘Flaxpod’ along with walls painted Dulux ‘Southern Alps’ and ceilings in Dulux ‘Cardrona’ are a neutral backdrop that allows each owner to personalise their home easily.

“We liked this development straightaway as we didn’t want to go the apartment route, and these were standalone townhouses which meant no body corporate fees.”

ABOVE A Cube wall-hung vanity in ‘Ranfurly Oak’ topped with Statuario Venato from the Smartstone Santorini Collection saves space in the bathroom, and a frameless glass shower backed by Templestone Plush tiles is easy to keep clean. BELOW Cavalier Bremworth Sandpiper carpets in ‘Oyster Shell’ ensure the bedrooms are cosy and can be teamed with bedlinen in any colour.

busy. Once we met the developer on site, he gave us some printouts of what the interiors would look like. We made a few changes here and there in the kitchen so it could be manufactured and shipped over from Germany on time to be fitted.

During the build we had quite a few site visits and the David Reid Homes project manager Lee Greshon kept everything on track. Although there were delays with the 2020 lockdown, the crew kept us informed. Once you take everything into consideration, it all came out better than we envisaged.

We moved here in March 2021 and noticed the difference immediately. Our old villa was south facing, but here the sun pours into both bedrooms upstairs throughout the day and into the kitchen and onto the covered back deck all year round. And the house is so much easier to heat and easier to keep clean.

While we’ve downsized from a five-bedroom home, so this is much smaller, with the outdoor deck it still feels really spacious. We can’t wait to have our first proper summer here.” P

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