POSITIVELY PALMY

No strangers to renos and hard work, a Manawatū couple pooled their formidable talents to build the perfect Bali-inspired retreat

- Debbie Harrison

If lockdowns have taught us anything, it’s that a home you love being in is worth its weight in gold. And if that home also feels like the tropical retreat we’re all hankering for while borders are closed, well, that’s just priceless. Blair and Rebecca (Bec) McDonald nailed the holiday-while you’re-at home vibe of their new-build by centring it around a key outdoor feature and its surrounding private entertaining area.

“The home was designed and built around the pool. Even though it’s in the middle of Palmerston North, I wanted you to be able to forget that and imagine you could be in Bali. Now, sitting under the umbrella on the deck, music playing, a yummy platter on the coffee table, pina coladas in hand while watching the kids in the pool really makes us feel like we are holidaying at home,” says Bec. “Having a pool was about us giving something back to our kids – they have been through a little bit of renovating with us in their time.”

“A little bit of renovating” is quite an understatement – the children have lived through several renovations including an old villa, which started when Indy was just four months old.