The Kellehers have spent the past 10 years renovating their home inside and out. Photo / Supplied
There are times when being a parent requires the negotiation skills of a United Nations ambassador - like when redecorating a little girl's bedroom.
Six-year-old Lilly Kelleher's bedroom is a little girl's delight, with white furniture, soft pink quilts and cushions, and a beautiful dolls' house to
play with. Her mother Trina Kelleher was happy to indulge her girlish ideas, up to a point.
"Lilly really wanted everything pink but I did the opposite and chose a soft blue because I knew, in the long term, she would outgrow all the pink. It was pretty hard finding a girly blue, but I think this one works. And it looks great with the flowers and stripes. I wanted it to be pretty but I also wanted it to last her until she is a teenager, when she will probably want to do her own thing with it anyway."
Kelleher has plenty of ideas when it comes to children's bedrooms. She owns Cocobelle, a Wellington store specialising in children's furniture and accessories.
"I spent a long time looking for things I wanted and just couldn't find them. Because I'd studied interior architecture at university I was keen to use my degree and juggle motherhood at the same time. Opening the store seemed the perfect solution. Some people might think I'm mad, but I love being surrounded by children's things all day."
Three-year-old Oscar's room reflects that passion. Boats, trains and cars in soft blues, greens, and red make his space suitably masculine. "With the house being a Victorian villa," says Kelleher, "I wanted to make sure the kids' rooms were classic but still really workable and stylish at the same time. I didn't want them to be overly fussy but still have character."
It's an ethos that spills over into the rest of the house. There is scarcely a spot inside the 100-year-old villa that hasn't felt her creative touch. She and her partner have gradually worked on the house over the past 10 years, re-gibbing and painting walls, repainting the exterior, updating bathroom fittings and renovating the kitchen.
"I think sometimes people rush to have shiny new things with hard surfaces and lots of concrete, but I just love these old houses. They may be draughty but they breathe and are much softer."
Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden. For more ideas from the magazine click here
