SHOP THEIR STYLE

Jolts of primary colour and collections of intriguing objects provide surprise and delight in this mid-century home

FRANCESCA’S DECORATING TIPS

+ Less is not more at Christmas. Let the creative juices flow, don’t take the decor too seriously and have fun.

+ Keep the aesthetic or colourway you love throughout the whole house. I love vintage and contemporary paper decorations mixed in with vintage metal pieces and disco balls – it works nicely in our mid-century home. Think vintage glitzy baubles, pretty paper chains and paper stars.

+ Bring back Christmas card etiquette. Maybe it’s my British background, but festive art and typography dotted throughout the home really says “Christmas is coming” to me.

+ Declutter before you add festive decorations. Pack away bits and pieces before Christmas stuff goes up, so when 5 January comes around and the tree and decorations are taken down, you get to redecorate and your home doesn’t feel so depleted.

HONESTY BOX

+ Best renovation lesson learned? There is no romance in DIY. Don’t pretend you’ll be falling further in love as you laugh over a spilt tin of paint. Typically, you’re tired, paint-splattered and annoyed you wasted a tin of paint. + What would you never do again? Attempt plastering. Even though we both now have Kiwi citizenship (we’ve built a deck to prove it), some things are best kept for the professionals.

+ DIY disasters? Plastering!

+ What’s one thing you’d change about your home if you could?

I’d have a window through the hill to the sea. I want the sea view, but without the stress of having to head up a hill in a decent earthquake. Or double glazing, radiators and a container lap pool. + Most memorable experience you’ve had in your home (good or bad)? The night the skylight was installed. I was up late, turned the lights off to head to bed, looked up and saw the Milky Way glowing overhead and could hear ruru (morepork) calling. It was magic. I feel blessed to live where I do.

BUDGET

+ How much have you spent on your home? Approx $120K.

TOP SHOPS

+ Turangi has a gem of a tip shop but don’t tell anyone…

+ Flotsam & Jetsam, flotsamandjetsam.co.nz, is my late-night Instagram-shopping whoops-a-daisy.

+ Brown & Co, Wellington, brownandco.co.nz – it’s an all-in-one art gallery, museum and boutique.