Thursday, April 21, 2016

Our house in NZ Home & Garden

Crikey, thought I best update my blog after four months' (!) silence.  Thanks for being patient and loyal. My sister, Shazza just sent me some snaps of the NZ Home & Garden magazine which features our house this month (sorry no link until it gets loaded onto the stuff.co.nz site, apparently). Here I am leaning against the front door with my hand on my hip, as you do on a Monday arvo.



Blogging is a strange old thing. I've always vacillated between Gosh I've got to tell you this! and Why on earth would they want to hear about that load of old nonsense? and Ugh, I sound like I'm skiteing (showing off)... which probably explains the four-month hiatus.

Re the green chair, They told me this was the last reproduction of a Sixties chair, no one was buying it. Then I saw a white version in Roger's office on Mad Men. Then of course, they were making them again at a higher price. 

As you can see my sister Sharon is better known for her journalistic skills than photographic (could have you squished the page down more, Shazza?)


It was a pleasure to be interviewed (tables turned, I'm usually the ones asking questions) by the highly experienced Gill South. Kind of scary, you're worried about coming across as a complete drongo; now I know what's it's like to be on the other side.






Gosh, you'd think she would have made the bed before the photographer arrived, wouldn't you?
My splotchy dress was a dreadful choice, would have been better to wear stripes or a graphic. Oh well, next time... Sadly, the most important family member, Teddy did not make it into the pages. Neither did the eldest boy, Harley. Don't tell him (Teddy).




Stuff I learned.
1. Practical comes first. Don't bother with precious, faffy stuff, unless it goes on the wall. It will drive you crazy minding the white cloth on that chair.
2. You can always cut the tile budget even further. Tiles don't look half as good once they're grouted, and cheap white subway with a stripe (or just one wall) of that pricey tile works well.
3. Spend money on the drawers and cupboards in the kitchen and bathrooms and whatever other things you touch every day all day. (I know, boring.)
4. Taking away upper cabinetry makes the kitchen look more like a room, not a utilitarian space.
5. Do what you want to your house! You'll be in your house twice as long as you think. Don't be always having an eye to "re-sale." We built a one-car garage (rather than two or three), despite others saying we were crazy. On the other hand the bath-shower in one of the bathrooms is incredibly annoying and done only because we were told we needed a second bath in the house for re-sale.

But the best piece of advice I ever got (applicable whether re-modeling, deciding on a husband or buying that new yellow frock...) was from, of course, Mum, who says: "Go through your day." And that's not the only day in the year you have a fancy dancy party.

What do you think matters in a house??

38 comments:

  1. The Brits had the Mitfords, we Yanks had the Cushings, and I see the NZ Minister of Culture summons the Brett Kelly Trio home annually to spike mag sales and finish off Sauviginon Blanc inventories.
    Hard to see this on phone so hopefully will have laptop access tonight.
    You have been missed.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you GSL! So kind and have been reading your blog by mail, though remiss in commenting, sorry (commenting in my mind which I understand its not the same thing.
      As usual your comments elevate the proceedings and certainly
      Sauvies will be involved though sipped whether making mag appearances or no.

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  2. Does the house look good even when it's messy, if it does it's a winner. So true for our place, it's always a bit of a mess even when it's clean.

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    1. That's a great maxim! Because otherwise it will drive you bonkers

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  3. Oh my goodness this is so exciting! I'm going to download the NZ house and garden onto my iPad and have a good read. Love your design tips and agree 100%. A house should really reflect you and your actual real lifestyle. If it's uncomfortable to live in it doesn't matter how good it looks you'll hate it.
    Also, I love your bed!! So fab. I don't think I've ever seen it on the blog before? xx

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    1. Totally agree with your ideas, Heidi, and I love how you've done your remodel with care, layering it piece by piece, with the varying wallpapers down the stairway and in the laundry.
      Heidi - Yours next --in Elle Decor Australia!
      The article will be uploaded to stuff.co.nz but may be a couple of weeks, will find out.

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  4. Love it! Really love whatever the hell is behind the sofa...couldn't quite read the words cuz the eyes are going, but I tried.

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    1. Hey BB,
      Its a Tongan tapa cloth, more design than words, though I have noticed some numbers in the corners of it and I will have to research that

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  5. Gosh that is a gorgeous home!
    You must be pleased with the coverage...I think an unmade bed shows that the house is lived in...I often think magazine photo shoots make everything look too sterile and perfect...
    I am glad to see that you are back in blogland!

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    Replies
    1. Hi there,
      Thank you! Yes, I used to love a home magazine in England that always had newspapers and bits and bobs on the floor, looked much softer on the eye.

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  6. Hi I'm a first time reader and seemed to have handed on NZ's Hamptons. It's a gorgeous gorgeous house. I can quite see why it's featured. As for blogging. Totally with you. I vacillate between blog regularly to keep interest or blog only something interesting. I'm not sure which is best.

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    1. Hi Anna.
      thanks for popping by and commenting. Absolutely LOVE the name of your blog. I'm forever repeating the "Does this look like mutton dressed as lamb?" when I'm asking friends about a new style.
      I guess they always say regular is better when blogging, which makes me a very poor bloggy person.

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  7. Jody I love this so much. You look terrific on that cover pic too. I like everything you did to your home. It's so happy and bright and has so many cool spots. The furniture itself it like art. You are right most Americans still want a classic layout/kitchen right? I love your tips here. I should have you come down here as I need a fresh eye with mine. I don't know how you moved out for a year, and had the vision, but it turned out so beautiful! xx

    ps. thanks for the comments on the blog. I couldn't agree more about schools and all that. It's whats afterwards that counts the most I think.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Hi Kim,

      Yes so funny arriving here from London we thought we would be living amongst all modern glass, wood and steel rectangles. In fact all the streets around us have British names and many are built in British and Tudor styles. The family down the road even have a full coat of arms in the entry, fabulous.

      Sorry to make everyone read a photographed version, hopefully can post a link soonly...

      PPS. Think your kids will do brilliantly wherever they go, Kim

      Delete
  8. Colour comfort and people ! What a lovely delight to open my copy of House and Garden are see your beautiful home ... You are inspirational .. A lovely person and your home reflects you and your style ! Just Fabulous !!!!

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    1. Hey Susan,
      So great to hear from you and thanks for your lovely words. Hope all is well with you?
      Thanks for popping by and commenting!

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    2. All is great ... Life is good ! Thanks again xxxxx

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  9. There she is....welcome back! I always want to set fire to my house after I've seen pics of yours but I'm growing up and trying to overcome my green eyed jealousy......your home is beautiful and has the most important thing that matters...love and family.x

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    1. Totally! Thank you Libby!
      (and always remember the kids are out of the house the days its photographed and its all picked up)

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  10. You are back and love the piece in the mag! The bed is fabulous and I absolutely love it and really suits California. I say do what you love to!

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    1. When we bought it in LA, they told us Brad Pitt had just bought the exact same bed. Very exciting! though it seems they never spend any time in LA, hopefully not due to the bed!

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  11. Darling J, you look gorgeous and your home is incredible. Is it 'modernism'? I can't read the print.... Is that the Mad Men genre? Fabulous to see the hard work. Your unmade bed is a subversive nod I endorse. Xxx

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    1. HI there FF,
      The Mad Men genre is called Mid Century Modern, 50's and 60's which ours is not.
      I love minimalism, but also love kitsch and silly stuff- is that a style?

      Delete
  12. PS I want to ask you about the art behind the sofa - is it a NZ barkcloth?

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    1. Hi there, its a tapa cloth from Tonga. My mother bought it from the markets at South Auckland. You can fold it right up!

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  13. So happy you are back! Your place is a stunner. We have just moved again (fresh hell!) and I'm going to keep these ideas in mind as we make it our own. Our house is very 1980s (in spite of being a 2002 custom build) and the push will be to change it, but I might just get out my old jackets with shoulder pads and bask in the era. xo

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    1. How exciting about the house! Congrats about the house Jen!
      Think that sounds perfect with a spot of blue eyeliner and pale pink lippy. Actually I see all those boxy trousers have come back (and the pleated shorts) and they are no more flattering this time around (believe me, I've tried on loads of them...)

      Delete
  14. Welcome back, gorgeous! Love the piece on your spectacular home. I could look at photos like this all day. My best advice is go with your gut instinct when it comes to creating your home. No one else can predict how you will live in the space.
    Fab piece!
    xx

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    1. So right, Heather, we were lucky enough to rent for five years so it mean when we bought it, we knew all the stuff that needed doing

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  15. You did a bang up job on your house and it deserves to be seen so rejoice!

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  16. Welcome back!
    House looks brill and easy to clean, (the most important thing about a house to me).

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  17. A beautiful house-inside and out. I like all those steps outside going up and down to the house and patio.

    What matters in a house? I guess everyone has his or her own individual taste. Perhaps a comfortable bed and bathroom.

    I’m glad you are back.

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  18. How beautiful yet liveable and real world is your house and congratulations on the feature.

    SSG xxx

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  19. That is so neat! We're renovating right now and ugh. But yay? You're house is and always has been amazing.

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  20. Oh I do love a good snoop around your home - have always loved it: the green chair, the orange kitchen stools...
    You always get the balance just right in sharing things about yourself so don't ever change.

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  21. STUFF you are PASSIONATE ABOUT!!!

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  22. Finally remembered to have a gander on laptop and see this is actually your Oakland home...remember those fab tangerine kitchen chairs. Looking fab & fit as a fiddle in pic too!
    Now I know what 'arvo' means.

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