When Angie and Anton Masutti were looking for a place to bring up their three children, they couldn't go past the small settlement of Pataua South, east of Whangarei. It's a special place for Angie - six generations of her family have either lived at Pataua or had a bach
Interiors: Anything and everything
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Angie and Anton Masutti colourful home. Photo / Your Home and Garden
"I'm a fan of vintage and the exotic - I love that high-end hippie look," laughs Masutti.
"Colour is important to me and I love the warmth that a mix of richly textured fabrics brings to a family home. They make it cosy and tactile.
"Maybe if we didn't have children we would have done this house quite differently, but I feel that when you have children a house has to have a heart, as well as being a useful and functional place. I like things to have an organic rather than a contrived feeling, so adding layers of colour, texture and pattern creates an interesting, eclectic vibe. You can mix things up in an interior like this. Most things will work and you won't tend to get bored as it's timeless.
"I love richly embroidered Central Asian fabric and I was wanting vintage furniture covered in it for decorative impact. When I couldn't find what I wanted I decided to buy my own secondhand furniture and have it covered with the fabrics I'd sourced. It looked amazing and had the delicious, eclectic style I was after."
Friends loved what she'd done, and before long Masutti was making pieces for other people's homes, leading her to begin her own decor business.
Style tips
Just do it: If you can't find something you want in the shops, roll up your sleeves and make it yourself.
Starting point: White walls don't necessarily make for a sterile environment. Indulge your love of colour in accessories and fabrics instead.
More is more: Avoid a cookie-cutter look by combining vintage pieces with items from other cultures.
Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden. For more pictures of this home see the latest issue of Your Home & Garden, on sale now.