At my place: Brodie’s weekend retreat

After more than a decade away, The Hits breakfast co-host Brodie Kane has returned to her home town of Christchurch.

She lives in the city during the working week, and at weekends heads to a house she owns with her mum close to the coast north of Christchurch.

Describe your house in two sentences...

My mum and I own an awesome little two-bedroom place out at Waikuku Beach, half an hour north of Christchurch. It’s got that holiday house feel which is an epic feeling when you actually live there.

In three words, how would you describe your style?

It’s simple, rustic and fun.

What is your favourite room in the house and why?

The outdoor deck is my favourite. It gets the sun all day, and we’ve got awesome outdoor furniture so you can just lounge around outside – so good for a wee afternoon snooze.

Finish this sentence with an anecdote. ‘‘Once someone came to my door and…’’

Because they were selling something, I hid behind the couch and pretended I wasn’t there. I’m sure we’ve all done that, right?

Tell us about your proudest DIY moment:

To be honest with you, Mum has been leading the charge with the DIY work, so you’ve just reminded me I must go out there and help her paint the fence. Title of a book, film or television show that best describes the mood in your home:

I reckon it is probably a little bit like Home and Away. It has the beach, the super-small town where everyone knows each other but it doesn’t have the over-the-top-drama, or the ridiculous amount of bad things that happen on that show. So Home and Away on a good day. What is the best money you have ever spent on the house?

Putting a heat pump in: those things are a game-changer.

The outdoor deck gets the sun all day, and we’ve got awesome outdoor furniture so you can lounge around.

What’s the worst thing that’s ever gone wrong while you have been entertaining?

I fell asleep at our housewarming while all the guests were still there…

Tell us about one item you wish you had kept or not got rid of.

Hmmmm can’t think of anything to be honest.

What is your favourite piece of furniture?

The outdoor table and chairs on the deck – it’s like a big corner couch for outside. So good.

If you had $50k, what would you change about your house?

I’d re-do the bathroom.

Which home habit do you find the most annoying?

Dishes in the sink and not using Spray n’ Wipe when you clean the bench top.

What’s one domestic/ housework/gardening trick you’ve learnt over the years?

To always tidy as you go: it makes life so much easier.