home profile
MEET & GREET
Gin and Ted Thorp (owners of The Flagship Events Company and DEK, a new online outdoor furniture company), Forbes, five, Griffin, three, nine-month-old Bella, and Macy Gray, an English Staffordshire terrier.
THE PROPERTY
Charming Havelock North bungalow with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, expansive indoor living and a backyard cottage.
Good bones, timber floors and a 1012sqm section with an established garden - the 1945 house outshone all of its competitors during Gin and Ted Thorp's open-home odyssey. In 2016, the couple moved back to New Zealand after several years living overseas. They went house hunting in Hawke's Bay, where Ted hails from, and this 130sqm charmer was "the only one we both really loved", explains Gin.
Another plus: the location was top notch. It was just a five-minute walk to Havelock North village. Although they didn't have children then, that was all about to change and the house's proximity to everything they needed would prove to be a boon.
"Having children while living here has been great. We can walk to the supermarket, restaurants and to the park for a quick run-around. The location couldn't be better for us at this stage of our lives."
Outer space
There is no shortage of highlights in this character-filled home, but an unequivocal family favourite is the covered outdoor zone. Ted extended the deck and his brother-in-law Patch Reynolds built the pergola using clear polycarbonate corrugated panels and 40mm timber battens. This effectively added another lounge to the house.
"It has been a game-changer this summer," says Gin. "It gives the louvre effect while letting in the perfect amount of light, whatever the weather. It's such a comfortable space to be in easily the most used room in the house."
Esta historia es de la edición May 2024 de Your Home and Garden.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición May 2024 de Your Home and Garden.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
FAMILY TREES
Creating a child-friendly backyard was a priority for an Auckland couple
Go with the flow
Flow Studio’s Staci Coble shapes her clay using the gentle currents of the ocean as her muse
Magic of mushrooms
Follow gardening editor Mary Lovell-Smith’s fun guide and conjure up your own edible delights
The flip SIDE
Real estate agents might say it’s all about the location, but how do you know when you’ve found the right house to do up?
MOVING ON
Leaving a tiny apartment in Auckland for a big house in Blenheim came with so many blessings
How to beat the MID-AFTERNOON SLUMP
It’s 3pm and you can’t stop yawning or concentrate on the job at hand. If this scenario sounds familiar consider these fatigue fighters
Gardening for all budgets
Whether you have $10, $100, $1000 or more to spend on your garden, consider this cash-savvy advice
The constant gardener
Winter is a dormant time for plants, so snuggle down and enjoy some gardening inspo while planning for spring
CURTAIN CALL
Dress your windows to impress with the latest trends in curtains and blinds
LIVING THE FAIRY TALE
An abandoned cottage in Dunedin was this family’s dream come true