The Block NZ judge Lauren INSIDE HER RADICAL RENO

The new reality star welcomes us into her own waterfront haven

- Trudi Nelson

Having helped sell hundreds of houses during her long career in real estate, new judge Lauren Mirabito is perfectly placed to rate the renovation efforts of the contestants on The Block NZ. But there’s only one home that truly takes top spot in her heart – and that’s her own stunning seaside pad in Auckland.

Lauren’s freshly refurbished “haven in Beach Haven”, which she shares with her new hubby Grant, could be straight out of a coffee-table book, complete with water views, a heated swimming pool, a James Bond-themed wine cellar, wow-factor feature walls, bespoke furniture and even a nine-seat movie theatre with Art Deco chairs from an old Napier cinema.

“When we bought it, it was like a 1980s doll’s house,” Lauren tells Woman’s Day as she takes us on a tour. “It was the original show home from the first subdivision and it was very matchy-matchy with the other homes around it, so we’ve put our stamp on it. We adore this house.”

It was a three-year labour of love, with Lauren, 41, doing most of the directing and Grant, 48, doing a lot of the hands-on work alongside the builders.