Aurum Retreat

Step through a striking red stained-glass door into a lovingly restored 1890s villa, set behind a white picket gate on a quiet Reefton street. High ceilings, timber floors and heritage bones are paired with warm, considered furnishings — soft green armchairs, oak furniture, and a crackling wood burner that makes the living room the natural gathering point on cooler West Coast evenings.

The kitchen is a genuine home cook's space, well equipped for everything from a quick breakfast to a proper family dinner, with a barista-grade espresso machine for excellent coffee without leaving the house. The dining table seats the whole group comfortably, with a long bench for easy, relaxed meals together.

Outside, established gardens front and back are a quiet highlight of the property — bursting with camellias each spring and summer, and often said to be one of the loveliest gardens in town. A private lawn and a garden bench tucked beneath the hedging round out a peaceful spot to unwind, with views out to the bush-clad hills.