Eagle called in after runaway gives handler the slip in bush

An art deco house featured in a National Bank commercial is for sale - and boasts a 20-seat period-style picture theatre.

The theatre has vintage fittings, including 15 seats from Tauranga's defunct Odeon Theatre, which the home's owners, Niel and Jette de Jong, added in 1996, along with the home's two-storey curved facade that was likened to a cake in the bank's television commercial.

The de Jongs bought the Parau Rd property in the Auckland suburb of Three Kings in 1991.

They run architecture practice Heritage Design Group and are founding members of the Auckland Art Deco Society.

Built into what was previously a basement, the picture theatre includes a traditional film projector, as well as a DVD player and surround-sound audio system.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Showing the way out is a period-style exit sign.

"That's Niel's pride and joy," said Barfoot & Thompson real estate saleswoman Cathy Giles, who is marketing the property.

"He made that himself. Throughout the house they've sourced original art deco fittings where possible or made things specially."

In 2006 the de Jongs added environmentally sustainable features, installing solar hot water and power and rain water collection systems.

They also updated a bathroom by adding a solid bronze oval bath, bought from a junk shop in Mt Eden, but thought to be originally from a stately home in Scotland.

The artwork above the bath is a solid plaster relief sculpture carved by de Jong, finished with gold lacquer.

Giles said online listings usually generated 1200-1500 hits over seven days, but this property had been viewed online more than 2500 times in two days after being listed on Wednesday.

Giles' colleague Derek Helliwell said three to four-bedroom homes in the Mt Roskill/Three Kings area usually fetched $700,000 to $900,000, but he expects interest "around or above the $1 million" when the property goes to auction on November 27.