First-time builders Fiona and Phil Gregg designed their home in Ohauiti and moved in last
year with their children Teagan, 7, and Mackenzie, 5. We chat to Fiona.
We have been here about six months. We designed the house ourselves to suit the section, which backs on to a green belt.
I drew up the plan roughly and took it to Fowler Homes. The whole process has been a collaboration from start to finish.
I am quite particular about colour. I chose the colours, starting with the bright red splashback, and worked my way through the entire house. I have since calmed down the red with touches of green, including three home-made fluffy cushions.
Being an energy advocate for Energy Options, my husband Phil concentrated on the heating, solar and energy-saving side. We wanted the kitchen and dining area to be the main focal point, and [be] a big open space. Phil does most of the cooking, so he had a lot of say in the kitchen. He put two ovens on his list. The red is picked up on the leather bar stools at the bench and on the red seats at the dining table, which was a family heirloom from Phil's side.
Phil really wanted the big island. I thought it was too big, but it's great. We like to line up along the bench and talk to Phil while he cooks. We recently had 14 adults standing around the bench eating Phil's gourmet pizza. Another reason we built our own house was to allow space for my art studio. The paintings on the walls are all mine. In our old house I used to paint on the dining table, but I always had to tidy the paints and the easel away so the children didn't get their hands on them.
Now that Mackenzie has started school, I have started to get back into painting. I am working on a couple of commissions and a couple of paintings for the Bethlehem College Art Exhibition. As well as painting, I work as a support worker and advocate for people living with mental illness.
