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Global treasures create a relaxed, resort feel at this Auckland home

Article by Simply You

A Herne Bay home radiates resort chic through an eclectic, contemporary aesthetic and an impressive collection of international knick-knacks  

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Global treasures create a relaxed, resort feel at this Auckland home

Former fashion designer Claire Kingan-Jones has created a relaxed feel in the Auckland home she shares with her husband and teenage sons. The former owner/designer of women’s fashion labels RJC and Kingan-Jones has travelled extensively, particularly in India, Bali and her native South Africa, where she picked up both knick-knacks for her home and a fearless approach to colour. So it was an easy decision for her to work with interior designer and former Republic publicist Fiona McLeod to create a “resort feel” in her Herne Bay home.

She and husband Struan Kingan bought the two-storey house when sons Byron and Oscar were preschoolers. They enlisted architect Andrew Meiring to reconfigure the property, which now has four bedrooms, three bathrooms and three living areas.

The sleek, modern kitchen opens onto a patio and sizeable pool with a barbecue area, all in keeping with Kingan-Jones’ love of casual entertaining and “a busy, noisy household”.

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She enjoys hunting for décor finds that she can revamp, favouring mid-century modern and art deco pieces and describes her interior style as eclectic, contemporary with classical references. “I don’t like being precious about a space,” she says.

fionamcleoddesign.co.nz

Words by: Naomi Larkin. Photography by: Belinda Merrie.

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