RESORT LIVING IN THE VILLAGE
Just steps from the heart of Matakana Village, 28 Torea Road achieves the seclusion and calm of a boutique retreat while sitting so close to the pulse of village life.
Photos Luke Purcell
Developers Andrew and Christine Reeve have been quietly shaping Torea Road into one of Matakana's most considered residential streets – a small boutique subdivision that sits uniquely close to the village while feeling genuinely removed from it. Their latest addition, number 28, is perhaps their most accomplished yet: a single-level, north-facing home designed by Dorrington Atcheson Architects, whose brief for the street has always balanced privacy, natural materials, and a distinct sense of character within a consistent standard of living.
Warm cedar cladding wraps the exterior and continues inside, curving around a wall that draws visitors naturally toward the heart of the home – a sophisticated kitchen by Neil Taylor Cabinet Makers finished in oak joinery and natural stone, with a concealed scullery tucked behind for serious entertaining. Hidden doors blend seamlessly into cedar and oak panelling, the kind of detail that reveals itself gradually and speaks to the craftsmanship maintained at every level of the build.
The main living space is anchored by a full wall of oak with integrated shelving and subtle storage, beneath a raking ceiling that rises to 3.8 metres. Two walls of glass meet as doors, dissolving the boundary between inside and the sheltered courtyard hugged by the home.
That courtyard, designed by Kirsten Sach – the landscape designer behind many of Torea Road's finest outdoor spaces – is where the home earns its title. A heated pool, outdoor dining, and considered tropical planting create a sense of arrival that feels more like checking in somewhere special than coming home. It is unhurried, private, and carefully composed as a resort-style oasis.
The same care runs through the private quarters of the home. Three generous bedrooms and a versatile multipurpose room are reached via a bright, window- lined passage. The master looks over the pool and its own private outdoor space, with walk-in wardrobe and ensuite finished in sleek, contemporary oak joinery – consistent with the bathrooms throughout.
What has been achieved here – and across Torea Road more broadly – is consistency of standard without uniformity of character. Each home on the street has its own distinct personality while maintaining the same level of finish.
For residents of Torea Road, the greatest luxury may be the simplest one – the ability to walk to lunch, pilates, the cinema, or the village shops without once getting in the car, and to come home to somewhere that feels, every time, like a quiet retreat from the world just beyond the street’s end.
28 Torea Rd, Matakana | www.tinyurl.com/28ToreaRoad
