Since returning home to New Zealand from Australia in 2020, the couple have launched not one but two businesses, started a family with the arrival of baby Atlas and settled into their first house, a former bach on the Kāpiti Coast.
Having embarked on the career-developing migration abroad, Pearl and Cruze’s journey from Bondi-based expat life to their own slice of heaven was defined by deadlines. Their plans fast-tracked by Covid-19, they just squeaked into the country minutes before the borders shut, then launched into a house hunt, driven by the impending arrival of their baby. “We found this place, saw it on the Sunday and it was ours by 11 o’clock at night on the Monday. It was crazy,” says Pearl.
Permanent holiday
The suburb of Waikanae Beach, where the couple washed up, is pin-drop quiet. The warbling of tūī and the gentle shush of waves audible on a typical weekday.
Sweet little weatherboard baches peep out between the pōhutukawa, yawning out of hibernation on weekends and summer holidays, as their owners come roaring up from Wellington, looking to decompress.
The home was an unassuming bach, but therein lay its charm. Though the garden was undeveloped and the flat-pack kitchen is high on the to-reno list (especially for Cruze, a former chef), everything else was exactly what this young family needed – light, fresh and virtually bulletproof, so they can thoroughly enjoy the nearby beach without worrying about sand marring precious surfaces. “Every day, we walk to the beach, no matter the weather. The dog runs and we get dirty and sandy – and bring it all inside,” says Pearl.
Denne historien er fra December 2022 -utgaven av Your Home and Garden.
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Denne historien er fra December 2022 -utgaven av Your Home and Garden.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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GET MERRY
Everyone will go crackers about these festive dinner favourites and the delicious trimmings
A brief history of...The Lips sofa
How to straighten up and free yourself from negative behaviour patterns
BREAKING BAD HABITS
How to straighten up and free yourself from negative behaviour patterns
MOMENTS of JOY
Sue Pat's whimsical stationery cleverly captures the wonders of Christmas
GIFTS of the EARTH
An excerpt from garden and interior designer Michael Mansvelt's longawaited book Everyday Opulence
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.
COASTAL CHRISTMAS
A writer is all about enjoying a cruisy, coastal celebration with family and friends
Happy place
A shed on the garden's edge became healing renovation project
ALL IS BRIGHT
Colour is key in Kip&Co co-founder Alex McCabe's vibrant home over the holidays
BOLD & ECLECTIC
In an excerpt from The Makers, writer Pandora Sykes' home is a cosy and chic statement in fearlessness with colour and patterns