The owners wanted a house that was traditional but also had a beach-house feel, given its proximity to the Hauraki Gulf. It also had to cater for a young family, but with room to see them through the teen years. This sunny, 356sqm beauty gets big ticks for all of the above and more. Five bedrooms, three bathrooms, three living spaces and a home that’s modern-colonial on the outside and contemporary-cool inside. So up-to-date, in fact, that it’s powered by a system that manages lighting, heating, security, gate and garage opening, blinds and all audio visual devices. It even enables the household’s vehicles to start. Smart seems an inadequate word to describe what’s possible in this high-tech house. The ground floor is all easy living and has the main bedrooms upstairs. The sole downstairs bedroom has a pull-down bed and doubles as a rumpus room. In this easy-breezy home you’ll also find a separate study and laundry, walk-in linen cupboard, scullery off the entertainers’ kitchen, walk-in wine fridge and a workshop with a golf simulator. There’s character, indoor-outdoor flow and plenty of room for a growing family.