A country house update

We’ve decided to make the country house available for holiday rentals!

I haven’t posted too much about our country house itself since this post, but it’s just the absolute best. We’re so happy with it, and looking forward to many more fantastic times up in Mangawhai. I’m super-excited to be able to share this retreat with others, and I know I’m horrendously biased, but I really do think it’s so much more special than other holiday places. I mean, in how many places can you wake up to this sort of sunrise…

…and end the day in the same place, looking at this sort of sunset?

And in between, sunbathe on the deck, gazing at this view?

We were inspired by the colours and textures of the local landscape when we decorated – lots of soft grey, like the rocks down at the local beach, sand-coloured linen, and shades of sea-blue and green. It is gorgeously relaxing, and so well-designed (many thanks to our amazing builders, and my incredible father-in-law, whose architectural skills helped us refine it into something truly special).

We’re up to about stage three of Wonderview, I’d say. Stage one was buying the land; stage two building the house; stage three is landscaping (and for this I’m so grateful that most of the land is native bush – we actually have what seems a huge piece of land to we city-dwellers, an enormous 11 acres or so, leading down the hill to the lake, but most of it looks after itself). Stage four – more landscaping and a spa pool? Very likely. We love our spas. And stage five will be another bedroom, bathroom, and maybe even a swimming pool.

For now, though, we’re pretty darn happy with where it’s at. We’ve taken an outrageously beautiful piece of land and put down a wee house that doesn’t compete or interrupt the landscape; decorated it with care and restraint; stuffed it full of books and board games and love; and now we get to share that with others. Total aroha – for te whare (house, for my non-Kiwi friends) and te tangata (people) and most of all, te whenua (land).