A Dated Country Home in a Kiwifruit Orchard Made Modern

What was this house like originally?
This single-storey house was built in 2003 and features tumbled-brick exterior cladding. It is surrounded by gorgeous kiwifruit orchards.

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Taj Mahal quartzite kitchen splashback; Flemish Copper tapware: Astra Walker; interior walls throughout painted in Quarter Spanish White: Resene.

It hadn’t been touched since it was built in 2003. It was still in good condition and had great bones and flow, but it was very dated, with old tiled floors and carpet, a tired kitchen and bathrooms, and poor lighting.

What did the client want?
To maximise functionality and bring in a more contemporary feel.

Classique Round dining table: Soren Liv.

What was your brief
Initially, the brief was just to update the kitchen and bathrooms. But the scope soon increased to encompass new flooring, furniture, lighting and artworks for the entry, kitchen, bathroom, main bedroom, living area and dining rooms.

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Arnold chair and Walter side table: both David Shaw; Galet Dolomite wool carpet: Cavalier Bremworth.

Did you make any structural alterations?
No, we just removed the exterior kitchen door and constructed a new wall in the ensuite to create the walk-in shower.

We added new bi-fold doors in the dining area and a large, new bi-fold window in the kitchen to create more of a connection with the outdoor area.

Tell us about the softly curved furniture
We wanted to bring gentle curves into the space with some refined and sophisticated pieces.

The beautiful curved sofa softens the living zone and ‘speaks’ to the curved floor lamp and olive-green occasional chairs. In terms of colour, this olive green references the tones in the orchard outside.

We kept the furniture in the living and dining areas low-profile so as not to block sightlines throughout the space.

Hay Bar Stools: Cult; Ferm Living Rico Divian sofa: The Cane Collective; Lune & Co Ball cushions: Boheme House.

Where did most of the NZ$400,000 to 500,000 budget go?
On the kitchen, bathrooms and flooring. We needed to create more functionality in these spaces, plus when you’re renovating, these are generally the most ‘spendy’ zones.

We wanted to install high-quality finishes, materials and products in these areas. We also sought to create a timeless scheme that would suit the owners as they moved to the next stage of the their lives, now that their grown sons have moved out of home.

Resident Isabella chairs: Simon James.

What are the main ingredients of the colour and materials palette?
Soft neutrals and tones of caramel with hints of grey in the Taj Mahal quartzite and grey leather-wrapped handles on the tall kitchen cabinets.

What look and feel did you want to create?
Modern, but at the same time we wanted the look and feel of the interior to respect the home’s age, location and architecture.

The client loves caramel tones, so this palette really spoke to her. We wanted the home to feel warm and relaxed, not sterile and uptight. My client’s husband works all week in Wellington, so we wanted the property to feel like a sanctuary where they could truly relax.

To offset the calm, neutral tones, in the kitchen, living, dining, main bedroom and ensuite, we went punchy in the main bathroom with emerald-green marble and ming-green mosaic tiles.

The ensuite.

What challenges did you face?
Covid-19 was our biggest challenge. I met my client in November of 2020, so we were in and out of lockdowns throughout the renovation process. Supply was also an issue. Our tiling company also went into liquidation – not helpful!