316 Princes Drive, Britannia Heights, Nelson

Grand, luxury living, prime seaview location

High on Princes Drive, commanding a heavenly sea vista, stands this grand home of 450sqm with four ensuite bedrooms and exquisite living spaces and parkland grounds for a fortunate lifestyle. One of Nelson's notable houses, it was built for the ages in 1961, remarkable 50 years ago and no less striking today after a year-long no-money-spared restoration and updating. Here's a private estate to build family memories and to host joyous gatherings in a captivating, totally private setting, minutes from the city with an acre of parkland grounds overlooking beach, Tasman Bay and mountains. This one-of-a-kind beauty is on three levels with generous, graceful rooms, all-new bathrooms and a deluxe chef's kitchen. The house will have you agog with its stylish detail and comforts. Designed by one of New Zealand's foremost modernist architects, Alex Bowman, it was built to exacting specifications with eight-inch concrete walls, a wealth of Takaka marble and Matai timbers. Everything in this property - inside and out - that's needed renewing has been replaced from roof and electrical wiring to plumbing, paint, carpet and gardens. Magnificent originals remain, however, such as the 13kg solid brass stair well light, the front door bell with its distinctive chime and door hardware specified in the 1961 build by the original owner, former US Army Colonel Lawrence Higgins. The Colonel's standards were demanding and it shows in the quality of the house construction as well as the choice of its splendid setting, peacefully buffered from neighbours and with nothing in front but greenery, sea blue and mountain winter white. The glorious timber floors, marble fireplaces, use of wrought-iron for stair and outdoor balustrades and features such as steel framed glass doors are breath-taking. Living rooms, both formal and informal, and bedrooms are wonderful in scale, with high ceilings and picture windows framing the lofty panorama. Many rooms have French doors opening to the outdoors; accessing a sun-splashed patio for entertaining.