NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Lifestyle

Interiors: Practise makes perfect

By Leanne Moore
NZ Herald·
24 Oct, 2011 04:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Clutter-free living was a priority for the Cowies. Photo / Your Home & Garden

Clutter-free living was a priority for the Cowies. Photo / Your Home & Garden

Moving around the world, renovating many houses, has meant that one Auckland couple now have their home just the way they like it.

Having lived in various cities around the world, interior stylist Joanna Cowie has had plenty of experience at setting up home and renovating.

Napier-born Joanna and husband Neil, a South African, met in London and lived there for a while before moving to live in Johannesburg, Auckland and Sydney, then deciding to settle in Auckland.

In that time the couple have had three children - Matt, 21, Jamie, 19, and Emma, 15 - and Joanna has taken charge of eight renovations, as well as helping friends with their refurbishments.

Neil's career in retail has been behind most of the moves, and Joanna has enjoyed the challenge of taking on a new home project with each shift.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"Luckily, Neil and I are usually on the same page, and it has definitely become easier after eight projects together. Being a retailer, he has a great eye for detail, but I'm the creative one, and because he's away on business so much he leaves most of the decisions to me. I take responsibility for the interior, and leave Neil to look after the outdoors," says Joanna.

When the Cowies moved to Auckland two years ago, they found a house they loved in Murrays Bay.

"This house was a little dated, but we felt it wouldn't need too much to transform it into a great family home," says Neil. "We both agreed it would be a great do-up project. It had wonderful bones, great flow and tonnes of potential. We were immediately taken with the wooden floors, the art deco-style curved walls, and the beautiful sunny and private back deck."

They began on the bathrooms, which were gutted and redesigned so that they are simple, white and elegant. A new galley-style kitchen replaced the old U-shaped facilities.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I wanted a kitchen with clean lines and free of clutter - that's exactly what we have," Joanna says. "I like that look throughout our entire home."

The combination of white walls and stained dark wooden floors with simple, functional furniture provides a solid anchor for the home and stops it looking too busy.

Joanna is inspired by Australian interiors stylist Sibella Court. "I admire her innate ability to display seemingly random items as amazing collections without looking contrived," she says.

As a firm believer in mixing styles, Joanna says, "Nothing is more staged than sticking with one style - it can be very contrived, like a show home, and can look soulless. Our home reflects the family within, and really tells our story."

Discover more

Lifestyle

At home: Form and function

21 Sep 10:00 PM
Lifestyle

At home: A growing passion

28 Sep 04:30 PM
Lifestyle

Interiors: Covering all bases

06 Oct 04:30 PM
Lifestyle

Interiors: A state of requiring attention

17 Oct 02:00 AM

Style tips

Judgment call: When building an art collection, go with your gut instinct. Choose pieces that you love, not ones that you think will impress others.

Trial run: See if you can take pieces home on appro so you can try them out in your home before you commit to buying.

Picture perfect: Whatever you do, don't skimp on framing for art. Find a reputable and skilful framer who uses quality materials.

Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden. For the full story on this house see the latest issue of the magazine.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Lifestyle

Lifestyle

Is the McRib returning to NZ? Macca's addresses rumour after eagle-eyed Kiwis spot error

11 Jul 07:27 AM
Premium
Lifestyle

'It's not about being powerless': Experts explain submissive kink amid Sabrina Carpenter backlash

11 Jul 07:00 AM
Premium
Lifestyle

I’m a longevity doctor. These are my daily habits to stay young

11 Jul 06:00 AM

Get your kids involved in your reno

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Lifestyle

Is the McRib returning to NZ? Macca's addresses rumour after eagle-eyed Kiwis spot error

Is the McRib returning to NZ? Macca's addresses rumour after eagle-eyed Kiwis spot error

11 Jul 07:27 AM

Eyebrows were raised when the cult favourite began showing up on kiosks in-store.

Premium
'It's not about being powerless': Experts explain submissive kink amid Sabrina Carpenter backlash

'It's not about being powerless': Experts explain submissive kink amid Sabrina Carpenter backlash

11 Jul 07:00 AM
Premium
I’m a longevity doctor. These are my daily habits to stay young

I’m a longevity doctor. These are my daily habits to stay young

11 Jul 06:00 AM
How tinned fish became the star of dining trends

How tinned fish became the star of dining trends

11 Jul 12:00 AM
Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper
sponsored

Sponsored: Why heat pumps make winter cheaper

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP