CHANNEL FEATURE HOME with Barfoot & Thompson Mairangi Bay
Murrays Bay Family Haven – It’s got the lot!
For those looking for a good sized family home in the Mairangi Bay to Murrays Bay area, 27 MacNay Way should be on their “must-see” list. This property, which also has a beautiful view out to Motutapu and Rangitoto Islands, is located on an elevated site with a 21 metre frontage onto a quiet cul-de-sac in Murrays Bay.
The cedar and tile home - with three living areas, four large double bedrooms and three bathrooms - has been the pride and joy of Janet and Stan Bolton ever since they built their dream home here 27 years ago.
“It was the last house to be built in the street and we were very fortunate to find such a great section,” says Stan, when asked about how they came to build the 275 square metre home. “We had quite a lot to do with the design of the house and wanted to take maximum advantage of the site. This home remains a source of great pleasure to us. It has given us and our family everything we wanted and needed for so many years and been a delight to live in.”
Janet and Stan brought up their four children (two boys and two girls) at MacNay Way. With the children all grown up and gone long ago, they have been in no hurry to move to a smaller property, as they just love the house.
“You could say we are now reluctantly down-sizing,” adds Stan. “While this is obviously a home for a family, Janet and I have also thoroughly enjoyed living here on our own, as it really does have everything. It’s a large, interesting house with lots of individual spaces, warmth, fantastic outlook to the sea and across to the Primary and Intermediate schools etc. The indoor-outdoor flow is a huge asset and the rooms face all the right ways for views, sun and privacy. I’m utterly biased, but the location is simply fantastic. It is only a 10 minute walk to Murrays Bay beach, Rangitoto College, Murrays Bay Primary or Murrays Bay Intermediate. The next owners are getting a very special home”
The first thing you will love about 27 MacNay Way is that it fronts onto the head of the cul-de-sac. Then you will discover that it has as much privacy at the rear as it has elevated, sweeping views out the front. The home has an imposing street appeal and a generous entrance with a super-sized carport, which was home to no less than two trailers and two cars on the day we visited. There is also a lock-up shed with roller door opening into the carport and trailer parking area alongside.
Once in through the front door, there is a half flight of stairs up to the main living area or down to the spacious lower level. A feature of the upstairs living area is the large room sizes. The lounge and family room have been designed for views and light. The Boltons are musicians, so taking pride of place in the lounge is a grand piano, which Janet can play while looking out to the Hauraki Gulf. This living space can be quite separate – by simply closing double sliding doors – or be open planned through to the family room. The house has excellent acoustic separation throughout. There is a front balcony off the lounge, that takes advantage of the views, and a large (entertainment) deck, also with a sea view, which flows out into the garden from both the lounge and family room. The whole house leads into a private, sun-drenched garden and spa pool.
The mature section is 680 square metres and the near level back yard has some lovely trees (Kowhai, Grapefruit, Rewa Rewa, Cherry, Melia). There is also a large vegetable garden complete with tool shed.
On the southern side of the house is the spacious kitchen, with wrap-around bay window designed to capture the sea views and look over the cul-de-sac to the schools across the valley. There is a formal dining area, and off the kitchen is the laundry with its own access and gently sloping ramp heading towards the back yard and clothes line. The rear part of the house forms an L-shape with three of the four bedrooms sharing easy access to the deck and garden. As you would expect, with four kids always part of the plan, the bedrooms are generously sized, big enough to be semi-divided into separate areas. In recent times Janet has taken over the boys’ room for her patchwork quilting and the girls’ room has become an office-cum-bedroom. Also in this area of the house are two bathrooms, offering two showers, a bath, separate vanities and a separate, second toilet. The master bedroom features his-and-hers wardrobes with closet organisers and mirrored sliding doors. Janet and Stan’s bedroom also has bi-fold doors opening onto its own private deck. This home gives the feeling of a holiday retreat and is quite unique.
Light streams into just about every area of this house, through large windows, doors and the family room skylight. The sloping ceiling in this room is an excellent design feature with exposed beams, which draw the eye into the garden.
27 MacNay Way also proved to be quite deceptive for the writer. Once the tour of upstairs was completed, I was really only expecting to find the fourth bedroom / music room downstairs. But there was actually another 82 square metres of living downstairs. Janet (Piano) and Stan (Violin) have used the music room primarily for teaching over the years, but it is now the guest room. A brand-new designer bathroom, complete with under floor heating and exquisite tiling, is a real surprise in this downstairs area. Also, there is a massive rumpus room with sprung flooring and a full mirror on one wall, which was used as a dance studio for one of their daughters. Off this room again is a gym – complete with sauna – also doubling as a library and storage area. Stan’s fully-equipped ‘blokes’ workshop’, where he has spent many happy hours over the years, is accessed through the gym and leads into yet another extensive storage area beneath the house.
So there it is, folks. 27 MacNay Way is waiting for that discerning someone who wants a spacious family home that has just about all the bases covered. A real selling point is how well kept this property is. Stan and Janet are obviously fastidious and their home is extremely well presented. Sure, new owners will want to stamp their mark on their new home. That may be desirable but certainly not essential.
