The whole family pitched in with this Dunedin do-up to help a young couple onto the property ladder
In a nutshell
Who lives here?
Damon McLeod (owner of D Tiling, Dunedin), Makenzi Taylor (barista/retail assistant at Moi Design) and Poco-Yo the bunny.
Favourite item in your home?
Damon: We love the big piece of art on the kitchen wall. Mak’s father was gifted it by the artist and had no space for it. Sadly we are only ‘art-sitting’ but it is perfect for the space.
Favourite room to decorate and why?
Damon: It would have to be the back end of the house because it felt like a new-build.
Where do you find your inspiration?
Makenzi: We are both heavily inspired by Instagram – the series of artworks down the hallway is by a Mexican artist living in California whom Damon came across one night while exploring on Instagram. Searching through secondhand stores also inspires us, and we love to go to open homes of older homes to bounce ideas off one another about how we could recreate our house.
Why does this home work so perfectly for you both?
Makenzi: We love living by the sea and being able to walk to our local cafes and the beach. The open-plan living and indoor-outdoor flow are great; we love it when the house is full of friends and family gathering around the kitchen island or out on the deck.
What was the most special part of this project?
Makenzi: We would like Damon’s parents, Heather and Craig, to know just how much we appreciate all their help and how special the project was because we got to do it all together as a team.
Style secrets
- Choose the right white. If, like Damon and Makenzi, you’re after a crisp, modern look with a minimum of clutter, lean towards bright, cool whites and opt for furnishings and other elements with simple lines and smooth surfaces.
- Bring on the texture. Use fur (it doesn’t have to be real), woodgrain, mirrors, wallpaper and tiles to add depth and dimension.
- Artwork is a great way of introducing interest to a space, but people do have a tendency to hang art too high – remember that the centre of the image should be at eye level.
Top tip
- In living rooms, people are usually sitting, so artwork should be hung lower.
Words by: Annick Larkin. Photography by: Emma MacDonald.
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Damon and Makenzi are keen art collectors, with art and sculpture featuring heavily throughout their home. In the living room, an artwork by contemporary New Zealand artist Ben Webb hangs above the modular couch.
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The glass coffee table has a ‘barely there’ effect which helps open up the living space.
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The kitchen, made from solid white acrylic, was chosen for its durability and smooth, glass-like finish.
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The French oak floorboards soften and warm the space, adding colour to an otherwise monochrome palette.
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Resene ‘Foundry’ on two of the walls defines the dining space and forms a perfect backdrop for artworks by New Zealand artists Fatu Feu’u and Kereama Taepa.
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The living room’s black joinery was deliberately chosen to provide a contrast to the Resene ‘Black White’ walls.
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Similar timber to the room’s French oak flooring was chosen for the large exterior deck. Creating good indoor-outdoor flow was vital for Damon and Makenzi as they love to entertain.
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In the summer when the bifold doors are open, the deck feels like a continuation of the living room, they say.
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In the generously proportioned entryway, period features such as leadlight windows, ornate cornices and wooden panelling have been masterfully restored to preserve the original character of this three-bedroom 1950s bungalow.
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In the generously proportioned entryway, period features such as leadlight windows, ornate cornices and wooden panelling have been masterfully restored to preserve the original character of this three-bedroom 1950s bungalow.
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A sculpture in the hallway by his mother, Heather McLeod, is Damon’s favourite piece of art in the home.
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A vintage poster delivers a great pop of colour to the main bathroom.
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The ply detailing on the laundry shelves, window and benchtop, which was painstakingly hand-made by Damon, adds interest and warmth.
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The ply detailing on the laundry shelves, window and benchtop, which was painstakingly hand-made by Damon, adds interest and warmth.
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In the guest bedroom, Makenzi’s love of vintage treasures is clearly evident. “I am a magazine hoarder and have a mix of fashion and interior magazines on display,” she says.
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In the guest bedroom, Makenzi’s love of vintage treasures is clearly evident. “I am a magazine hoarder and have a mix of fashion and interior magazines on display,” she says.
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Damon restored the original fireplace in the master bedroom (the former living room) with a timeless herringbone tile effect.
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The open wardrobe wasn’t necessarily a deliberate design choice but has become one of Makenzi’s favourite features in the home.
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