There are homes that ask to be noticed, and others that quietly reward those who understand them.
Greystones belongs firmly to the second category.
Designed by Nick Bevin of Bevin + Slessor Architects, this award-winning Havelock North residence was created for people who value architecture not as performance, but as atmosphere. Inspired by the quiet confidence of Frank Lloyd Wright and Philip Johnson’s “house in the woods”, it sits privately within its terraced garden, shaped by strong horizontal lines, honest materials, sheltered outdoor rooms and an enduring sense of calm.
This is not a house for those seeking excess. It is for those drawn to restraint, permanence and a more intimate connection between building, garden and daily life.
At the centre of the home is the outdoor pavilion - a sun-oriented room without walls, designed to be lived in from morning coffee through to late evening conversation. Inside, the living spaces open with ease to the garden, while subtle changes in level create natural separation, privacy and pause.
The terraced grounds have been shaped into a sequence of landscaped rooms, connected by steps and paths. Each space has its own mood - some open to the sun, others more enclosed and reflective - giving the property a sense of discovery that feels rare so close to the village.
The main residence offers two bedrooms, including a ground-floor primary suite with walk-in wardrobe and ensuite, and an upper-level bedroom with its own bathroom and library nook. A fully self-contained one-bedroom apartment with separate external access adds genuine flexibility - ideal for guests, extended family, creative work, or continued short-stay accommodation.
Just minutes from Havelock North village, Greystones offers a different proposition - architectural pedigree, privacy, garden intimacy and village life, without the need for scale to make a statement.
For the buyer who has been looking for something quieter, more intelligent and more personal, this may feel immediately familiar.
Key features
• Architect: Nick Bevin, Bevin + Slessor Architects
• Winner: Hawke’s Bay NZIA Resene Local Award for Architecture, 2007
• Featured in New Zealand Architecture and 100 Dream Houses From Downunder
• Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright and Philip Johnson’s “house in the woods”
• Combination of zinc, Western Red Cedar weatherboards, precast concrete panels and concrete block
• Sun-oriented outdoor pavilion / outdoor room for day-to-evening living
• Terraced garden creating a series of landscaped outdoor rooms
• Main residence: two bedrooms, including ground-floor primary suite with walk-in wardrobe and ensuite
• Upper-level bedroom with own bathroom and library nook
• Separate one-bedroom self-contained apartment with external access, bathroom, living room and kitchenette. Previously operated as short-term holiday accommodation
• Wood fires and underfloor heating for year-round comfort
• Wine cellar - ideal for collectors and entertaining
• Double garaging plus off-street parking for three additional vehicles
• Peaceful, private setting approximately two minutes’ drive, or around ten minutes’ walk, to Havelock North village and dining
A full information pack is available, including the property brochure, floor plans, LIM and title by placing this link in your browser - https://bit.ly/Greystones38aMuritaiCresPIP
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