Moody seascapes, limestone, wood and grey-green tones give this home an elemental feel that anchors it to its clifftop site
Meet + greet
Sarah Kee, 42 (university student; also helps with her friend’s fashion label, Mahsa), Bruno, 14, and Elvis, 11.
Honesty Box
What did you learn from this renovation?
Sarah: Go for it and have fun! Go with everything you love, and trust yourself. Even if you end up with a mishmash of styles, it’s your home so it should represent you.
Any regrets?
I wish I had included the landscaping in the budget.
Any splurges?
The hardware for the entire house was a splurge but, in my eyes, there was no other decent hardware option. And the timber flooring – but because it’s such a big house, it was going to be a big cost no matter what. We wanted quality and beautiful timber was a must to show off my rugs.
What’s on your shopping wish list?
More stuff from Jodi at Mid Century Swag. And I’d love to have some custom-made timber shelving by Grant Bailey for the family room.
What’s one thing you would change if you could?
I’d finish off the downstairs meditation room. It’s a pretty special space, even though it’s tiny – all you can see are the three timber windows, which show beautiful scenes from outside, with the greens of the trees and the blue of the sea. One day it’ll be the room I want it to be.
See more of the Point Chevalier home below
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The benchtop is a hardwearing limestone slab in tundra grey (from The Tile People), which was also used to tile the bathroom. The oversized copper double sinks are from Mexico, and the Samuel Heath tap was imported from London by Robertson Bathware.
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The dining table was made from one giant slice of macrocarpa and had to be dried for six months before crafter Grant Bailey could work with it.
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Pieces of art and definitely not for sitting on, the PostMundus Chairs in the corner came from the Nilufar Gallery in Italy.
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The stunning Soriana sofa by Afra & Tobia Scarpa for Cassina was a Mid Century Swag find.
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The bowl on the stereo is by Len Castle and was a gift from Sarah’s mother.
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The pink carpet in the master bedroom was custom made. “I requested a dusky pink and we went through so many pinks to get to that. I really like pink – the softness of it.”
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The bathroom was cleverly designed: “There’s a bench and then the glass so I can walk in when the boys are showering without invading their space,” says Sarah.
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An open-plan living area allows Sarah and the kids (and whomever is their guest that day) to stay connected no matter what they’re doing. “I love this room in winter because of the open fire. We’ll hang out by the fire – I’ll have my glass of red, the boys have their marshmallows – and look out over the calm water… It’s like being on holiday every day,” says Sarah.
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The patio is still in its original state. “We wanted to keep the tiles because they’re local terracotta and they capture and hold the warmth. They’re quite special to us,” Sarah says.
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Floor plan.
Suppliers
Tapware Vola range from Metrix; Robertson Bathware, robertson.co.nz
Kitchen handles tarnished by Katalog
Limestone in tundra grey for kitchen benchtops and bathroom tiles from The Tile People
Sofa and other furnishings from Jodi at Mid Century Swag
Words by: Debbie Harrison. Photography by: Jackie Meiring.
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