It took 20 years, but this Auckland family now has a bright and breezy home.

After 20 years of ownership, this Auckland couple embarked on a revamp of their beloved home

Old friends arriving at the home of Jude Turner always make a beeline for the same spot. They gravitate toward the new kitchen island that has become a popular spot for sharing and preparing food. “Our previous counter wasn’t built for seating so people didn’t gather there so much,” says Jude. “Now that there are bar stools at one end, our friends love to sit there and chat. It’s also where we eat most of our family meals.” Jude and her husband Don embarked on a major makeover of their home in Northcote, Auckland in 2018. “We built this house 20 years ago and it has good bones but it was in need of some rejuvenation,” says Jude. “There was a lot of heavy wood, stainless steel and coloured concrete floor, which hadn’t aged very well.” The couple, and their teenage children Avery and David, are rapt with the results.

The family has put the kitchen to the test in the past year, hosting a variety of social occasions, from large birthday celebrations to small dinner parties. “The kitchen copes with it all,” says Jude. “With the larger gatherings, we had a food truck parked in the driveway, a giant grazing platter on the dining table and people just made themselves at home everywhere. With the smaller events, we’ll often do a yummy ham, a variety of tasty salads and fresh rolls and eat indoors or out. I love to try out new recipes; friends are usually the guinea pigs.”

The renovation was kept within the existing building envelope because the house is made of concrete block. Jude’s scheme involved introducing a simple colour palette, which required painting every room and laying down new flooring, as well as updating the bathrooms. “Everyone loves the lightness and brightness of our open-plan living area, and one of the big upsides is that the family is keen to keep the new kitchen looking clean and tidy.”

When it came to decorating, Jude had a clear vision of the colours, patterns and textures she wanted. “Because the walls are white, I’ve added colour through furnishings and artwork. I love pretty florals, lush botanics, the texture of velvet and linen. I just throw it all together, hoping it works,” she says of the scheme, which features cool blues and greens with splashes of ochre.

Aesthetics have always been a priority for Jude. “Even as a teenager, I was looking out for pictures or pieces to decorate my room, most of which travelled

‘I love pretty florals, lush botanicals, the texture of velvet and linen’

through the various flats I had over the years.” Ten years ago Jude turned her flair for colour and composition into a full-time occupation, launching her successful Birkenhead store Crave Home.

Being organised comes naturally to her. “It’s something that’s innate. When I’m at work I am constantly shuffling things around and keeping things fresh,” she says. “When we renovated our home I used that as an opportunity to reorganise our life. It has changed the way we live. We had a lot of stuff that had piled up over the years, stored in the garage or stuffed in cupboards. I ordered a series of orange flexi bins over a year, and room by room, sorted it into three categories: things to be re-gifted, handed on or chucked out. It was liberating. “

For Jude, clearing out the clutter doesn’t mean creating a home devoid of personality. Quite the opposite. “Our walls tell the story of our travels and adventures, our life and our family. It’s not so much about who or what you have, but how you put it together,” she says. “Our collection of art has always been about what we’ve liked, not who did it. Paintings by our children sit alongside those from galleries. A plastic elephant from my late mother-in-law has pride of place on a sideboard. Blend the sentimental with the stylish and stamp your own mark on your space.”

Every room in the house has been revamped, bar one. Don’s office is yet to be transformed. “It’s our shameful little secret, we try and keep the door closed on this one,” says Jude. She has plans to organise the books, files and piles of paperwork. “Then we will be done!”

THESE PAGES Even though Jude and Don Turner had to scramble for a replacement when the original splashback tiles didn’t arrive “these turned out to be exactly what we wanted,” says Jude; the Cintesi bar stools have just the right amount of curve to soften the harder lines of the kitchen, says Jude; the palm below is artificial: “I’ve added quite a few faux house plants to our collection – the quality is so good these days.”

THIS PAGE The rug from Aladdin Rugs kick-started the living room scheme; the velvet ottoman from Target is a favourite with everyone, used for extra seating and as a coffee table; the sofa is from Big Save Furniture and the cushions are from Crave Home and H&M; the sheepskin is also from Crave Home. OPPOSITE Avery, Jude and Max on the stairwell which doubles as a gallery: “We went through a phase of buying art for our birthdays and anniversary celebrations,” says Jude; the first piece was Peony by Jennifer Harmes to the right while the painting above Avery is a self-portrait she did when she was about seven.

ABOVE The Turners call this their grown-up lounge; it has become a default music room since Jude took up the cello a year ago; the view is across the harbour to Auckland city. RIGHT (from top) The kitchen table catches the morning sun and is a multi-functional surface for homework, crafting and as a buffet counter for large dinner parties. The barometer on the hall wall was gifted to Don’s grandfather Sir Harvey Turner in 1951 to mark 50 years of service to the wholesale produce industry.

THIS PAGE (clockwise from top) Avery has inherited her mother’s passion for aesthetics; currently studying design in Wellington, her room at home never stays the same for long. Brass fittings add a luxury look and are a feature of all of the bathrooms. Bear is a permanent fixture on the table next to David’s bed. OPPOSITE The botanical print in the guest bedroom is from Crave Home and the grey knot cushion is from Etsy.

THIS PAGE (from left) An artwork by Jane Shriffer hangs above a desk Jude inherited from her father: “I have strong memories of him sitting at this desk, paying the bills. I had noticed Jane’s work on Instagram and loved her palette knife technique.” Jude believes in displaying the things you love where you can see and enjoy them. OPPOSITE Artworks in the main living room include a circular piece from Chan Andreassend, a photograph of an orchid by Avery, a hand-sewn piece by Jude as a homage to designer Rachel Castle and a large blue and white canvas that arrived at her store with a damaged frame: “I tore the frame off and took it home and it fitted here perfectly.”