A feast of colour, pattern and texture, this sweet little cottage in Clive will make you want to downsize and escape the city
This cosy little Clive cottage does country living right
These days, life can often feel hectic and overly complicated. Some say the key to a simpler existence is to get rid of all that is unnecessary so you’re left only with what you value, and this is exactly what Kimberley Crisp and Liane Sanderson decided to do two years ago.
After 16 happy years in Napier, they sold their large two-storey house and downsized to a tiny cottage 10km away in the small town of Clive.
Q&A
What would you never do again?
Kimberley: Be so generous to our own detriment. We agreed to a short settlement to help the buyers of our Napier house, but when our move-in date fell through we were homeless for six weeks with a very sick dog. Thank goodness for our gorgeous friend Helen who opened her heart and home and took us all in.
What advice do you have for others renovating?
Get professionals where it really counts and don’t ever begrudge paying them. We believe good tradies are worth their weight in gold. Have a generous spirit and they will happily come back.
What would you change about your home if you could?
The exit to our beautiful back garden is through the bathroom. It can be awkward when visitors are staying.
What is your most memorable experience?
When the fire brigade came to our home three times in one day. We smelled burning and the fire alarms activated in the wee hours. By 6am the fire service arrived only to discover it was our fridge, which had burnt out completely. Unfortunately the alarm kept activating so the fire brigade had to visit twice more for no reason. We were very embarrassed but were told it’s better to be safe than sorry.
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Although Kimberley and Liane have a great sense of their own style, they decided to enlist the help of interior designers Bibby & Brady for extra creative guidance.
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Taking their cue from the textiles and accessories inside, Bibby & Brady chose a soft blue grey for the house’s exterior with bolder accents of aquamarine and hot pink.
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Kimberley and Liane’s love of flowers is evident in their decor. Most of their treasures have been collected from antique and secondhand shops or on their many travels over the past 15 years.
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The olive-green living room was painted a timeless silvery grey, which was continued into the main bedroom, giving it a more sophisticated feel.
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Resene ‘Quarter Silver Chalice’ on the walls is a lovely neutral backdrop for the couple’s eclectic mix of art. Removing the door to the bedroom allows a glimpse through to the garden beyond and lets in natural light.
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The couple then filled the house with their favourite items of furniture and accessories collected over the years.
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We like to create a ‘sensory banquet’ and surround ourselves with beautiful and meaningful things,” says Kimberley.
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Recognising their clients’ love of flowers, Bibby & Brady used the wallpaper (by Helen Bankers Photography and Back to the Wall), to define a corner of the kitchen.
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“We both believe in expressing your authentic self partnered with your life experiences… This surpasses fleeting trends and instead embeds your style, which never goes out of fashion”
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The spare bedroom-cum-office was transformed from a dark shade of mushroom to a soft apricot pink reminiscent of a sunset. Chair recovered by Little and fox
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The master bedroom opens onto the back deck and lush backyard.
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Although tiny, the two-bedroom home boasted an enormous, lush and leafy backyard – perfect for the couple’s cats and dog to frolic in – and also had a one-bedroom studio for guests.
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The enormous backyard was a big draw card for Kimberley and Liane.
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Lincoln is an important member of the family and always travels with Kimberley and Liane in their house bus, Billie Holiday.
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Inside their beloved house bus, Billie Holiday.
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Kimberley at the studio at the bottom of the garden – the perfect place to escape for a spot of painting or reading, or to accommodate visiting friends.
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As with most homes, the cottage is a work in progress.
Words by: Bibby & Brady. Photography by: Florence Charvin.
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