A coastal home renovated by a US film-maker who worked on the Pixar hits Toy Story 4 and Finding Dory is on the market for sale.
Californian Kathy Toon took on the job of upgrading the three-bedroom property at Snells Beach after moving to New Zealand in 2016 with her Kiwi builder husband Matthew.
The couple, who first met while shopping at an Ikea store, had rented the cedar-clad house at 19 Woodlands Avenue for a year before buying it.
Kathy says both she and Matthew, and their children Kalo (5) and Luka (2), love the area. Not only does it offer expansive sea views and beach living but it is also home to Huhu Studios, where Kathy worked on the Kiwi-made film Mosley, which starred voice talents of Temuera Morrison and Lucy Lawless.
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She told OneRoof: “We’re so close to the water we can roll a kayak down for a paddle to the cafe or the kids and I can sit in the hammock on the deck, looking at birds flitting between trees and out to sea.
Above Kathy Toon at the Oscars. Below, a still from Toy Story 4, which she worked on while at Pixar. Photo / Supplied
“It definitely has that indoor-outdoor treehouse flow feeling and you gain a lot of extra living area from the decks.”
The house, which is to be auctioned on February 17, is at the Algies Bay end of Snells Beach, tucked away in a cul-de-sac, with three private gates accessing a public path down to the water. “Our feet can be wet in a minute-and-a-bit,” Matthew said, adding that it is a boatie's paradise.
The house at 19 Woodlands Avenue has been given a complete makeover. Photo / Supplied
Matthew and Kathy have meticulously upgraded the house. The main-level’s open-plan kitchen-dining-living area now has gorgeous engineered oak flooring and an updated kitchen incorporating navy cabinetry.
All three tiled bathrooms have been remodelled and all bedrooms open to decks facing the sea. The main level’s bedroom and bathroom accompany a laundry.
Upstairs are two newly carpeted bedrooms and a bathroom.
The property boasts great views. Photo / Supplied
The self-contained downstairs is stunningly renovated throughout; it’s kitchenette-living room, bathroom and bedroom opening to a deck from where the boys can take a slide down to their sandpit area. Planting is predominantly native.
Agent Steffan Meyer, of Meyer Real Estate, said: “This is such a special spot, central to the stunning coastal playground of the Mahurangi Peninsula is this recently renovated home, tucked away with gorgeous sea views, native bush and a walkway to the waterfront alongside the property.”
