- A restored bungalow in Auckland’s New Lynn has been a home for artists for over 20 years.
- The previous owners, renowned artists Rona Ngāhuia Osborne and Dan Mace, restored the house to its former glory.
- One of the studios was rented to Vogue fashion photographer Thian Benton Fieulaine.
A West Auckland bungalow that’s been home to some of the biggest names in New Zealand’s contemporary art scene has hit the market for sale.
Start your property search
The house at 54 Willerton Avenue, in New Lynn, is a hidden cultural hotspot and has even been used by a Vogue fashion photographer.
The previous owners, Auckland artists Rona Ngāhuia Osborne and Dan Mace, bought the house in 2003 for just under $300,000 and restored it to its former glory before selling it to artist Gareth Price and his wife, Trisha Cassidy, in 2015 for $825,000.
A double studio, built by the previous owners, has housed many artists and was the big draw of the house. Photo / Supplied
The owner calls the house’s style "a confusion of beauty". Photo / Supplied
Osborne and Mace, whose works have been exhibited around the country and been the subject of TV shows, did a top-to-toe renovation of the three-bedroom property, putting in a new kitchen and bathroom, peeling back old carpets and replacing yellow walls with art-friendly tones.
Best of all, they added a double studio to the home.
The artistic vibe of the house continued when Price and Cassidy bought it. They opened the studios to a rotating roster of artist friends and added even more creative touches.
The connection with the house started when Price realised he had been at high school with Mace, and the couple knew of their shop and work.
Discover more:
- Heavenly Creatures bach for sale - 'my husband liked to say Kate Winslet was in his bed'
- Award-winning home next to billionaire's mansion snapped up for secret sum
- Swimming champ's $1.6m auction win after four-year home renovation saga
“We felt a real kinship with them, we felt immediately drawn to their house, the spirit of the house,” Cassidy told OneRoof.
“They had poured so much wairua into the property, we connected with them. We’d have so many conversations so it didn’t feel like we were buying from them.”
The couple had been looking for a sanctuary for over a year focusing on bushy Titirangi, but landed on the New Lynn property when they discovered that Osborne and Mace had filled the backyard of the 660sqm section with native trees. The flow of the house to the backyard through sliding wood doors, and the pair of studios sealed the deal.
A vintage vanity, with marble top and vintage basin in the bathroom. Photo / Supplied
The front garden sports vintage metal gates. Photo / Supplied
Price’s hyper-realist detailed painted canvases (on his website he calls it part of the magical realism tradition) take up to six months to complete, but he also uses the studio for his instruments for his music teaching. The second studio has been rented on and off to artist friends, including photographer Thian Benton Fieulaine whose work included shooting backstage at Paris Fashion Week and features in Photo Vogue, Condé Nast’s global creative network.
Cassidy filled the place with her lifetime’s collection of European antiques, a look she describes as a “confusion of beauty”. She replaced the modern island in the striking black kitchen with an antique French shop counter (from an antique shop in Bulls) and brought in vintage industrial lights and chandeliers, most of which will stay.
The bathroom vanity, another find, is topped with a marble slab and an old Royal Doulton sink.
Price worked on the front landscaping, retaining a huge fig tree, and Cassidy found an ornate steel gate that closes off the garden to create their oasis.
The property, which has a CV of $1.3 million, is too big for them now and they are selling up, hoping to find a “cute little romantic cottage” either inner-city or out in the country.
“The nature here, it really brought out a lot of stuff for me and having a purpose-built studio. You just feel electrified, it’s a very inspiring space,” said Price.
“It’s peaceful, grounded space,” added Cassidy. “I feel so much joy in this place, it’s quite hard to leave.”
- 54 Willerton Avenue, in New Lynn, Auckland, is for sale by negotiation
