Homebodies

Photographer rachel dobbs lives with charlise, 15, and joy, 2, in a sweet a-frame house in papamoa beach, new zealand.

Describe this house for us, please. The house is an A-frame built in the early 1970s – one of a handful in the area. (Though it stands out with the pink cladding and extra-large deck.) Other than an extension to include a ’70s-style ‘motel feel’ spa and rumpus room, it’s mostly the original structure still. It’s deceptively large, with three bedrooms and a landing, which is currently being used as a spare room. The house is full of quirks, which we love.

How long have you had it? Coming up to two years. Originally, it was purchased as an investment property and was listed on Airbnb, but it’s now my full-time home.

How would you describe the neighbourhood? Papamoa is right next to the ocean in the Bay of Plenty, on New Zealand’s North Island. The area has a casual vibe compared to the neighbouring Mount Maunganui. I love the proximity to the beach and the fact it’s not a tourist trap. We’re very popular with friends over summer, being so close to the water!

What have you done to the place since you moved in? We’ve given it a new roof, removed the fake-brick cladding, re-clad it with Linea weatherboard, and added new joinery on the front to open it up onto a new deck. We also painted the place pink, took out kitchen walls to create more of an open-plan dining area, built a breeze block kitchen island, and removed old carpet and lino throughout. Oh, and we painted the concrete floors a fresher light grey.

What’s the first thing you see when you walk in the door? Lots of plants, the breeze block island and those funky, splattered plaster walls.

Can you share a favourite memory that’s taken place in the house? Once we opened up the living/dining space and added the deck, it was perfect for entertaining, so we’ve had many evenings here with friends sitting around the kitchen sharing a meal or a few drinks. I plan on many more gin and tonics and vegetarian barbeques!

How would you describe your decorating style? Where do you find all the pieces? I’m a plant lady who also loves everything from the ’70s. 99 per cent of the items in our house are thrifted or recycled, like the cane couch, which was my score of the year, found on the side of the road. The film fridge was a birthday gift from a friend, and the wooden shelf on the landing came with the house, which I was thrilled about. I still have big plans for adding to the place, but I want to spend a bit of time enjoying it before I do any more renos or bring in other pieces, like a big ol’ retro sectional lounge suite (that I’m yet to find).

How have you used colour throughout the house? Inside, the colours are mostly original – I kept the yellow splashback in the kitchen, and I’m too scared to attack the off-white splattered plaster throughout the walls of the house. We were either going pink or black for the exterior; it was always going to be polarising, but I’m so happy with it. I get funny looks from people driving past and the odd ‘is that colour primer’ joke, but I’m thrilled with how it looks.

What goes on in your house (aside from sleeping)? It’s full-on with a toddler and a teenager going about their daily lives. Mealtimes are hectic, but we love cooking and eating together at the kitchen island. I also use the house for my fashion photography work – it has so many interesting corners and great light, so I’m happy about that.

Have there been any challenges or issues in setting up the space? There are endless challenges with older homes – especially triangle-shaped older homes! As an A-frame structure, there are limited upright walls for art, which is a bummer. And by removing the kitchen wall, I also took out the majority of the storage, so I have to get creative or go hungry.

What of your personality can we see in your home? I like to do stuff – surf, ride bikes and skate – so I have my prized old-school BMX Healing Supermax in the lounge. I like to have things I love around me, so it doesn’t bother me if it doesn’t match – I just bring in stuff that makes me happy or has a great memory attached.

Which is your favourite feature of the house? I love the textured plaster walls. It was originally a feature I thought I’d change – it looked like someone had just gone around throwing plaster at the wall to create a ‘rough sea’ look – but it has grown on me. It’s one of the quirky features of the home that I’ve come to really appreciate. The bathroom was also an eyesore at first, but the blue tiles have become something I’ll struggle to let go of. I feel like I’m responsible for a piece of local history, and keeping those quirks is essential.

Is there anything more you’d like to change? Right now, the bathroom, laundry, shower and toilet are all in separate, poky rooms. I’d love to make one big plant-filled room with a big pink bath and matching fittings.

Where do you go to find a little downtime and relax? We deliberately have no TVS in the house – the lounge is centred around a record player, as I want my girls to grow up listening to music, not constantly behind a screen. That room definitely gets used the most. Other than that, I love surfing out the front or riding my mountain bike in the redwood forest, which is an hour from the house.

What does home mean to you? After spending three months in temporary accommodation, it’s become clear to me that home is where my girls are. I’m very happy to now be in my actual home surrounded by my favourite things – in a space where I can relax and enjoy time with my family.