SHOP THEIR STYLE
Magpie finds, timeless cane and classic furniture have been mixed with graphic art to create an interior full of interest and meaning
HANNAH’S TOP TIPS
+ Paint your walls white and hang a picture over any imperfections.
“If there’s a problem, just cover it.” + Have a lot of greenery inside. “I love having big leaves in my house.” + Use baskets for storage. “All of Grace’s toys are in baskets, so they look good but they’re all away.”
+ Put out everything you love and things with meaning, not just stuff bought new from a shop.
+ Trade Me is still great for original finds.
HONESTY BOX
+ What areas of the renovation did you save on? Doing a modest reno on the bathroom and DIY-ing most of the painting. I’m not the best painter but it still looks fine. + Splurges? Central heating was definitely a splurge; and ripping up the carpet and doing the wooden floors because they did need gaps filled.
+ Best lesson learned? You don’t actually need curtains; it’s quite nice living without them. Once we got central heating, I’ve never missed them.
+ What would you never do again? Live in a big house. A big house does have all those charms but it’s a lot of work; something always needs doing. It’s great when you’ve got a big family but I really enjoy living smaller now we’ve moved.
+ Any disasters? Letting a painter choose to paint one of the living rooms Resene Bianca instead of the usual Half Bianca. Sometimes with tradespeople you can use their ideas because they’re experienced, but if you know what you’re doing, just go with what you think.
+ Most memorable experience in the house? When Grace had her friends round and they were all in the pool. Summer in Hawke’s Bay with kids in the pool is a happy memory. You don’t have to leave the house to do an activity because it’s kind of all there.
BUDGET
+ How much have you spent on your home? $35,000 for the initial five-month renovation, and a further $30,000 for the ducted central heating a year later.