Box Hill is a jewel among the finest homes to be found in Wellington, New Zealand. Set in Khandallah, an affluent suburb of the capital city, the 1929 house is a showcase of opulence and luxury.
Designed by the architectural firm of J.M. Dawson & King, the home became the heart of the Wellington society scene in the 1930s. Over the years, it has been updated and restored in keeping with its historic provenance.
Several aspects of the residence lend themselves to grand-scale entertaining. Expansive oak-clad reception rooms open to one another from the central hall. The park-like grounds and lawn allow guests to spill out into the outdoors. The humidity and temperature-controlled wine cellar has a 4,000-bottle capacity.
A brick walkway leads up the grand entrance, which is guarded by lion statues and sheltered by a porch with stone-lined arched openings. Bay windows on both sides lend symmetry to the façade of the box-shaped home, which has a steeply pitched roof. A sunroom with three walls of windows projects off one side of the structure. Quoins at the corners and brick accents around the windows add to the exterior’s charm.
At the heart of the house is the Queensland maple-paneled grand entrance hall. A wide staircase rises to two landings before reaching the upper level bedrooms.
Bay windows wrap two sides of one formal living room, which features a chandelier, wood floors and a fireplace. Glass doors open to another living room, this one with an arched ceiling. The library accesses a sitting room.
The center-island kitchen is outfitted with dual stainless-steel refrigerators and ample storage.
The attic, which spans the entire roof line, has enough headroom to allow for conversion into living space.
There are five bedrooms and five bathrooms within the 720 square meters — or 7,750 square feet — of interiors.
A balcony creates a column-supported covered patio at the back of the house where hedged formal gardens are lined with brick walkways.
Anthony Morsinkhof of PQ Property Intelligence is the listing agent for 38 Box Hill, Khandallah, Wellington, New Zealand. The asking price is available upon request.
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