When all the rage was for minimalist white interiors, Ian and Sharon couldn’t quite see that decorative approach fitting with their mellow 90-year-old bungalow. Previous owners had painstakingly retrofitted rimu and kauri timber to make it a feature and while exposed timber architraves and beams were also anti-trend, the couple couldn’t justify painting over it all. “So we made a compromise by painting the woodwork such as the architraves and window joiner in the new kitchen to make that area look fresh and clean, but left it unpainted in the main living areas for a cosier look,” says Sharon.

The colours also better complemented their Rose & Heather furniture, including a custom-made L-shaped rust leather sofa “that has been through the mill with two boisterous boys and lived to survive.”

To enhance that feel, she and Ian chose the soft wheaten shade of Resene Pavlova for the walls of the living areas and a range of botanically inspired curtaining fabrics.

Which space in the house do you get your greatest satisfaction from?

I really do love my kitchen. I have never been a fan of the fully open-plan idea of putting kitchens into the main living area so I like how mine is right next door to the dining and living areas but can be shut off. It’s a big space – big enough for a casual dining table which is our alternative to a breakfast bar. I describe it as a farmhouse-style kitchen with a modern twist.

I had the butcher’s block-style table made, and chose a galvanised tin top which is quite fun. The house is on a corner so I stand at the bench and look down the road opposite watching the world go by while I cook. I also love the old master bedroom at the front of the house. We use it as a guest room now after adding on a master bedrooms and ensuite at the back of the house. I painted it a lovely smoky grey/purple called Resene Salt Box which it can take because it’s a north-facing room with a corner bay and French doors so gets lots of light.

What was the biggest challenge with creating your home interior?

I thought it would be choosing the fabrics. I love furnishing fabrics and love pattern, and I did things the wrong way around really – I chose the paint colours then went looking for fabrics when I really should have chosen the fabrics first because there are so many Resene colours, you will always find something you like that suits.

In the end, I spend a day trawling around the fabric showrooms and pretty much cracked it. I thought Ian would look at the living room fabric, which has large birds and flowers, and say it was a nana-print but he loved it. I’ve always loved the botanical print in the kitchen too.

What colours did you use?

We used Resene Pavlova in the living areas, including on the custom-made bookcase. The kids rooms have been a couple of colours. At first one was Resene Shalimar (yellow) and the other Resene Ashanti (a green/blue) but then I redid them in Resene Eighth Fossil when I painted the office and ensuite. The kitchen cabinets are Resene Half Pearl Lusta, and the guest bedroom is Resene Rock Salt.

I remember seeing a bedroom down in a tobacco brown shade in a magazine some years ago and have always wanted that look. I found that Resene Double Pavlova did the job perfectly for our room.

The exterior of the house is Resene Stone Age, the base is Resene Triple Tapa, the trims are Resene Quarter Pearl Lusta and the front door is Resene Pohutukawa, which we really couldn’t go past considering we have a pohutukawa hybrid ‘Maori Princess’ planted beside the front entrance. The Cape Code style chair in the front garden is in Resene Charlotte while the gorgeous butterfly chairs are made by local company Flutter Design.

The kitchen was designed to have echoes of farmhouse style with botanic print blinds, timber floors, a butcher's block style table and paneled cabinetry in Resene Half Pearl Lusta. 

Facing north for plenty of sun and light, this guest bedroom looks stiking in Resene Salt Box. 

The second sitting area is used as a library, with a custom-made bookcase in Resene Pavlova to match the walls. 

Juju the miniature schnauzer guards the front door, which is painted Resene Pohutukawa. 

A corner of the master bedrooms has an antique dresser topped with model boats. The walls are Resene Double Pavlova.

The dining corner features a Rose & Heather table and leather chairs, along with a banana palm artwork by Mark Waller. The walls are Resene Pavlova. 

The office is at the rear of the garage and is painted Resene Eighth Fossil. The block walls in the courtyard are Resene Triple Tapa. 

The original timber beams are in part of the new living space, which glows with the wheaten tones of Resene Pavlova. 

A casual dining table and chairs, from Danske Mobler, is tucked into a corner of the kitchen, below an artwork made of painted plaster. The walls are Resene Pavlova.