Happy anniversary to The House of Joy! 9 years ago today (02 April 2024) as I write, we made a bold and courageous move—from stress to joy! You can read more about our audacious move from Wellington to the Bay of Islands on 02 April 2015 in this House and Garden feature>>.
As I share in the article, we loved Wellington (I was born and raised there), but the weather and the noise of living in the suburbs was getting us down. We drew up a manifestation list, wrote down all the things we wanted in a new move, and pasted it on the fridge. Along with excellent weather and peace and quiet, we wanted to be surrounded by beauty and nature… and no more than 10 minutes away from a good coffee!
Three years after our move we embarked on a major renovation. This blog celebrates the joy, the triumphs over defeat, the resilience and tenacity that saw us through. I hope sharing our journey inspires you. As I share in this post, sometimes you need chaos to give birth to a dancing star.
“I gazed as if the sea were alive in that single drop,
as if amid the struggle of the earth and the waters one flower were to raise a small banner of blue flame,
of irresistible peace, of indomitable purity.”
~ Pablo Neruda
THE HOUSE OF JOY: A LOVE STORY OF DREAMS and TRANSFORMATION
Acclaimed, award-winning photographer Jane Ussher captured this candid shot of Laurie (Lorenzo) and me after the first lockdown ended, and she came to photograph our house for New Zealand House and Garden.
So many of you have asked for photos of the before and afters of the home Lorenzo and I moved to in April 2015 – Summer Hill (as it was named then) in the Bay Of Islands. It’s such an amazing story of manifestation that we also wanted to share these images, not to boast but to share some beauty and perhaps even to inspire others to chase their dreams, too.
When we first saw the house we were so excited. From just a whisper of a glance through trees, purchasing Summer Hill, as it was called by the former owners, (and which I have renamed The House of Joy) was a dream we never thought was possible but refused to accept that she could never be ours.
The moment we walked up the sweeping tree-lined driveway I knew this was our ‘home’. We hadn’t walked around the front – which we happily discovered has the most incredible uninterrupted views of the magnificent Bay of Islands.
Jumping up and down like an excited child I squealed to Lorenzo, “Can we buy this for my birthday?” never dreaming that the contract would be signed exactly on that day – September 30, 2014. All the more impossible because Lorenzo hadn’t even been inside the house at all! (Summer Hill was tenanted following the passing away of the founding owners and we were on strict instructions not to let the tenants know that it might be sold).
We entered into a cash contract and then began marketing our homes—Laurie’s in Miramar Heights and mine, an architecturally designed home I had built in Brooklyn after subdividing my section and selling the original villa I had purchased as my first home. I share more about this in my blog post:TAKING A GREAT BIG LEAP OF FAITH
From the Kiwi Sanctuary across the road, to the serenity of the architectural design of the house by award winning architect Martyn Evans, renown for his unique designs; to the wonderful aspect of the house which sits harmoniously on top of the hill overlooking the sea, nestled amongst 10 acres of lovingly planted trees; to the pond at the entrance where black swans glide and native birds, including Tui’s, fantails, Hawks, wood pigeons, kingfishers, and colourful parrots flourish;to the shed where I dreamed of at last having an art studio and hosting artists, and writers and those seeking a spiritual retreat; to the beautiful butterfly room where Lorenzo can indulge his passion for exotic butterflies; to the warmth of the sub-tropical climate where our souls can breath – Summer Hill couldn’t have been more perfect when we purchased it. She was tired, but we knew in time we could give her a refresh.
Five years after moving, in 2020, during the Covid lockdown years, we renovated the old shed and created Art@rangitane with the intention of creating happiness and joy instead of fear.
In this video, I share how I created an art gallery during Covid and created more joy for others
I had the privilege of meeting Russell Dreadon, affectionately known as the local land baron, a man then in his eighties who with his now late wife Maudie, commissioned and collaborated in the design and building of the house (complete with a Yin Yang design to add to the feng shui harmony), and the incredible landscaping. Sadly he too died, but happily for us we now get to continue their legacy.
Russell owned thousands of acres in the surrounding area. He had his picks of building sites, but he chose to build his forever home here, on the top of hill, facing the sea with 360 views down the inlet and toward the lake.
The original build would have commenced in the late 1980s, and code of compliance was granted in 1991.
They named their home ‘Summer Hill ‘and painted it a warm ochre yellow to reflect the colour of the soil in Summer Hill, a place in Australia where Maudie came from and where these two lovebirds, parted only by death, met. Later, during the renovation, we reclad the concrete block home in cedar, which blended with native trees. We also replaced the brown tinted windows with clear glazing to let in more natural light.
We purchased Summer Hill from their adult children in a private sale—they told us the only reason they sold to us at what was then a rockbottom price, was because we understood the house ‘and wouldn’t bowl it.’
While they shed tears as they said goodbye to the home that held so many happy childhood memories, all four of us celebrated with champagne and much laughter as they began to teach us city folk how to run such a massive property – starting with driving the Walker Ride-On mower! I still have the first video of that day, me sitting on the mower with my fancy city shoes and handbag!
We were very much looking forward to possession date in late April 2015 and after selling both our houses in Wellington (stressful and nail-biting – more about that another time), and living for a painful while in a tiny bedsit, we were happy to have had the date brought forward to the day before Good Friday 02 April 2015. (Laurie didn’t want to settle on April Fools day).
And what a good Friday it was! Especially as our best friends live in the two acre-property next door. In time we look forward to complementing the timeless modernist design with a revitalising interior update, and continuing efforts to protect our most treasured native bird the Kiwi (still at threat of extinction, but who roam freely and safely outside ou rbedroom and forage in thebgarden).
And then to kicking back and to enjoying special times with friends (old and new ones too that we’ve been blessed to meet while here) and family. We hope one day to see many of you there :)
Best of all with both our roles we can work anywhere in the world – and travelling to Auckland – the main commercial centre – is only a 40 minute flight away. But with a view from the office like ours and due to the marvels of modern technology we seldom have to leave. Thriving up north, definitely! So if you too dream of a move, we hope our story of courage, perseverance, luck, determined effort, and gratitude inspires you too to dream the impossible and make it happen.
We’ll leave you now with a few sage words that sum up our new life philosophy.
“All I want is a minimum of commotion, and an unimpeded view of the Pacific Ocean.”
~ A.R.D. Fairburn
The move unleashed my joy, creativity, and spirit. In 2015, I began to write again. I started writing love stories and romance novels and self-empowerment books, including my Midlife Career Rescue series—the first of many books I have written since our move.
And I started painting and creating and during all the fearmongering years of Covid19 I became THE JOYFUL ARTIST.
Yin and yang, also known as yin-yang or yin-yang, is a concept that originated in Chinese philosophy. It describes opposite but interconnected, self-perpetuating cycles. The philosophy, also adored by my father who loved Chinese philosophy and approaches to holistic healing, sums up the rennovation process wonderfully. We didn’t want to destroy what was there—so many other potential purchases wanted to bulldoze the house—we wanted to take the best of the old and co-join harmoniously with the best of the new.
We loved the yin-yang portico design that flowed around the original house—and of course, the joy-inspiring views. We wanted to keep the bones and integrity of the architecturally designed home, pioneering for its time in 1991, but streamline, double-glaze, and future-proof.
In 2017, we met with Auckland architect Tom Rowe and began planning a ‘modest’ renovation (famous last words!)
It was a beautiful setting and home and held so many wonderful memories and the promise of more to come. When we purchased the house and moved in our friends lived on the two acres next door—just through the arches
One day they moved, the friendship died, and so did the aging tree. We tried so hard to save the beautiful tree, and even consulted an arborist, who told us the tree was dying. now have beautiful new neighbours and three stunning Nikau trees which bring so much pleasure. It’s till one of our favourite views—the shade tree(s) and views of the sea. But now the powerlines stretching across the view are buried and the flows without steps and paths and a drive to the shed. There is much more beauty and harmony—and nothing distracting our joy
The renovation originally began with the modest ambition of remodeling the kitchen. The original kitchen was the tiniest room in the house, very dark and not joyful at all. We soon fixed that! The artwork painted be me in the background symbolizes the vibe, “Pretty Gorgeous.”
Gorgeously layered with a sensuously saturated palette of cerulean blue, tropical greens, radiant yellows, and flourishes of vibrant lavenders. Pretty Gorgeous embodies the new energy of flow, optimism, hope and renewal that our souls ache for after the tumultuous, confining time of Covid lockdowns.
“Great works of art, music, and architecture that calibrate between 600 and 700 can transport us temporarily to higher levels of consciousness and are universally recognized as inspirational and timeless,” Dr. David Hawkins
Pretty Gorgeous, 2022
270 cm x 150 cm
Acrylic on canvas
We love the butlers kitchen which has an opening above the induction stove, allowing us to remain connected with the view and the house—and our art. 💖 🌈💕
The old kitchen was so dark and gloomy—and tiny! One of the big things that always irked us was that there was no practical and lovely space to sit outside. The original owner put a sun umbrella and garden table directly outside the kitchen doors, obstructing the view and blowing around in storms. There was nowhere to spread out and relax or enjoy a rainy day undercover. We also found all the irregular lines of the house, paving and curved narrow elevated grass area and steps jarring.
Laurie and I both find great joy connecting we nature and we like to be outside as often as possible. And we love light! Along with a full kitchen redesign, pushing out the walls and orientating the kitchen to run parallel to the view, we painted the ceilings, and created a large outdoor living/dining room, with partial glass to ensure plenty of light into both rooms. We also replaced the wood above the doors with glass and added fully sliding doors—rain or shine these are open most days! Night and day this is a beautiful room. Box seating around the palms also provides a lovely area to relax outside.
Of course, anyone who has survived a renovation knows the kitchen is not always tranquil. I recall Astrologer Pam Gregory referencing banging out the kitchen cupboards to make why for the new!
Harnessing our mantra to live in the light, we removed the dark timber, old terracotta tiles, and wooden doors that blocked the light. We sourced gorgeous Italian tiles that blended with the polished concrete and ran these through the kitchen and hall. We love that when we sit in the kitchen or outside we can either open the doors wide or see the garden through the glass doors.
The joyful art journeyed with us from Wellington and is by Wellington-based Piera McArthur, a dear friend’s mother and an accomplished artist. Piera is one of New Zealand’s foremost contemporary artists—her work Is known for its ‘Joie-De-Vivre’ and optimistic energy. Perfect for our home! Later, we commission a bespoke piece for the kitchen/dining area—a stunning work by a stunningly joyful artist. At 90 when she completed it, Piera was still creating works of merriment, magic, and mystery. 90 is the new 30!
Outside, we tackled the weed jungle and planted palms, orchids, and native plants and removed the heavy mustard yellow pillars.
Commission artwork by Piera McArthur (happily also our good friend, John’s, mother
The renovations made the house look and feel like a newly built home—but with the added magic of wonderful touches by the original architect—especially the sculptured ceiling and long panel of windows looking out to a small garden and over to the orchard and ancient oak trees.
New Italian wallpaper and colourful touches of my artwork—including the hall cabinet I designed and BUILT! while studying furniture design at Architecture school in the late 90s, a gold leaf and beeswax artwork, the Three Joys, painted while studying the art of Sumi painting with Max Gimblett, and the large turquoise and fushia painting, The Flower Girl, painted in 2023, opposite the entrance doors.
We also kept the quirky glass cabinet at the end of the hall, affectionately called ‘The Duty Free Cabinet.’ Inside, it holds special treasures, including a Glass artwork by David Murray called Fushia Wave, a house-warming present purchased from Wellington Gallery Avid—a gift from Laurie to me when we moved.
On the top shelf is a brass and copper sculpture of a Kiwi purchased from Kauri Cliffs during a memorable stay in one of their luxury cottages
You may enjoy this blog post: Max Gimblett, Cassandra Gaisford and inspiration
Laurie’s passion for researching and writing scientific papers about butterflies finally had a dedicated space. What was once a spare room is now passion centre.
Similarly, the old farm shed has been converted into a studio space and creative retreat centre.
Laurie gifted me sliding doors and a sliding window, and cedar cladding (to match the house), transforming the old farm shed into a portal of joy. Studio light and movable walls were also added. A bathroom renovation followed in 2024—happily, the old shed had a toilet and basin and also a steel kitchen sink—everything an artist and her workshop participants need.
I also have a beautiful writing room for all my passion projects.
Gone is the low window overlooking fences, powerlines, and a drive. In its place a heavenly sliding door with views out to the garden and sea.
The house has a definite mid-century modern vibe—one of my fav architectural style periods. Which is why I love this little ‘shrine to design’ in the corner of my office. The painting in the background is Water Spirit.
Water Spirit, Cassandra Gaisford, 2023
48 inch x 48 inch
1210 mm x 1210 mm x 35mm
Acrylic on canvas
Seductive, sensual pinks, clarets, greens and oranges uplift, pamper, soothe and delight.Playful, spontaneous, and gestural strokes imbue this painting with new life, happiness, and healing.
This painting was begun on Matariki. Twinkling in the winter sky just before dawn, Matariki (the Pleiades) signals the Māori New Year. For Māori, the appearance of Matariki heralds a time of remembrance, joy, and peace. It is a time for communities to come together and celebrate.
Inspired by the flowers in my garden, home to many comings together and celebrations.
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The Persian mystic and poet Rumi once said, ‘You need chaos to give birth to a dancing star.” I tried to hold onto this promise of celestial nirvana during the worst of the renovations.
Rennovations can be messy
Ahh, tranquility restored!
Incredibly, the former owner who built this house didn’t turn the bed to face the incredible views. Perhaps because he was a farmer and the view was cluttered with farm fences, cattle—and those dreadful powerlines! Off went the pelmets and heavy drapes, and around went the bed. Down went the fences and powerlines during the rennovations too. The orginal edroom was hige—four times larger than the kitchen. We build a cute bedwall which provides privavy in the dressing room and still lets in light. Plus we didn’t want the ensuite to be visible from the bed. In 2023, after enjoying polished floors for a time, we finally carpeted. Heaven.
Some people look at me and think “she’s got it all.” They turn a blind eye to the pile of shit, courage, grit and tenacity it takes to make a dream a reality. This lovely memory from 2017 is heart-warming for many reasons… a reminder of the wonderful men who worked on our renno… their skill and their kindness… it was a hell project on so many levels, and I nearly lost the dress off my back but people like Brooke made us smile… esp when he rocked up with crayfish. We tried to have a fun, find ways to have laugh (even when summer was a mud bath!)
And mum saved the day when costs shot unexpectedly through the stratosphere when the final bill was presented—she provided a loan with interest that I gladly gave her #familybank. I have since repaid in full the debt we owed her.
We surprised Brook with a “thank you shrine” and laughed our worries off #grit#gratitude
February 2020 Valentine’s Day, ‘redigging the drainage’
View from the studio during the rennos as fencing and farm track/drive was removed!
The lounge is one of our favourite rooms.
What we love about the house is the way it integrates into the landscape and embraces the moon and sun. Every room has panoramic windows and either views of the sea, islands or native bush. We love that we can never ever be built out. It was important to us both that we future-proofed our new-found and hard-won paradise.
The nikaus are like towering organic sculptures. They shed their skin and are great reminders of the need to let go, rejuvenate and refresh. It’s really beautiful watching the tūī hanging upside down gathering insects.
Plus there’s plenty of room to read, rest and reflect. This room is the largest in the house. We didn’t change too much-other than take down the dated velvet drapes that stole portions of view, rip up the blue carpet, and repaper the cold blue walls in a warm textured Italian wallpaper that reflects the light. As does the original concrete floors which we polished for practicality and solar gain.
The original ceiling is rimu and we opted to keep it in its beautiful natural state. We also replaced all the joinery, keeping a similar colour to the original house (a beautiful deep bronze), and double glazed all the windows. The original slider door only opened on one side, we replaced that too so that they fully slide back to the deck—improving indoor outdoor flow
We also replaced the wood fire and dated surround with a modern gas fire and concrete shelf to display, flowers art and sculptural pieces. It’s more joyful being able to point and click to warm the house, rather than scurrying to the woodshed in the rain, buying and stacking and chopping wood—and then cleaning the fireplace!
I designed the inbuilt bookcase to house the movie screen, and display books and art. I love the backlighting and storying clutter in discreet draws. It was a fabulous transformation of formerly dead space.
My friend has a favourite spot and chair—which she’s named “Judy’s chair” – she loves, as we do, to sit in this armchair, put her feet up and watch the world sail by. Sometimes, I bring my sound healing bowls in and cards from The Art of Life Inspiration Deck, which I created during Covid, and we emerge healed, inspired, and replenished.
You may enjoy this video, where I share more about the inspiration behind creating this magical deck and how it can help you feel happier and stay in your bliss every day.
The former ensuite looked like something that wouldn’t be out of place in Hugh Hefners Playboy mansion—gold fittings and floor-to-ceiling marble-patterned black tiles. No doubt, quite on trend in the late 80s when this house was built.
The garden was a wasteland of unloved wilderness. The joyful Assistant (Laurie) transformed it into a haven of peace and abundance with flowers and organic vegetables. During my art and writing retreats this is a favourite spot.
While we’re on the topic of flowers, the remodeled bathroom is one of my favorite places to have alone time. The former bathroom had this beastly bath, which, when you lay in it, all you could see was the underside of the peach vanity. Now I can fling the door open and enjoy the tuis singing from the trees and vistas of the sea…all from the privacy of my bath. This bathroom is also a favorite of our guests whose bedroom adjoins the hallway or the outside walkway. Bliss!
The south facing guest bedroom was cold—not helped at all by the cool blue carpet and drapes. The floors during the rennovations were polished and have now been carpeted, a slider door brings in extra light and connects with sea views which were once obscured with a giant leyland cypress hedge which we removed. My joyous painting, Flow, adds more vibrancy to this beautiful room.
Flow
1190mm x 1800mm
Acrylic on canvas
I am delighted that people tell me that my paintings elicit joy and a remarkable sense of hope-inspired optimism. To create and capture vibrant memories, past, and future, and transform sadness into love-infused beauty, is my grand passion.
Flow, is one of my most joyous creations and, at the time, one of the first large colour field paintings I ever created. It was some, 20 years ago now. I still remember painting this outside on the grass at the farm, en plein air. My grandmother and later my father lived on the property before he passed. My grandmother bred horses for a living, and I recall around six of them standing around the painting as I washed fields of colour. It was a magical time, a memory I still hold in my heart. I reached out to my friend and muse, Max Gimblett, for some wisdom when embarking on this new fluid style. Max is a Zen Buddhist Monk and fellow artist and one of the only New Zealander artists to have exhibited at the Guggenheim in New York. I asked him, “How do you know when you’re finished?”
“Don’t overwork it,” he said, “The painting will tell you. You’ll feel it in your heart.”
The improvement that caused the most debate: Pulling out the towering Leyland cypress trees on the south side. Laurie thought we’d be exposed. Instead, it flooded the house with light and opened up further amazing views down the inlet. Guests who arrive late at night, wake to the sea views from their bedroom and are wowed. When they join us in the kitchen for their coffee they discover the ‘real’ view!
In 2017, we also carved into the old sloping paddock and created a back entrance, curving up to the gallery. With the help of Johnathon Fulton’s landscaping team, we planted thousands of tiny natives—manukas, flax, and other plants loved by birds and bees.
Out went the horrible woodshed and the vicious Leyland Cypress hedge, and in came a sweeping turnaround and parking area for visitors to the gallery and participants attending retreats.
Along with having the tiniest kitchen, the former owner shoved the laundry in a horrid cupboard. While we don’t want the laundry to take over our house, we felt it important that it felt nice and was practical.
My godmother once said she never worried about brushing the back of her hair because she couldn’t see it…that was not how we felt about the back of the house. It was dark, dreary and sad. Out went the clothesline and the going-nowhere-beautiful short path, replaced by a simple rope that hangs beneath the trees and gorgeous stone steps.
The deck now wraps around the house—no muddy feet and lovely sitting spots and places to rest. The tiny windows were all replaced with tall doors—making the most of the sea and bush views, sunsets and ever-changing sky.
Best money spent: Burying the ugly power lines running the width of the front lawn. To say it was a battle is an understatement. 3 years and over $50,000 later, they were buried. The neighbours got rid of theirs too!
Discovering that well-known sculptor Chris Booth lived 10 minutes away was also a bonus. Laurie commissioned a piece for Cassandra’s 50th birthday which Chris aptly named Viewfinder.
I love the way “Kingi” the kingfisher adds to the sculpture.
As Chris shares on his website:
“And it was there during this time that another vital component to my art emerged: spirit of place. Cornwall is where human cultures have lived for thousands of years and have left their marks, including their land art. These marks are imbued with the spirit of the land. It was this spirit that finally lead to my turning my eyes homeward, to return to my own roots two years later. It was time for me to learn to speak, make art using my own language of spirit of place. What better place to learn than my family land in Kerikeri, New Zealand, where I was brought up.”
He has definitely captured the spirit of our place, and even wrote a special prayer for us that he rolled up and inserted into the steel tube holding Viewfinder.
The plantings in the front and at the side of the house bridge the gap between art and horticulture. Local landscaper Jonathan Fulton and his crew did some heavy lifting. The 30-year-old Pitt Island nikaus needed a crane and four men to position into place. Jonathan and his team also planted thousands of natives up the drive we created to link the back section with the entrance to my art gallery and studio. The honeybees, Kiwis and other bird and native life love the food and shelter.
Another decision we happily made was to unify and re-contour the garden to make more of the views of the coastline and sea. We were fortunate to come across some true professionals. Watching Ces Goldsack, who has worked at Kauri Cliffs golf course, manoeuvre his T-Rex machine like a Sumi-e master as he contoured the lawn was memorable. It’s a real masterpiece, especially when we compare the original. He also helped us do the heavy lifting with repositioning huge volcanic rocks.
Our love of rocks came from a magical visit to Japan in 2019—just before you know what!
My lovely rocks outside my writing room.
In 2015, the landscaping began in ernest! I was excited to bump into Susie and learn that the Palm centre she managed was having a clearance sale—I literally filled my car, her car, and then some, with plants. Our new obsession! Since then we have planted thousands (yes, thousands) and native trees, particularly to protect and encourage Kiwi habitat.
We planted nikaus and natives outside the original gates. We also made the entrance more secure with electric gates operated with a PIN. We also moved giant volcanic rocks, which bring so much joy when we arrive home.
I adore this little garden beside the house’s entrance and running along the inside hallway—providing joy inside and out! The water feature made the journey with us from Wellington and provides a splendid bath for the tuis and other birds. It was designed by the fab local landscape designer Christine Hawthorn, and the plants have been curated, so no matter the season, something is always in flower in the pinks we so love.
We are also blessed with hundreds of trees and flowering shrubs that Maude loved so much—including these heritage, old-world camellias in her favorite shade of pink. They are a haven for the honey bees.
I hope you enjoyed reading and seeing the transformation of our home into the House of Joy. As you’ve discovered, it can be an exciting time and one of considerable stress and upheaval. But my astrologer friend wisely advised us, “Do it once, do it right.” And to the best of our abilities, with the resources we had available to us, we did.
You may also enjoy:
TAKING A GREAT BIG LEAP OF FAITH
From Chained to the Office, to Freedom in the Country—How to Manifest Your Dream Career or Business
Posted in: Blog
ABOUT CASSANDRA
I am an artist, storyteller, intuitive guide, mentor and Reiki master. All my creations are infused with positive energy , inspiration, and light. I believe in magic and the power of beauty, joy, love, purpose, and creativity to transform your life. My greatest joy is helping your realize your dreams. That makes my soul sing!
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