Matt Watson is building the Kiwi Dream – with Escea

Matt Watson is building the Kiwi Dream – with Escea

Escea has spent 20 years helping Kiwis build their dream home. Now, we’re helping Matt Watson build his.

You might recognise Matt Watson from his 17 years of fame on the ITM Fishing show – a venture that has seen him travel around the globe over 250 episodes of maritime adventure – collaborating with Animal Planet and The Discovery Channel and even sitting down the David Letterman himself.

Now, looking for a change of pace for himself and his family Matt is embarking on a new journey – on his 50ha slice of paradise in the Bay of Islands, he’s building the kiwi dream.

Matt, with his iconic mullet, his “she’ll be right’’ attitude, and just the right amount of banter with wife Kaylene, is bringing his latest adventure to your TV screen, with a uniquely kiwi design and build show.

The Kiwi Fireplace Dream

Escea was thrilled to help Matt find the dream fireplace for his dream home. Having a fireplace was non-negotiable given the wild nature of the climate, and like many of the design features throughout the home, the fireplace surround is informed by the site’s history and telling the stories of the whenua.  

10 years ago, Matt salvaged some original timber sleepers after receiving a tip-off that the Kawakawa Railway was being demolished.  Since then, he’s had visions of integrating these pieces of New Zealand history into his dream home. It wasn’t easy, the rustic nature and rough life of the timber had made it a challenging material to work with – it was a labour of love and homage to the hard work that came before his own. 

The railway sleepers form a striking feature wall which will be home to the Escea gas fireplace. Putting the wall together was like working on a puzzle, and the result is a work of art – a talking point and an opportunity for more story telling.

Putting the wall together was like working on a puzzle, and the result is a work of art – a talking point and an opportunity for more story telling. Watch this space for the big reveal.

Fireplace Featured

Ultra-wide and super slim – the Escea DS1650 showcases Escea’s love of linear, and minimalist design. The DS1650 gets rid of all the distractions for a truly frameless finish that focuses on the flame – so where the wall ends, the glass begins. And like all fires in the Escea DS Series, this fire features flexible flue technology and a zero-clearance rating – so you can imagine your fireplace, anyplace.

Learn more about the DS Series here.

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