Welcome to our cosy wee tree house
The Edge radio host Meg Annear lives with her fiance and fellow The Edge presenter Guy Mansell in a semi-renovated ‘‘cosy tree house’’ in Massey, West Auckland, with her cat Plum and dog Nala.
Describe your house:
Our first home is a bit like a cosy tree house. Something about it feels very homely and welcoming. A comfy couch and plenty of blankets, candles and a warm glow. At the moment it is also very unfinished so it’s a work in progress.
Describe your style in three words:
Inspired by nature.
Where is your home and who lives there with you?
My fiance Guy and I live in West Auckland with our cat Plum and dog Nala. It’s our first home.
Your favourite room/area in the house and why?
The deck gets all-day sun and is surrounded by trees and my favourite plants. I love waking up on the weekend and soaking in the morning sun.
Finish this sentence with an anecdote. ‘‘Once someone came to my door and…’’
Now I sponsor a child.
Your proudest DIY moment? Honestly? Just finishing our first room reno, full stop. We had no idea what we were doing and it was so satisfying seeing it finished after a lot of late nights.
If my partner would let me, I would get rid of…
I think this would be the other way around, actually. I’m a huge fan of indoor plants and I’m sure he would like one or two to disappear.
Which decor trend would you like to see come back?
Gold – I love yellow gold and am over the copper trend.
What’s the worst home decor decision you’ve ever made?
It’s not really my fault but my cohosts on The Edge radio station, Dom and Randell, put up a giant mural of themselves as a doubleheaded sausage (far too long a story to explain here) in our spare bedroom as my initiation for the role. Fun twist – it glows in the dark. Fair to say it’s a good icebreaker when people come to stay the night. Title of a book, film or television show that best describes the mood in your home:
The Swiss Family Robinson.
Best money you have ever spent on the house?
Insulation and a heat pump. Bring it on, winter.
Worst thing that’s ever gone wrong while entertaining?
Nothing so far. Fingers crossed it stays that way.
One item I wish I had kept or not got rid of is...
My mum recently did a Marie Kondo-esque cleanup and threw out an original Live Aid T-shirt she bought for me to grow into. I would love to have it – but if you’re keen, look out in your local Sallies.
Favourite home item?
At the moment it’s the tropical themed Slingslot modem I designed with Becca O’Shea. They are limited edition and every modem sold raises money for the same charity we adopted our dog Nala from, Hurrah & The Desexy Revolution Charitable Trust. I’m beyond proud of what we have made and hope others love it as much as we do.
If I had $50k, what I would change about my house is...
I don’t think we could fit one in our current home but a heated outdoor pool is the absolute dream.
What’s one domestic/ housework/gardening trick you’ve learnt over the years?
Keep a schedule – we find it easier to know what days we do washing, vacuuming, mopping, et cetera every week rather than just when it piles up. It’s way easier to keep on top of it.