Grand Designs New Zealand – Te Arai: Tuscan Lodge Cathy and Vince Moores strive to create a sumptuous Italian style villa surrounded by beautiful mature gardens, but their budget takes on a life of its own, threatening to turn their long awaited dream into a nightmare.
Te Arai Lodge is an eco-friendly oasis offering boutique luxury and warm hospitality, only 1 hour 15 minutes north of the Auckland harbour bridge. Surrounded by over 20 acres of ancient podocarp forest and native bush, Te Arai Lodge sits on an elevated ridge with panoramic views across the rolling hills of the Brynderwyn Ranges out to the stunning beaches and surrounding islands of the Mangawhai coast.
We welcome our guests to experience a homestay boutique luxury lodge like no other. One that is inspired by the beauty of the surrounding native flora and bird life, our passion for sustainability and organic garden-to-table dining, and our love of hospitality and meeting people from all over the world.
With authentic personal service from the owners Vince & Kathy Moores, their family and a team of carefully chosen staff, Te Arai Lodge creates a special escape for those seeking the finest comforts without compromising the environment.
This model is going to be completely off-grid in its seaside location. On the roof are 6 x Trina 270w Honey Poly Module panels. A storage box over the tow bar stores the inverter and 4 x C&D 12V 192Ah c20 FT Lead Carbon Cyclic Batteries that will power the home. A new feature in this home (requested by the client) was a folding shelf in the bathroom above the toilet. 
Boomers Daily 