Friends of Viva: Carolyn Haslett
Inner-city living reminds this top photographer and hair and makeup artist of life in Paris
Carolyn Haslett is always chasing natural light. So it comes as no surprise that the photographer’s two-bedroom inner-city apartment is bright, airy and flooded with sunlight.
What’s harder to envisage is that when she first came across the heritage home, on the top floor of Parliament Street’s Courtville building, it was dark and dingy, the walls covered in hessian sacking and “horrendous” wallpaper. She eventually bought the rental and set about transforming it “bit by bit” over 22 years.
Although it has a footprint of just 97 square meters, Carolyn has created the illusion of more space by painting the interior and the dark kauri floors white, and keeping it clutter-free.
Living here suits her busy life as one of the country’s most sought-after photographers and hair and makeup artists, working for fashion and lifestyle magazines and websites, as well as commercial clients and individuals.
When she’s not out and about in the city working, she often shoots at home, preventing the need to lug all her equipment. Next to the kitchen is a sunroom that makes for the ideal portrait studio, meaning clients don’t even need to leave the CBD.
“It’s super easy living here in terms of people visiting for work or me just being able to get around the city easily,” says Carolyn. “[My partner] John and I just have the one car or we Uber everywhere.”
Carolyn’s rare combination of skills not only make her a one-stop shop, but she seldom has a quiet patch. This week her eclectic schedule includes doing hair and makeup for a billboard shoot, a magazine cover, portraits for two business women for which she’ll also do hair and makeup, and a family shoot.
Working in Paris as a makeup artist when she first started out meant that when it came time to return to New Zealand, apartment living made sense; she was accustomed to being within walking distance of the city’s attractions, and having the sense of security an apartment block provides.
As one of Auckland’s first residential apartment buildings, Courtville certainly has a Parisian sensibility, with its Victorian picture rails and attractive leadlight bay windows in the living and bedrooms.
In the summer, these are thrown open to let the breeze through.
The second bedroom, once her work space but now home to John’s items, has a lovely balcony with potted plants, a romantic spot to curl up with a book.
Although entertaining can be challenging given its size, that hasn’t stopped Carolyn from hosting parties. The couple happily do without a dining table, which gives the living room – the original master bedroom – even more space.
“I used to host Christmas parties for my colleagues for years. There’d be about 10 of us in here, and we’d just clear the room and I set up a very long table, very festive. These days if I have people round it’s usually just for snacks. It’s a great location for pre-dinner drinks.”
The kitchen is typical of an apartment in that it’s functional as opposed to spacious, and it still has the dishwasher she put in 19 years ago. Elsewhere, Carolyn maximises the space by hanging her pots, pans and utensils on the walls. Despite not being particularly fond of her oven which she says is difficult to clean and maintain, she and John do a lot of cooking.
“In the winter we do a lot of hearty dishes, chicken cooked with leeks and onions, green beans with olives, stews with lentils, soups. I love cooking risottos. Then in summer, salads.”
Downtime is easy here too, she says. Despite the occasional night-time disturbance from a car with its stereo booming, it’s surprisingly quiet, even though it’s just moments from the motorway.
The bathroom has a large, clawfoot bath which gets a lot of use.
“I can completely lie down in it which is wonderful.” However, she adds, the concrete and plaster building has a tendency to trap moisture.
Meanwhile, the apartment block has a communal laundry with commercial washing machines and dryers, meaning a trip to the basement in the original birdcage lift is in order when washing gets done. It’s just another facet of apartment life she’s become used to.
“I’ve often thought it would be lovely living in the country but I think I’d eventually get bored and find it too quiet. Here there’s definitely a vibe 24/7, which
I don’t think I could live without.”