When former Grand Designs stars Philipe and Sarah Lods kindly offered to put up the sold sign for their busy agent when the sale of their Ponsonby home went unconditional, they also got a bit creative.
The SOLD letters on the front of the Norfolk Road home in Ponsonby were skillfully rearranged to spell out their surname, LODS, instead.
Kellands Real Estate agent Martin Dobson said it isn’t the first time the long-term clients, who featured on Grand Designs in 2016 after building a Parisian-style home on Hepburn Street in Freemans Bay, have got creative with the sold sign and he was fully supportive of them doing it again.
“They are very creative and are very clever how they do it. A bit of amusement, I think it’s hilarious.”
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The artful rearrangement of the word on the sign also stopped some people passing by in their tracks and made them think, he said.
The first LODS sticker appeared on a sign several years ago after he sold one of their family members’ homes in Kohimarama and the tradition has continued.
However, they are the only vendors Dobson has had who have rearranged the sign because, he added, it’s not often someone can create the anagram for their name.
“It’s classic because they can use the same letters you see.”
Phillipe and Sarah Lods in their Grand Designs home. Photo / Supplied
The renovated villa on Norfolk Street included a double garage and off-street parking, a rare find in Ponsonby. Photo / Supplied
Dobson also took to Facebook to praise his “talented vendors who created this incredible villa reinvention”. “Take a look at the sold sign ... the vendors creativity shines through again. Go the Lods family.”
The Lods purchased the slightly dated Norfolk Street villa in 2018 after selling their impressive French-inspired Grand Designs home and have spent four years putting their mark on it.
However, the couple, who love creating homes and interiors, put the house on the market so they could find and carry out their next renovation project.
The house was given an "exquisite designer reinvention" by two stars of Grand Designs NZ. Photo / Supplied
Sarah Lods, who is a freelance interior designer, told OneRoof last year that they incorporated a number of favourite aspects of their TV home into the Norfolk Street renovation, including striking black steel and glass joinery that wraps the kitchen and rear walls and doors.
The home, described by Dobson as high quality and inviting, was targeted at downsizers.
“Their attention to detail is second to none. The property really is quite remarkable."
The property sold post-auction in mid-January and is due to settle next month.
