Beach, bath & beyond
Your Home and Garden|May 2023
A former bach had the right flow for modern family life, while the coastal location and backyard sealed the deal
Fiona Barber
Beach, bath & beyond

No words were required. Once Ilze and Ethan Leggett stepped inside the Whangaparāoa Peninsula house with sea views, they looked at each other and instantly knew. They’d hit the jackpot – this was the house they had been searching for.

The couple, who have two young children, had already missed out on a number of homes and had just about given up hunting when, soon after the first lockdown in 2020, they found the former bach at Stanmore Bay. Within the hour they’d put in an offer for the 174sqm house, and the next day the deal was sealed – before it had hit the market.

“The coastal location stole our hearts,” explains Ilze. But there was much more about the 80s-style home on a 817sqm section that appealed. It had four bedrooms, three bathrooms, a double garage, study, a good-sized backyard – and that dreamy big blue outlook.

It matched up in other ways, too. “We had quite a lot of boxes to tick because we were searching for that ‘family’ home,” she adds.

First up, the bedrooms and living area were all on one level and close together, something the couple didn’t have in their previous home. The backyard was another plus. “We didn’t expect to find anything with such a big space for the kids to play and grow up.” 

They could move in without having to do a thing as previous owners had carried out a good deal of the work and “with a baby and a three-year-old this was extremely appealing. We kept all the layouts the same, because why change something if it works, right? It had flow, it just needed our stamp put on it to make our house feel like our home.” 

Centre stage

Esta historia es de la edición May 2023 de Your Home and Garden.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición May 2023 de Your Home and Garden.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE YOUR HOME AND GARDENVer todo
GET MERRY
Your Home and Garden

GET MERRY

Everyone will go crackers about these festive dinner favourites and the delicious trimmings

time-read
8 minutos  |
December 2024
A brief history of...The Lips sofa
Your Home and Garden

A brief history of...The Lips sofa

How to straighten up and free yourself from negative behaviour patterns

time-read
2 minutos  |
December 2024
BREAKING BAD HABITS
Your Home and Garden

BREAKING BAD HABITS

How to straighten up and free yourself from negative behaviour patterns

time-read
3 minutos  |
December 2024
MOMENTS of JOY
Your Home and Garden

MOMENTS of JOY

Sue Pat's whimsical stationery cleverly captures the wonders of Christmas

time-read
4 minutos  |
December 2024
GIFTS of the EARTH
Your Home and Garden

GIFTS of the EARTH

An excerpt from garden and interior designer Michael Mansvelt's longawaited book Everyday Opulence

time-read
4 minutos  |
December 2024
All WHITE NOW
Your Home and Garden

All WHITE NOW

A fresh, coastal take on the classic white Christmas starts with a backdrop of relaxed vintage style. On top, layer shades of white from rich cream to crisp snow, offset by foraged shells and coastal flora also spray painted in white, then worked into wreaths and other essential festive decor elements.

time-read
5 minutos  |
December 2024
COASTAL CHRISTMAS
Your Home and Garden

COASTAL CHRISTMAS

A writer is all about enjoying a cruisy, coastal celebration with family and friends

time-read
3 minutos  |
December 2024
Happy place
Your Home and Garden

Happy place

A shed on the garden's edge became healing renovation project

time-read
1 min  |
December 2024
ALL IS BRIGHT
Your Home and Garden

ALL IS BRIGHT

Colour is key in Kip&Co co-founder Alex McCabe's vibrant home over the holidays

time-read
1 min  |
December 2024
BOLD & ECLECTIC
Your Home and Garden

BOLD & ECLECTIC

In an excerpt from The Makers, writer Pandora Sykes' home is a cosy and chic statement in fearlessness with colour and patterns

time-read
1 min  |
December 2024