Toy billionaire Anna Mowbray and partner, former All Black Ali Williams, have called in a an expert for one of Auckland's most expensive house builds.
The Block NZ presenter Shelley Ferguson was in Westmere for a site visit this week, posting pictures to Instagram of her and Mowbray exploring the subterranean level of the build on the nearly half-hectare waterfront property.
Ferguson, 41, is a well-respected interior designer as well as a TV personality. Her company is Shelley Ferguson Studio and she is also an ambassador for the Master Builders Association. Her studio specialises in working with architects, builders and homeowners on new builds and furnishing projects. She specialises in liveable luxury and contemporary design with understated doses of glamour.
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She and Mowbray are known to be great friends. Over the summer, Mowbray, Williams and their blended family and Ferguson and her husband, former Olympian Steven, and their children, enjoyed holidays together, including time on the Mowbray family's $21m superyacht.
The week before the site visit, Mowbray and Ferguson were at a girls' champagne evening at Soul Bar and Bistro.
Ferguson and Mowbray were not ready to share the design features they are working on, but it is fair to say they are both very excited about the project.
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Mowbray and Williams splashed out some $24m in 2020 to buy the home which once belonged to movie director Andrew Adamson. Last November, jaws dropped around the neighbourhood when the couple demolished the property.
"From THIS to THAT… a new and incredibly exciting chapter begins at AJ Point. Best yet, I get to do it with these amazing people," 38-year-old Mowbray posted to Instagram, posing next to Williams, with champagne in hand.
The couple have employed architects Ponting Fitzgerald and planning documents reveal the new build to be four levels, from the basement up to a viewing deck, Spy understands
Mowbray thinks Ferguson's work is phenomenal and there will be plenty of room for their combined flair with numerous living areas, a cellar bar, spa and cinema rooms on the first two floors and state of the art bedrooms on the third floor. There has been some controversy with some neighbours concerned about plans for a helipad at the waterfront home.
However, neighbours upset about the project might see that houses in the street go up significantly in value, with one real estate expert saying the new house might add at least $6 million to the property.
