SHOP THEIR STYLE

A base of soft neutrals makes space for subtle pops of colour, curvy shapes and ample texture to sit on top

Honesty box

Best memories in your home? The first week we moved in, we hosted people every night. We were excited about having our own place and couldn’t wait to show it to people and have them over. I love friends and family coming over for dinners, drinks, coffee or just popping in.

Best purchase? The curved couch. I feel like it’s a furniture piece that I will have forever. Also, the stunning stone coffee tables, which were Trade Me steals.

What would you never do again?

Light coloured carpet. It’s not ideal when toilet training a puppy.

New build tips

+ Visit as many show homes as you can. It’s so good seeing different layouts as well as ideas and inspiration for design.

+ Allow yourself enough time to make decisions.

+ Include plenty of bracing or fixing. Think ahead about where you want to hang artwork, towel rails, TVs, wall-mounted bedside tables.

+ Do your research into products, read reviews and get samples.

+ Think about what parts of the house are the most important and see where you can compromise in the areas that matter less to you.

Budget

Where did you save? Our bathroom tiles. I wanted to have the whole room in green tiling. It was one of the hardest decisions, but we had to go for the most cost-effective option.

Best tip for budget saving? If there are certain things you want, try and do them on a smaller scale.

Contacts

ADM Construction, 03 420 6222. Managed our build smoothly and patiently and got it done on time.

Sullivan Glass & Glazing,

022 580 5649. They did all our mirrors, including the fabulous abstract mirror in our entrance.

Creative Joinery,

creativejoinery.co.nz. They turned our kitchen dream into reality. The quality of their work is next level.

1 Garden Jumble framed canvas, $329, from Freedom. 2 Pendant lampshade, $69 (85cm), from Flux Boutique. 3 Ferm Living pond mirror, $720 (large), from Slow Store. 4 J5 olive tree, $24.99, from Kings Plant Barn. 5 Berlin self water pot in nude, $44.99 (large), from Shut The Front Door. 6 Artificial sprawling plant in footed pot, $10, from Kmart. 7 Mineral coffee table, $3360, from Slow Store. 8 Moroccan leather pouf, $199, from Moi on George. 9 Marshall Stanmore bluetooth speaker, $699, from Gary Anderson. 10 Lawrence club chair, $1499.99, from A&C Homestore. 11 Palliser sideboard, $1999.99, from The Market. 12 Frankie organic cotton duvet cover, $199, and Frankie organic cotton pillowcase pair, $59.90, from Citta.