design edit issue 30 | design tour
Turning a new house into a home was the brief from these clients. Their challenge to us was to create a more contemporary styled home for them, by pairing their amazing collection of antiques and artworks with key new pieces of furniture and furnishings. The clients wanted to ensure their newly built home was a better reflection of their lifestyle and personalities.
THE BRIEF
This couple approached Kirsten Ford Design as soon as they’d moved into their new home to help them create a more contemporary style - one which blended their much loved antiques with a modern, stylish edge. Their brief was to add colour, personality and fun to the home, without any structural changes and without repainting any rooms in the new home.
“We had moved into a new house and, like a lot of new houses now, everything paint-wise was quite bland (white). The decision to engage an interior designer was made to ensure we made the right choices and to introduce a modern look that suited not only our home, but our lifestyle and tastes.”
INSPIRATION
The rich colours of the native timbered early New Zealand antiques provided the initial inspiration for the interior scheme. And then both the client and designer fell completely in love with a decadent copper cut velvet, which anchored the colour scheme, paired with lush ochres and warm creams, all linked with black accents.
“Your home must reflect you and tell your story. Including pieces with a strong history, like the early New Zealand antiques and artworks, is what makes a space personal, unique and yours.”
DESIGN DETAILS
The contemporary home and crisp white walls provided a neutral backdrop to work with, and white linen-look drapes were added with double black tracks, echoing the black joinery and hardware already in the home. This neutral canvas needed layers of colour, texture and personality. We created a unifying colour scheme through the home and added key statement pieces in bold, rich fabrics to the existing traditional furniture.
The copper cut velvet is featured on the centrepiece of the formal living room - a contemporary take on the traditional rolled arm sofa. Other pieces in the room are the perfect blend of old and new - all highly textured and very tactile: leather, velvet, terrazzo.
In the dining area, rich ochre velvet dining chairs are paired with the existing antique timber dining table and chiffonier. Layered tones of copper and cream, all anchored with black accents, create a relaxed but still very luxe vibe in the family room.
The bedrooms echo the same tones - ochre velvets, black and cream linens, black embossed leathers and warm timbers.
INSIDE EDGE
It was important for us to create visual flow in this home and we did this by composing a distinct colour palette - which had variation from room to room but still a strong visual story. Consistent use of black accents also helped link the spaces.
“Kirsten, working with you has been a delight. At no time did you try to force your ideas on us. You were professional at all times, always listened and made recommendations you thought we would like but that were best for us and the look we wanted to achieve. Your intuitive feel for design is incredible and the finished result brings us so much joy every day.”
“We have a home that is a delight to live in and celebrate every day. I can’t thank you enough for what you have done to meet our needs and to create living spaces we absolutely love.”
THE RESULT
This home was very much a blank canvas ready to take on the lifestyle and personality of its new owners. By gently leading the clients beyond their comfort zone with new ideas and a more contemporary style, the result is a fun-filled and sophisticated home, which effortlessly marries a treasured collection of antiques with modern edge and style.
See the entire project gallery here, including Before photos.
Contact Auckland Interior Designer Kirsten Ford for more information.
Images: Hanson & Daughters Photography
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