Multi-award winning musician Joel Little is selling his impressive West Auckland home, which includes a secret recording studio where he collaborated with some of pop’s biggest names.
Little, who co-wrote Lorde’s number one hit Royals and has produced songs for Taylor Swift, is selling up the four-bedroom 1970s house at 70 Scenic Drive, in Titirangi, five years after he picked it up for $2.45 million.
The producer, who spends a lot of his time in Los Angeles, won’t say which stars have hung out in his cool 1970s bush pad but when he talked to OneRoof this week, he was enthusiastic about the property’s unusual features and interior design.
Little and his wife Gemma Robinson had spent over a year looking for an Auckland base before spotting 70 Scenic Drive; it had the the perfect combination of views, cool architecture, sun and bush – and they made the decision to buy after just one viewing.
Start your property search
“We were going to buy it before seeing it, but the auction got pushed and we luckily got to see it one time before buying,” Robinson said.
“But I think we would’ve bought it sight unseen anyway!”
Little and wife Gemma Robinson at the 2014 Silver Scroll Awards. Photo / Getty Images
Kiwi singer Lorde at Glastonbury. She and Little soared to fame on the back of their 2013 hit Royals, which they wrote together. Photo / Getty Images
The family, with their two children (a third arrived 18 months ago) moved back to New Zealand in 2018, and Little now travels back and forth to Los Angeles. But the house carried the Californian vibe to west Auckland.
“It had the Hollywood hills vibe – the pools, the views,” the pair said.
Handily it even had a extra living space by the pool. With the help of stylish Auckland designer Katie Lockhart it was updated and now boasts a wall of awards and album covers and a pool table.
The bedroom was sound-proofed as Little’s studio and features Little’s dream must-have: a secret entrance.
“It was my childhood Batman fantasy come true. You tilt a book and the bookshelf opens like a door,” Little said.
“I produced songs for Taylor Swift in that room, as well as artists like Vance Joy, Imagine Dragons, Tate McRae and Khalid.”
The recording studio has a secret entrance. Little worked in the room with a host of music stars over Zoom during the Covid lockdown. Photo / Supplied
The property has a relaxed vibe and Little and Robinson worked with designer Katie Lockhart to make it special. Photo / Supplied
The couple leaned into the 70s vibe of the house, with its angles, and curves, updating bathrooms, flooring and finishes and Robinson got stuck into the garden to reflect the nearby kauri bush adding more native plants, flaxes and grasses. Huge lawns allow all-day sun into the 320sqm house, while the 2438sqm site provides privacy.
The only structural overhaul was a new roof as the family’s plan was to remodel more extensively sometime in the future. But plans changed when the couple finally opened their passion project of the past two years - Big Fan, a music-making mecca in a converted warehouse in Morningside, Auckland, which includes studios and a performance venue. Since they opened late last year, they realised they needed to be based closer to it and have moved into the city.
“We’re jealous of whoever is going to buy this home. It’s a really great place,” Little said.
“It’s such a great place to make music, a great lounge to have people in. It’s got a bit of history.”
The couple said they’ll also miss the views, the space, the fresh air and the charming nearby beaches, including French Bay/Otitori Bay, Cornwallis and Huia.
“The view is really the thing. It’s got to be the best view in Auckland. We can see the Manukau and Waitematā harbours. From our master bedroom we can see Rangitoto, the North Shore and the Coromandel Ranges on a clear day,” Little said.
The property is nestled in the bush and offers clear views of Auckland’s Waitematā harbour. Photo / Supplied
The open-plan living rooms flowing out to the pool gave them the LA look they were looking for, while private rooms allow the kids to be on one wing of the house, and the parents in their own retreat.
The kitchen’s existing concrete benches just needed resurfacing, stylish light fixtures and new modern tile, it already had the requisite large scullery and island. The master bathroom was re-designed so now luxurious designer tub has enviable bush-framed views to the sea from its picture window.
Ray White agent Kane Taylor, who is bringing the house to auction next month, said the property was a step above the usual “cookie cutter” home.
“You’re king of the mountain, it’s insane,” he said.
“[The buyer] is the person looking for the lifestyle, moving out to the bush, on a hill with 360-degree views. There's heaps of space for cars.”
He could not comment on what price the property, which has a CV of $2.65m, would sell for. Top price for Titirangi village is the $6.9m paid in December 2021 for an extended family compound with a pool and tennis court on a 1.68ha property on Huia Road, a price well above its $2.35m CV.
70 Scenic Drive, Titirangi, Auckland, goes to auction on February 18.
