Dreamscroll these European-style properties for sale

30 McLeods Road, Sefton, Waimakariri

This one doesn't do subtle. Designed by architect Philip Kennedy and built up over years by a Christchurch builder chasing an idea, the home rises across three interconnected towers and five levels, linked by a sculptural spiral staircase and a lift. A scale model of the original concept still sits on site, a nice reminder of how far the ambition ran. The layout centres on a Mediterranean-style courtyard, with a separate two-bedroom apartment, four internal-access garages and a dedicated wine cellar tucked into the mix. It was featured on Grand Designs New Zealand, which tells you the build itself is as much a talking point as the four hectares of rural Canterbury it sits on.

15 Ewen Street, Takapuna, North Shore

Two minutes from Takapuna Beach and dressed for it: a travertine stone and stainless steel facade opens onto Carrara marble floors, underfloor heating and triple glazing across three levels. The kitchen runs on Gaggenau, the gardens are cut in a Mediterranean style, and there's a private steam sauna tucked among the five bedrooms and four bathrooms. Roughly 83 square metres of terraces are built for the kind of long, sun-drenched entertaining that makes the most of a coastal address.

51 Southdown Drive, Martinborough, South Wairarapa

No creative licence needed here, this one calls itself Tuscan and means it. Set on just over two hectares of Martinborough countryside among mature olive trees and park-like lawns, the villa runs Italian hardware and tiles throughout, with reinforced, insulated concrete block construction giving it real substance rather than just the look. Downstairs, a lounge with a wood burner opens through French doors onto a courtyard; upstairs, three bedrooms share an office nook, two bathrooms, and a primary suite with its own balcony over the grounds. Established patios and an outdoor fireplace round out the outdoor living.

66 Onslow Road, Khandallah, Wellington

Named Middle Harbour by its owners, this Khandallah residence commands 180-degree views over Wellington Harbour from a glazed, cedar-beamed atrium that floods the place with light. Beyond the entertaining spaces (there's a bar and a screening room with a retractable projector) sits a wellness wing most Kiwi homes simply don't have room for: an indoor pool, sauna, gym, massage room and a rock-climbing wall, plus a temperature-controlled wine cellar and a vehicle turntable for the four-car garage. Six bedrooms sit together on one level, five of them with an ensuite.

91 and 95 Sarsfield Street, Herne Bay, Auckland

This is a compound, not a house. Two titles, 2,692 square metres of north-facing land running straight onto the harbour, and a boat ramp at the bottom of the lawn. The main concrete home holds four ensuited bedrooms, a bar, a study, a gym, a lift, a spa pool and its own self-contained two-bedroom apartment. Next door, on a separate 660 square metre title, a converted villa splits into three more self-contained apartments. It's the kind of scale and flexibility that suits extended family, guests, or simply not choosing between them.