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An Oasis of Calm with Neutral Shades

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In our overstimulated lives and minds, the movements of minimalism and mindfulness continue to resonate for people. Neutral colour palettes are an excellent base for incorporating these mindsets in our homes. It’s a tranquil and versatile trend that will be big in 2020.

By definition, neutrals are without colour but they can have undertones which are either warm or cool. You want to keep this in mind when mixing and layering shades. It’s best to stick with shades that have a similar undertone. The result should be visually restful — your eye flows easily from point to point.

Beige, through the name alone, can sound drab and safe but when used thoughtfully can be warm and welcoming. As you can see from this kitchen it pairs well with soft wood tones. The result is an open, light and calming space but definitely not boring!

Bring nature inside

Along with natural wood tones adding a touch of green with plants can work perfectly on a neutral backdrop. They help to purify the air and add a touch of life and colour while adding to the natural harmony. Structural and hardy snake plants, large tropical monstera leaves or perhaps the deep green of a lily. The chinese money plant below is another hardy choice that doesn’t mind a bit of shade in the bathroom.A neutral colour palette is a great opportunity to mix up patterns and textural elements without the risk of a visual mess. Layer different textures and place unique objects to add interest and personality. Just be mindful to keep the change in contrast low so it doesn’t get too busy.

As always lighting is important and will transform a room throughout the day. You can imagine how the look is changed when this structural pendant light is illuminated. The texture and shapes are complemented by the natural light through the louvre shutters.

Interior spaces with a neutral foundation are easier to change up and transform. You’re free to mix up the look of a room with different décor and furnishings without the time/cost of completely changing the colour scheme. Something that will appeal to potential buyers.

In the same way, the use of neutrals in exterior design also makes a lot of sense. They have timeless appeal which is important when considering resale value.

In tune with nature

Rather than standing out like a sore thumb we love the idea of a house which is designed to sit harmoniously in its surroundings. Natural materials of timber, brick and stone and other textural elements that will weather well over the years.

This home in Raumati used quite a few neutral tones which has worked to create heaps of interest plus draws you into the entrance. Coupled with Stratus Design Series® spouting and RP80® downpipe in Titanium, the outcome is stunning. See more on this home here.

Inspired by nature, the Marley Stratus Design Series® has a versatile collection of spouting and downpipe styles to add the perfect finishing touch.

The Marley Stratus Design Series® spouting and RP80® downpipe in Copper used below perfectly enhance the cedar cladding, making for a real feature home. You can read more about this modern build which embraces the earthy/natural aesthetic here. The Stratus Design Series® is available in a range of colours that will complement any exterior colour scheme and the natural elements used in your build. So, there you have it. Neutral colours are a shrewd and flexible choice which can cater to a range of design styles from traditional to modern. Get inspired by the warmth, light and beauty of the natural environment. [Read more…] about An Oasis of Calm with Neutral Shades

Road trip to Richmond

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Though they had never been to Nelson before – when purchasing their next renovation here, Alice and Caleb were confident that this location would be well worth the road trip! When they were scouting out Nelson, anyone who spoke about the location had the same response – people loved it.  Nelson is known as a town surrounded by stunning natural landscapes – lakes, mountains, rivers, native bush, beaches and promising plenty of sunshine. With a pace that is slow enough to enjoy the simple things in life – strolls along the many beaches, backyard BBQs with neighbours and a good flat white at your local. But a growing and developing town, with plenty of thriving local businesses and an easy place to fly in and out of.

A 100-Year-Old Diamond

From the first time they spotted this house’s listing, it stood out. Built by a local builder in 1910’s, it was full of potential – a flat faced villa with a central hallway, high studs, and the lean-to extensions added over her 100-year life. Three roomy bedrooms and an airy front living room, with the kitchen and dining room opening onto a big outside area, screaming for some attention and the chance to create some great outside living spaces. From the front veranda, you can look out to the Richmond Hills and enjoy all-day sun.

Living in a Renovation

Alice and Caleb, along with their two children Alek 5 and Mika 3 moved in and started renovating. The strategy was to renovate two rooms at a time containing all of the renovation mess into one place. It allowed them to be productive, in seeing a whole room was completed before moving on to the next project. The huge benefit in this approach is having time to live in the house and consider the flow and feeling of the house. Knowing how you live in a house, makes it easier to design and renovate.

Old World – New World

Alice and Caleb consider it a true privilege to be able to give new life to a house with so much history. The design and workmanship of the last century is still impressive today, so the objective is to add elements that enhance the features of the old villa while still giving it a fresh modern look. Wallpaper provided the perfect way to do this, using patterns that were inspired by the trends of the past but designed to be on trend in 21st century.

First Impressions Last

The entrance to their Diamond was an opportunity to add a design statement and make a strong first impression of the house. They painted the exterior “Umber White”, the trims and fretwork “All Black”, the concrete porch and roof “Grey Friars” and the front door a strong pop of “Coral Tree”. Then they replaced all of the spouting with Marley Stormcloud® spouting and RP80® downpipes in white. The versatile quarter-round spouting profile with clean, strong lines suits the traditional exterior but also gives a modern look. Not to mention, it will serve this old beauty well into the future!

We have people in the neighbourhood constantly stopping us to thank us for giving the villa it’s new look, it has made an impression and a nice exterior doesn’t just impact your house but the whole street.

Full Time Renovators

After years of doing renovations in weekends and weeknights – this house has been renovated with Alice and Caleb’s full attention and DIY skill set. Alice single-handily hung most of the wallpaper in the house and took charge of the interior design and planning. Caleb has developed his DIY skill set, to now include cabinetry making, kitchen installation, tiling, floor sanding and installing new spouting and downpipes. Caleb says

replacing the spouting for your whole house is easily achieved in a weekend and is a straightforward DIY task with the correct planning and tools.

To watch Alice and Caleb’s how to video – click here.

This house has been renovated to sell, but also renovated to last. With the new uPVC spouting and downpipes, upgrade to the electrics, addition of gas for water heating and cooking, unovent system, heat pump and floor and ceiling insulation – Alice and Caleb hope this house has another 100 years of life in her yet!

About Alice and Caleb

Alice and Caleb are expert renovators, having completed 9 house renovations – with their winning renovation on the Block 2013 being what they are most known for. They started 9 years ago when they purchased their first home together, with a project on their hands and no DIY experience. But since then their passion for projects, property and learning has only grown.

Alice and Caleb are currently in the middle of their Renovation Road Trip. Having left their jobs, packed everything into a car, they set off to travel around NZ doing renovations. The concept being that they are taking time off from normal life to do something completely different. Buying a house that needs a makeover in a completely new town, travelling the country to get there, renovating it, selling it, and sharing the story and their life as they go – all the time with 2 kids on board for this adventure. They have finished up their previous project in Alexandra, Central Otago, and this is their 10th renovation in Richmond, Nelson. They share this journey through their website and social media channels, Pearson + Projects.

Social Accounts
Facebook @AliceandCaleb
Instagram @PearsonandProjects
Pinterest @PearsonProjects
Website www.pearsonandprojects.com

Horse heaven in South Auckland

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It’s not often you see a person’s passion intertwine perfectly with where they live. But at Pintala in the South Auckland area of Waiau Pa, Nick Bates has achieved exactly that.

After spending some years in the States where he developed a great admiration for Pinto horses, Nick sought to build a home on a property that allowed him to indulge his passion for the breed while still working in real estate in Pukekohe.

No detail overlooked

Nick spent 3 months searching for the perfect spot and his perseverance paid off. Pintala is on a beautiful site in rural South Auckland with views over the Manukau Harbour, out to Awhitu Peninsula, the Waitakere Ranges and even the city lights in the distance.

I just love living here. The views, the sunrise and sunset are stunning. I even have ROW access to the water for beach rides. And I’m close to work. We couldn’t be happier.

Cape cod on the Manukau

The only thing on site when Nick bought it was an old stock shelter, so he pretty much had a blank canvas to begin with. Nick had firm ideas on what he wanted; a rustic-contemporary look, lots of black with white highlights to capture a Cape Cod feel, and most importantly he wanted to live in a home surrounded by equestrian facilities.

I wanted it to be simple in design and to function effortlessly. I didn’t want a glitzy show home, I wanted a working, practical home that also looked good.

Marley Stratus Design Series® in Ironsand® was an obvious choice when Nick was deciding on a complimentary spouting system.

Keeping it local

Nick made a point of using local tradespeople and they didn’t let him down. Sam Crisp had a particular knowledge for building lifestyle buildings and Customkit were a key part of the team. Their close working relationship with Nick and excellent communication kept the stress levels to a minimum.

In keeping with the rustic look and keeping in mind the coastal location Nick wanted wood wherever possible. Board and batten exteriors are used on the cottage, implement shed, and horse barn, all coated in Resene Blackjack CoolColour, which will softly weather and give a permanence to the buildings. The roof is Colorsteel® Endura Corrugated Iron in Thunder Grey.

Everyone who visits is in awe of the detail, layout and facilities. All of which really do complement the amazing location.

Building for the long term

Pintala is one of those properties that will continue to get better with age. Building with sustainable timber, installing LED lighting and energy saving double glazing all help minimise the property’s impact on the environment. A great deal of planting has also been done, this includes grasses and ground cover, and numerous native plants especially chosen to cope with the coastal location.

The nearby beach was a factor in the choice of spouting and downpipes as well. The Marley Stratus Design Series® was suggested by Customkit because of the fact that it doesn’t rust, is UV resistant, carries a 15-year guarantee and has a great range of colours.

The Typhoon® spouting profile, in Ironsand®, was picked by Nick because it suited the board and battern exterior. The external brackets suit the traditional style of the house and also make the spouting very easy to clean.

When asked what he would change if he was to do it all again. Nick replied: “Not a thing!”

That’s a sure sign of a job well done!

A big thank you to Customkit for the editorial information and to John Mailley for the photography.

Villa magic in Sandringham

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After six months of searching, property developers Daniel and Kate found exactly what they were looking for; a 1900’s Villa with good bones on a flat section in a great location in Sandringham.

The Villa was looking it’s age yet was in a family friendly street that had instant appeal to the parents of 5 year old Kourtney and 18 month Justin.

“It’s in a safe, quiet street. There are lots of kids about and it has a lovely old Kiwi feel where everyone is relaxed and friendly. The neighbourhood is also home to several good restaurants and bars so we don’t have to go far for the occasional night out!” says Daniel.

From modest beginnings

The initial plan was to simply add a 4 metre lean-to extension to the rear of the house but that soon changed. Daniel and Kate did a major on it. Half of the existing house was removed and what remained was completely gutted.

They ended up keeping what they liked; the high ceilings and the central hallway, and redesigning the rest so that it fitted with the needs of modern family living.

“We’ve ended up with a spacious 4 bedroom, 3 bathroom Villa with open plan kitchen/dining/living at the rear of the house. From the street it’s still a Villa, but inside it’s very much a 21st century home.”

To accommodate the extra space Daniel and Kate built a massive 7 metre x 9 metre extension to the rear of the house. And rather than having a traditional flat lean-to roof they opted to fabricate new trusses which enabled them to retain an A frame style roof and generous 3.1metre height ceilings.

Tradition with a twist

One of the downsides to owning a Villa can be the lack of interior light. So we made sure that we maximised natural light and added energy efficient LED lighting where possible.

To enhance the light and freshness of the interior, Dulux Te Apiti paint was used on all walls apart from the children’s rooms.

Dulux Waimanga Valley was used in Kourtney’s room. Coupled with a pink chandelier and striped wallpaper, this is truly a space fit for a princess.

And Dulux Hari Hari for Justin’s room – it’s calm and soothing which is just what you need for a 2-year old sometimes!

The master bedroom is stylishly decorated in light tones, and being the room at the front of the house, it has a beautiful bay window which drenches the space in light.

The bathroom is tiled in a light grey marble with a gorgeous freestanding bath that sits under the traditional sash window.

All the rooms are meticulously finished and the styling is modern yet respects all the traditional features of the home. Perhaps you’d call it modern classic!

In keeping with tradition Daniel and Kate chose a dark grey and white exterior colour scheme with Dulux Maraetai for the weatherboards and Dulux Classic Vivid White for the frames and trim.

Colorsteel® Grey Friars roofing and matching Marley Typhoon® spouting and RP80® downpipes completed the picture stylishly.

We went with Marley because of their wide range of styles and colours. We particularly liked the fact that Marley Typhoon® gives you the option of internal brackets. They not only look great but also suit the character of the Villa.

Daniel and Kate are also early adopters of the innovative new rain harvesting product, Marley Twist®. It’s a compact rainwater diverter that turns your downpipe into a free source of water for watering the garden, topping up the pool, general cleaning or emergency use.

Twist® can be easily installed on existing or new PVC downpipes and can quick connect to a collection tank via any standard garden hose fitting. A simple “twist” on-off control lets you access rainwater from your downpipe as and when you need it. Twist is designed to connect a single downpipe to a small collection tank of up to 1,000 litres however Daniel and Kate have opted for a handy 300L tank.

Good things take time

Daniel and Kate resisted the temptation to plant an instant garden. Instead they have gone for a range of plantings that while taking time to grow will really suit their location and compliment a 1900’s Villa.

They used Buxus for border hedging and Lily Pillys to add privacy to the backyard where you’ll find the children’s playground and large deck and BBQ area.

Family comes first

Even though Daniel and Kate have laboured for 8 months to build a wonderfully luxurious and almost completely new family home, they’re certainly not precious about it.

The kids are free to use the long hallway as a racetrack on their bikes and roller skates and just be kids.

As Kate says: “It’s a family home and it’s to be lived in. Floors can be sanded, walls can be repainted. Good memories in a loving and warm home will last a lifetime.”

Jo & Richard’s rejuvenation of a 100-year-old beauty

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When Richard purchased this run down Ponsonby villa 14 years ago he knew it needed some serious love (and money) to get it back to its former glory. Jo totally agreed when she moved in a couple of years later but was happy to wait for the right time to get started. After the arrival of two children, Olivia and Luke, that time has finally arrived.

The whole house was in a real state of disrepair with rotting floors, broken spouting, crumbling front steps and more. Over the past six months, the home has been fully restored from the foundations up. Every room has been taken back to framing and rebuilt with a focus on a warm, quiet, safe and energy efficient home – a far cry for how it was built and renovated over the past 100 years!

The family wanted a simple classic colour for the base so vibrancy could be added on top ensuring the décor wouldn’t date too quickly. Resene Black White and Triple Black White was the perfect choice and used throughout. The overall style of the home is modern with a bit of retro thrown in.

Jo and Richard knew what they wanted from a practical and functional perspective, based on how they live, but received some help on the finishing touches from Kate Alexander (Interior Designer) and Nikki from Resene.

Talk to the experts. Tell them what you want to achieve and make decisions based on the information they supply – they know what they are talking about. Also, trust your style and taste as you are the ones that will live with it

Colour has been added to a feature wall in the lounge and Luke’s bedroom with the gorgeous Resene Fuscious Grey from the Karen Walker Series. Olivia’s room also has a feature colour with Resene Frozen from the Designer Series – a soft blue, perfect to offset the natural timber and hot pink used throughout the room.

The exterior of the villa has also been fully renovated with a thorough lick of paint in Resene Quarter Delta, new roof in Grey Friars and matching spouting and downpipes from the Marley Stratus Design Series® (Marley Stormcloud® and RP80® in Grey Friars). Stormcloud® features internal brackets for a streamline look, stunning on the front square fronted villa with veranda. Overall, the natural choice to match the roof and stand the test of time as the old gem starts the next 100 years.

If you’d like to watch this beauty come to life, check it out on Creative Living – episodes available on 3Now or www.creativeliving.tv

More questions for Jo and Richard…

What part of the house are you most happy with?

It is hard to pick one but I think the living and kitchen area flowing out to the backyard is our favourite part.

What was the biggest decorating, renovating or building challenge for this project?

The costs – it always costs more than you expect and you can always make it better. Try and make a plan and stick to it. It is hard because a lot of what you spend goes into things you can’t see and you don’t usually have much left in the end for the things you can see.

Do you have a favourite colour, and if so why is it your favourite?

We’ve gone with a warm grey as the base for the house and it works well so we can bring through some of the amazing colours from my favourite painting – the greens, oranges and greys.

Petone,Wellington

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Spouting: Typhoon®
Colour: Grey Friars
Bracket Type: External
Downpipe: RP80® 80mm Round Downpipe
Location: Petone,Wellington
Products: Marley Stratus Design Series®

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