A retreat of sorts

Shoba Ranjit Singh visits a unique home in Auckland

January 10, 2014 05:59 pm | Updated May 13, 2016 08:37 am IST - chennai

A room with a view. Photo: Michael Ranjit Singh

A room with a view. Photo: Michael Ranjit Singh

Almost every home in Auckland has a park within walking distance and enjoys scenic views, but when I first visited Joshua, Anjana and Amanda in their new home, I realised it was not just another Kiwi home.

When the Joshuas decided to buy a home in Auckland, they were looking for a home which could double up as Anjana’s workplace as well. A trained beauty therapist, Anjana now has her therapy room at home.

The three bedroom plus one study family home was built in 1999 and is part of a reserve. Ducks and Pukekos are regular visitors and there’s no fence or wall marking the boundary between the public green space and their garden. The plan drawn out by the former owner and landscape designer is simple and straightforward. The two-car garage seems to separate the plan into two parts. One wing houses the lounge, dining room and kitchen. The three spaces effortlessly flow as one and into the expanse of green. On the other wing are the three bedrooms and a study.

The bedroom with an attached toilet in the far end is used by Anjana as her treatment room with clients entering through the deck. Built on a timber frame and well insulated, the house boasts of large windows trying to bring in as much of the green experience into daily life as possible.

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