A couple leave the city to put their heart and soul into renovating an old Waikuku Beach cottage.
In a nutshell:
Who lives here? Lisa Willetts, (owner of preloved clothing boutique Louis Who?), Steve Canavan (owner of Coastal Brick and Block), Jack Canavan, 8, and Daisy the dog.
Lisa, how have you been budget savvy while decorating your home? I quickly made friends with the owner of Twine Antiques and Collectables who has great ideas and really helped me. I was on the shop’s doorstep every Thursday to view new stock. We did all the renovating work ourselves, making it possible to spend more money on things we love.
Cash-savvy tips:
Lisa, what are some common mistakes people make with money when decorating their homes? People spend money easily on trend-driven items instead of what they love. If you love something buy it and you will never regret it or want to replace it.
What aspects were you prepared to financially splurge on in your home? Lighting. It’s important to have good lighting in a home. I’ve just bought a beautiful French chandelier, which I’ll install when we extend the home.
What are some of your favourite ways of decorating your home? I love freshly cut flowers from the garden.
Words by: Catherine Steel
Photography by: Guy Frederick
Styling: Alexandra Weston
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Lisa and Steve built the pizza oven themselves.
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Outdoor furniture reflects Lisa’s love of vintage goods and bright colour.
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A reclaimed sign hangs outside the Summer House, which Lisa cleared out and made suitable for entertaining in.
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A reclaimed sign hangs outside the Summer House, which Lisa cleared out and made suitable for entertaining in.
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The dining table in the Summer House is surrounded by French bistro chairs.
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Lisa Willetts.
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The dining table in the Summer House is surrounded by French bistro chairs.
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Pretty florals exist in the home through flowers and vintage china.
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The kitchen and dining area with a view to the hallway. Lisa painted the floorboards in here and the secondhand table which she found online.
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Antique crockery fills the art deco cabinet in the lounge.
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Antique crockery.
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In the hallway sits a trunk from Austria that Lisa entered into a fierce bidding war online over.
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A Seletti pig and ornate picture frames sit on the French antique dresser in the hallway.
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An ornate antique bedhead gives a romantic touch to the main bedroom.
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The boots once belonged to Lisa’s father.
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Manuel Canovas wallpaper even works in Jack’s bedroom, with its lush tree pattern.
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Outdoor furniture reflects Lisa’s love of vintage goods and bright colour.
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