- A mid-century home with Japanese design elements in Matamata is listed for sale with an RV of $780,000.
- Owners Diane and Bruce Romley renovated the 1970s house, restoring original features and adding Japanese touches.
- Listing agent Joanne Morgan praised the home as a standout in Matamata, revitalised by the Romleys’ design.
A mid-century home with a Japanese flavour has been listed for sale in Matamata with an RV of $780,000.
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The three-bedroom property at 15 Kestrel Crescent could be mistaken for ultra-modern, thanks to the design touches of owners Diane and Bruce Romley and the vision of local artist and architect Jim Cotter.
The house dates back to the 1970s and was commissioned by local builder Peter Galvin, who was a major builder in the town. He wanted his home to be a cut above the hundreds of new builds that were cropping up in the farming town at the time.
He picked Cotter to create the look and feel of the property, on the strength of his growing profile as an artist and architect in the region.
The vendors brought the house back to life. Photo / Supplied
The courtyard and gardens are a delightful highlight of the property. Photo / Supplied
The Romleys told OneRoof that when they moved to Matamata, Cotter represented the best of mid-century design.
“When we came to Matamata in 1978, he had a really nice little retail shop called Interior Designs,” Bruce said. “We used to go into his shop because he had this really funky mid-century items. He had furniture, interiors and drapes as well as architecture. And he was also quite a well-known artist,” he added.
By the time the Romleys bought 15 Kestrel Crescent, the home had lost its mojo, having been tenanted for years.
“It was quite rundown and overgrown,” Diane said. “But we saw the potential straight away and brought it back to its original loveliness.”
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The couple carefully kept as many original features as possible, especially the floor-to-ceiling windows. “Every room you’re in has floor-to-ceiling windows and ranch sliders and you can see something different in every little courtyard area,” Diane said.
The Romleys had to reimagine the gardens. Scoria and other leftovers from the original landscape design suggested they may have had a Japanese theme, which fitted with the architecture. Shoji-style doors inside give a Japanese vibe to the interior.
“As soon as we walked in and saw the shoji doors we decided, ‘This definitely has to have a zen, Japanese-y type garden’,” said Diane. It helped that both Bruce and Diane loved rocks and had been able to collect what they needed from friends’ farms.
The house boasts floor-to-ceiling windows and many Japanese design touches. Photo / Supplied
To top off the renovation, the couple bought a Cotter abstract painting, which they hung in the kitchen.
They have been slightly surprised by the level of interest in their home from younger buyers. “We’ve had quite a lot of young people through, who’ve been blown away, but monetary wise it’s possibly quite difficult [for them]. Especially in Matamata.”
Auckland buyers have also made the trip to view the property.
Listing agent Joanne Morgan, from Matamata Real Estate, said 15 Kestrel Crescent was a standout house in the town.
She viewed the house several years ago before the Romleys bought it, and thought even then that it was ahead of its time. However, the couple’s design touches had really brought it back to life, she said.
- 15 Kestrel Crescent, in Matamata, Waikato, is for sale by negotiation
