A change of home and lifestyle allowed a family to create a décor to suit.
Life changed for the better in more ways than one for Vicki Reid and husband George Vice when they moved from Auckland to the Bay of Plenty.
Vice wanted to leave the corporate world, so the young couple seized the opportunity to take over a family kiwifruit orchard business. The move also suited Reid, who used to work in a fashion design studio, but now co-owns Oyl, a women's clothing brand.
The shift also means the couple and their two daughters enjoy living in a warm and dry house, as opposed to their previous homes, a Californian bungalow in Auckland and before that a workingman's cottage in Wellington, which was a bit of a shocker.
"It was only 78sq m, had two bedrooms, no hallway, no insulation and was cold and damp. It's a far cry from what we have now," says Reid.
When they made the move to Papamoa, they enlisted an architectural designer, who not only designed their house with its high, sloping ceilings and pine features but also found the family a site near the beach and bordering a reserve.
The open-plan main living area, with its walls of glass, looks out on a peaceful rural setting that also provides a backdrop to the outdoor seating area.
Vice's South African heritage is evident in the home's decor, including two fertility dolls propped up on the kitchen island, a red Zulu wedding hat hanging above a doorway and some other rustic wooden pieces.
When the couple moved to the Bay of Plenty, their 9-year-old daughter Stella was a baby. She has since been joined by Maia, 6. The girls have their own bedrooms, with individual designs. Stella's room has a huge floral print with lots of pink, while Maia has a fairyland theme with castles, flowers and fairies.
Off the hallway is a fourth bedroom for visitors, although it more commonly serves as a playroom/media room or an office. This area, which Reid describes as "a real must" for house plans, is separated from the main living area by pohutukawa-red doors (the same colour as the front door).
She has repeated this colour in art and fabrics in this area, while in the main bedroom and main bathroom azure is the detail colour.
The family has discovered their long, wide and light hallway is a great place to display art, photos and memorabilia. Maia, who wants to be an artist, has a piece on display, while on the opposite wall hangs a large Fijian tapa cloth from the island where Reid and Vice spent their honeymoon.
Style tips
Buy quality: Buying the best may cost a little more but the pleasure that quality items will give you and their longevity will make it worthwhile.
Personal treasures: Reid believes in decorating a house with objects that have meaning or are inspirational. "Everything in our house has a story and is sentimental," she says. "Don't buy all new furnishings and accessories when you move into a contemporary home."
Colour coding: The colours of your interior can often reflect those you choose for your wardrobe. "A colour consultant once told me that people often subconsciously dress their homes in the colours they should be wearing themselves," Reid says.
Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden. See the latest issue, on sale now, for more achievable home ideas.
