NEW SUBURBAN RESIDENCES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5637, 10 December 1879, Page 5

NEW SUBURBAN RESIDENCES.

Two buil iiugs have been lately erected by Messrs. It Keals and Son, architect's, which specially deserve to be mentioued. Thefirstis an elegant and large two-story edifice od the Kyber Pass iioad, built for Mr. Moody, of the Bay of Island* Coal Co. It is constructed iu the Italian style of architecture, a style more than any other adapted for "li;;ht, airy, and cheerful" structures, and which is now almost universally in voguo for dwellings ofjthis kind. The main entrance leads to a spacious hall, on either side of whiuh is a library 18 feet x IS feet, and dining-room 20 feet x 1G feet; and further ou the same hall leads into kitchen, servantj' bedroom, larder, seallery, &c. There is a verandah, with cemeut floor cut into diamond ahapus. Half-way up tho insin hall, to the left, is a broad and very easy stairway, leading up to tho upper floor. This stairway has boen made still more easy by being carried out in a wing, which also adds considerably to the external appearance of thebuildiug. On the upper il'ior thtre are the drawingroom, 20 x IC, principal bedroom, IS x IG, aud two other bedrooms, each 16 x IG, with dressing-rooms, linen presses, &c. The landing on this lloor is carried right back, and extended beyond with a projection, which torins the bach-room, &c. Marble mantelpieces are in every room of the house. All the rooms, halls, and paseages have cornices, and the library and drawing room have two exceedingly elaborate aud handsome cornices ; with papiernache centre-pieces to all rooms, excepting three of the smaller ones, which are furnished with round ventilators. All the cornices throughout the building ar<; so con atructed as to give a most perfect system of ventilation. Gas is laid on to every room in the house, bath-rooms included, and to all fireplaces; and in addition to the Jarge Lymington range in the kitchen, a gas stove as well has been fitted. There is a very elegant and chowy balcony to the upper story, tho columns of which have on each side ornamental iron brackets, the whole Burmouuted with neat cast-iron fretwork, giving the building an exceedingly light and ornate appearance. The site on which this handsome structure has been erected is one of the finest that could have been selected iu the neighbourhood of Aucklnnd.andfrom both the froufcand back windows v.mva can be obtained which cunuot be surpassed, commanding the whole of the Waiteinata, the Thames Kauges, aud Waitakerei Ranges to tlie front; and ou the back, the Mamik.au Heads, and the Manakau Harbour. The grouuds are all laid ou tin admirable keeping with the house ; and there arc fine commodious stabling and outhouses attached. The entire cost of this work has been about £2UOO. The contractor was Mr. Wright, builder, and the excellence of the workmanship rellects the greatest credit upon him. There is auother building, designed by the same architects, which is still more imposing aud beautiful, both as to architectural beauties and proportion, than the one we have just briefly described. It has been built by Mr. Wilson, and ia situated at llemuera. It also is in the Italian style, and is mostsubstantially constructed, being entirely of b;ick, with grouud-mill mortar cemented outside. The principal entrance, which is immediately under the tower, opens into a wide aud lofty hall, the staircase being lighted by a large circular dome of stained-glass, which give the whole a moat pleasing effect on entering. Some of the rooms, those which are the most important, are large aud commodious, as, for instauce, the dining-room, 30 feet xIS feet; the breakfast-room, 22 feet x 17 f-et; and the drawing-room, 21 feet 17 feet All the others are of very fair dimensions, aud throughout are fiuished and fitted up iu the most complete manner. Gas, hot aud cold water are laid on, and in fact all the late it and moat modern convenience have been supplied. The principal rooms have bay-windows, five in nuinb.r, which aJd greatly to the external beauty of the design, and from the handsome colonnade, whicl. extends round three uf the building on the upper floor, oau be obtained a view, or rather series of views, of ths most beautiful and varied kind. The brickwork was done by Mr. Holland, the xjlaster cementing by Mr. blakie, the woodwoik by Mr. Wright, the plumbing and gas-fitting by Mr. Patker, and the painting by Mr. Henderson, and the manner in which the several departments of the work have been carried out by these firms is highly creditable to them. There are a number of other buildiugs under way in different parts of the cily, which we will nolice iu a subsequent issue.