The living area is flooded with natural light, so Vanessa opted for a deep shade on the walls to offset some of the brightness. Visitors always ask what colour it is because it seems to change from black to charcoal to navy, depending on the light.

Vanessa isn’t sentimental about furniture, so she sold most of theirs before leaving Auckland. It meant she was able to start afresh with two new couches and a custom-made dining table.

Although the kitchen is workable, Vanessa would like to change it around so that all the high cabinets are on one side only – but she’s too busy designing other people’s houses to get to her own!

Vanessa painted a vertical stripe in her home office, in Dulux ‘Happy’, to provide inspiration while she worked. It has a magnetic undercoat so she can also use it as a moodboard.

Vanessa livened up the “boring” grey rubber floor by painting stripes across it.

The pink and gold heart decals in Pippa’s room were a mission to get right, but the effect was worth it.

With an interior designer in the house, you can be guaranteed of some quirky details, such as the pink painted triangle in Annabelle’s room.

Vanessa is also no stranger to employing furniture, art and furnishings to liberally sprinkle colour throughout the house.

The girls never tire of spotting famous landmarks in their playroom’s wallpaper.

The pink triangle effect in Annabelle's room.

The pink triangle paint effect in Annabelle’s room has been carried through to the master bedroom. Here it is paired with black accents to contrast with the room’s pastel colour scheme and connect with the adjacent deck’s black furniture.

Upstairs, the master suite is a case study in clean lines and cool minimalism with hints of soft colour in dreamy fabrics.

The enclosed deck off the upper storey’s master suite is sheltered from the wind, making it a pleasant spot to be at any time of day.

There’s plenty of room for a seating area plus a gorgeous black swinging egg chair (from Freedom Furniture) when you need some alone time with a good book.

When the Webbs bought the house, the section was overgrown and unloved so Vanessa wasted no time in calling in the landscapers. In warmer months, the family spends most of their time out here.