Something old, something new

Letting inherited pieces dictate your decor can be a bit of a gamble, but the strategy has worked beautifully in a renovated Auckland bungalow owned by Belinda Weenink and her husband, Pete. The couple's home features a mix of heirlooms and contemporary pieces, which is in sync with the way the renovation of the Herne Bay home has merged traditional and modern.

"Nothing about this look was planned," says Weenink. "It evolved because we don't get to choose what we inherit, but I've tweaked it all to create our home. It's a rolling catastrophe. Nothing matches, but we've kept it pared back and we love every piece. It works for us."

The couple did, however, put a lot of thought into the renovation of the 1920s home they bought six years ago when Weenink was pregnant with Charlie, now 5. They lived in the home for a couple of years while they planned the renovations, which finally began when she was pregnant with Ben, now 4.

When work started, the family moved downstairs to the separate, self-contained basement flat.

"I pretended that we lived down here and we just had really noisy people living upstairs," laughs Weenink of the construction noise at the time.

"I told [the architect] to 'just drop some stairs down and make it simple, otherwise it won't happen",' she says.

In reality, the process was a lot more complicated than that but Weenink was confident she would get the result she was after. "[The architect] knew what I did and didn't like," she says. "His design works fabulously and it gave me a starting point for us to throw around our ideas and for us all to make the right decisions."

Intriguing touches are placed throughout the home, such as the marquetry trunk beside the fireplace, which still bears scorchmarks from a fire it was saved from in 1926. Beside a leather chair, Weenink's grandmother's Regency mahogany workbox contains cotton reels and vintage lace beneath its ebonised hinged lid.

A taxidermy pheasant and other faux birds remind Weenink of her childhood in Hawkes Bay.

"I bought the ornamental birds on impulse at a junk shop," she says. "I'm that sort of a shopper."

With the majority of the renovations behind them, the couple are keen to rework the front of their home and give it a new paint job.

"There's still lots to do, but we're really happy with our house, even though the decoration has been chaotic," says Weenink. "We love it!"

STYLE SECRETS

Time warp: When renovating a character home, try to blur the line where old meets new. In this home, the modern ceilings in the hallway, bathrooms and master bedroom match the original ceilings in the living areas.

Strong character: Weenink has added the panelled walls in the bathroom, complementing them with some vintage chrome taps. Panels also help to break up what could be a blank wall.

Be brave: If you have a favourite colour, don't be afraid to use it. Weenink loves blue and has used it in paint and furnishings in the bedrooms, bathrooms, dining room and lounge.

* Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden magazine. See the latest issue for the full story on this home and other ideas for your place.