Built in just one day, loved for over a decade

A fresh start for the backyard

Back in 2015, there wasn’t much to love about this corner of Alison and John’s backyard. An ugly old shed was causing an eyesore and had to go.

“It was a very old asbestos shed,” John recalls. “It wasn’t particularly attractive, that one. It was pretty horrible.”

With plans to give the backyard a fresh new look, they began thinking about what could take its place. Initially, they had their sights set on a pool. But after weighing up the costs, they decided a spa would be a more affordable option – and just as enjoyable.

And with more money left in the budget, a cabana to sit alongside it seemed like the natural addition. It would be an extra room for the family to spread out and the kids to hang out – somewhere to relax, escape the sun and make the most of their new backyard setup.

So, a visit to a Greenspan Display Centre and a conversation later, the couple had a Melwood Mod 18 designed, ordered and on its way to their backyard.

From factory floor to the Lower North Shore

Just a few short weeks on, and Alison and John’s Melwood had been PreCrafted, journeyed from the factory to their Lower North Shore backyard, and was ready to be installed.

And the speed of this process blew the couple away.

“They basically came on site and did it in a day. Amazing,” Alison recalls.

That’s the beauty of PreCrafting. With the floor grid prebuilt, wall panels already fitted with wall wrap, cladding, windows and doors, and complete roof panels ready to go with Colorbond® sheeting and insulation pre-fitted, much of the work is already done before the building arrives. On site, the components can then be brought together fast and efficiently to complete the finished structure to lock-up stage, making for a remarkably quick installation.

“It was just simple. It was a no brainer. The best thing.” Alison says.

However, there was one small adjustment required once the building arrived on site, with the final orientation differing from the original plan.

But this is something that turned out to be a happy accident.

“We actually think it works better,” Alison says. “It makes it more private.” John agrees, “Because when you’re in there, you’re actually just looking out at the trees”.

In place for Christmas

Everything that followed came together just as smoothly… and just in time to fully enjoy it.

“We got the cabana and we got the spa at the same time,” John recalls. “And I think we had it all done by Christmas that year.”

Once installed, the building was handed over to Alison and John to add their finishing touches. An electrician fitted it out with power, the walls were gyprocked, and the couple got hands-on with painting while trades came in to complete the flooring and deck.

While the Mod features a deck as part of its design, Alison had bigger plans, envisaging a larger deck extending into the garden and connecting with the spa. And it’s proved to be well worth having.

Facing west, the backyard can get very hot in the height of summer. But thanks to the building’s revised orientation and the established trees around it, the deck enjoys some welcome afternoon shade.

“In the afternoon, that’s shaded by one of those big trees,” Alison explains. “So, we can go up there and sit, and it’s nice and cool. We put lounges out here and watch television.”

It’s a lovely spot to settle in and enjoy the garden, without having to contend with the full force of the afternoon sun.

And then, of course, there’s the spa.

Somewhere to get away from it all

The Mod and the spa make a pretty perfect pair, with the deck seamlessly connecting the two so each is always a part of the action.

Inside, a television is mounted on a bracket that pulls out and swivels to face the spa. That way, John can settle in for a soak without missing a minute of his favourite sport. Or the couple can sit back, relax in the bubbles and catch up on a favourite show.

The interior is just as relaxed and easy.

“We just set it up like a chill-out zone,” Alison explains. “Because we’ve got a smallish house, it’s just nice to have this to break away, like overflow.”

A deep, daybed-style lounge faces the television, providing somewhere comfortable to stretch out between dips in the spa or time spent on the deck. It also converts into a double bed, offering a handy spot for overnight guests when needed.

It’s a set-up that’s proved invaluable over the years.

“During Covid this was the best,” Alison tells us.

With everyone spending so much time under one small roof, having another living space to escape to made a real difference. It also provided somewhere comfortable to quarantine when needed.

And with an exercise bike inside, the room took on another role during lockdowns, giving the family somewhere to keep moving when getting out and about wasn’t an option. It’s a habit that’s stuck with John.

“He still uses it for exercise,” Alison says.

Whose retreat is it really?

So, this spa-side retreat was initially intended to create some extra space for the children to hang out as they got older. And yes, they’ve definitely enjoyed the space over the years.

But whose is it really?

“We thought we were doing it for the kids,” confirms Alison. “But really this is sort of my place to get away from everyone.”

However, as someone who spends many a pleasant hour soaking in the spa, lounging on the sofa while sport plays on the screen, or getting in a quick workout on the exercise bike, John might have something to say about that! Perhaps it’s fairer to say it’s the parents’ retreat.

And there’s a practical side to the layout that you might not notice on first glance.

A partition wall separates around a third of the building into a dedicated storage room, complete with its own external access. Garden equipment and other odds and ends can be tucked away out of sight, leaving the main living area uncluttered and ready for Alison and John to kick back and relax.

When only the colour has changed

It’s been 11 years. The couple still love their Mod and wouldn’t change a thing. Not its orientation, not its purpose, and not the company they chose to build it with.

Well, almost nothing. Just the colour.

Originally painted in Woodland Grey to match the roof, the board and batten cladding has recently had a makeover with a fresh coat of Dulux Kahlua Milk. It’s a change that’s given the building a whole new look, inside and out, while leaving everything else just as they like it, and standing the test of time.

The details have always worked together. The white trim around the doors and windows picks up on the white of the spa tub, while the timber flooring and decking bring warmth to the space and mirror the spa’s timber-clad exterior. After years outdoors, the hardwood has softened and weathered naturally, adding to the relaxed feel of this much-loved corner of the backyard.

And while the colour may have changed, the things that make the space work so well haven’t. The orientation still gives them privacy and a lovely outlook to the trees, the deck still seamlessly connects the cabana with the spa, and inside there’s still room to do a little bit of everything. It’s a combination that has always worked, right from the start.

Family-owned, family-loved

And even after all these years, John still remembers the people behind the business fondly. He recalls meeting with Greenspan’s brother-and-sister team, John and Laura, who came out to talk through their ideas and help bring the project together.

“It’s nice it’s still a family-owned company,” John says, on learning that 2026 marks 50 years of Greenspan and three generations of the same family running it.

It was built to replace an eyesore and create some extra space for the kids. But what it’s become is the one room Alison and John would least like to live without. After more than a decade of soaks, sports, chill-out sessions and quiet escapes, this spa-side retreat has been enjoyed by the whole family as an overflow living room, workout space and storage solution, all rolled into one.

But its most important job of all is as the couple’s favourite place to get away from it all.

One that was built in just one day. Then loved every day, for over a decade.

Design	Melwood Mod 18
Size	3.2m x 5.4m
Cladding	Board and batten
Deck	Custom after installation
Doors	Double timber full glass doors
Windows	White aluminium
Roofing	Woodland Grey Colorbond®

All measurements are approximate.

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