Thompson | Before + Afters

August 19, 2025

Our clients came to us in February 2024 as they were about to undertake an extensive renovation of their home. They had bought the house for the location and the spectacular view with the goal to eventually renovate and create their ideal home. They lived in the house for several years and learnt what they loved and didn’t love, what worked and what didn’t.

After exploring several possible directions, they decided to stay within the original footprint of the home but, essentially, completely rebuild it. Architect Brent Scott of Citrus Design Studio had worked with our clients to develop the design, and they’d hired Redington Construction for the build, and Moth Light for all of the lighting. Already they were in great hands, but were still feeling overwhelmed with the myriad of decisions they had ahead of them, which is completely understandable. This is where we came in, and our brief included choosing materials for the kitchen, bathrooms, laundry, window treatments, flooring, elevator, as well as all of the furniture and the spatial plan.

*Before - The original home had an elevator from the garage to the first floor which was retained but seriously updated.*

One of the first things we do is work with our clients to understand their vision, their style and how they live or want to live in the space. Luckily these home owners had done their homework and were able to provide us with a selection of images that gave us a really clear direction. They loved natural textures and a very soft, neutral palette, and had fallen in love with a Hinuera stone which was to be used in the entrance, leading you upstairs, cladding the fireplace, and down the hall to the back terrace. This gave us an excellent jumping off point for the colour palette.

*Progress - Hinuera stone is a major feature in the home and played an integral part in our choice of colour palette.*

We designed the balustrade (which was originally supposed to be glass) in fine white powder coated steel. We love the texture it brings and how it reflects the fins on the outside of the house, and how the clean, straight lines juxtapose the natural finish of the stone wall. We also love that our clients trusted our choice and allowed us to push them out of their comfort zone. It’s now one of their favourite features.

*Before - the long, narrow living room was separated from the rest of the house by multiple doors and walls.*

Citrus Studios designed the main living areas to be more open and interconnected. The wall between the stairs and living room was replaced with the balustrade, and the wall separating the living room from the open plan kitchen, dining and family room was opened up and in its place a double sided fireplace was installed. This creates more of a light, spacious feel while still cleverly providing separate zones.

One of our challenges was to choose the right furniture pieces for the living areas which, as you can see from our furniture plan below, come out at an angle from the back of the house. The living room at the top of the stairs is where the family retreat in the evenings to watch tv. The curved modular sofa was the perfect choice to soften the various angles around it and create a cosy, inclusive setting.

*Progress - the view from the dining area looking back towards the stairs and elevator, and bedrooms beyond.*

*Before - the open plan family room, dining and kitchen were originally separated from the main living room.*

Previously the deck off the family room was quite small and not terribly functional as an outdoor space. So the architect “borrowed” space from here to push the family room out making this more useable. He then created a space on the deck around the corner for some outdoor furniture.

We created another seating area in the new family room which is zoned by the large wool rug. The corner sofa faces out towards the stunning view, and it can also be moved around 180° to face the fire on those few really cold months, if our clients want. This is the perfect setting for daytime relaxing or with friends before dinner.

*Progress - the builder installed the longest recessed curtain track we’ve ever done!*

The window treatments in this area took some consideration. The clients didn’t want to block the view and didn’t really need privacy from this angle, but the room gets a lot of sun coming through the floor to ceiling glass. We wanted curtains to add a softness to the space so we chose an organic open weave sheer that could be pulled across to diffuse the harsh sun when needed. The builders were amazing installing the longest recessed curtain track we’ve ever used, and at night it looks beautiful with the soft strip lighting in front.

The dining table features curved ends which, again, bring a softness to the angled room. The use of green is repeated throughout in small doses amongst the soft neutral palette, reflecting the nature outside. These dining chairs look quite beautiful as the light diffuses through them.

*Before - the kitchen undertook a major transformation!*

Molloy Joinery created the kitchen we designed using ivory oak veneer that complimented the flooring, and a porcelain bench and splash back with a subtle organic pattern. The kitchen has a clean, simple finish, which our clients wanted in their open plan space, with a small butlers pantry at the end to house the coffee machine, small appliances and a second sink.

For a sense of cohesion we repeated the ivory oak veneer and porcelain bench in the laundry and bathrooms.

*Before - built-in custom joinery does wonders to update and tidy the new laundry.*

*Before - the landing and hallway have been tidied and simplified, these doors led to the old laundry, powder room and bathroom.*

We love creating a bit of drama in a tiny powder room! We gave our clients two designs - one featuring these stunning dark liquorice coloured glass tiles, and a second in a soft, neutral colour. We’re so pleased they chose the darker option. In a room where you only spend a minute or so at a time you can afford to be bold!

The family bathroom, above, and the primary bathroom, below, repeat the materials from the kitchen and laundry, with the addition of these large format tiles featuring a subtle linear texture. The gun metal fixtures add a touch of depth.

*Progress - the tiler did a fantastic job installing and mitring these tiles with their linear texture.*

The primary bedroom continues the neutral colour palette with layers of soft texture to create a quiet space to retreat to at the end of a busy day.

*Progress - a walk-in wardrobe is a luxury and a way to keep the bedroom calm and uncluttered.*

*Before - the outside has also had a major transformation!*

it’s important that the exterior of the house reflects the interior, so the colour of the window joinery, the walls and roof paint are all a soft, warm white.

Thank you to our incredibly awesome clients who trusted us with their beautiful home and allowed us to share it with you! To see even more images of the home you can visit our portfolio.

Source: https://bibbyandbrady.co.nz/residential#/t...

Durham | Before + Afters

December 6, 2021

Sometimes a client will come to us for a colour consult, which then organically grows into a much bigger project. That’s what happened when we worked on this super cool home by Don Pitt Design. Our clients, Dana and Maia, with their two gorgeous kids (one who arrived mid way through this project), wanted their home to be calm and restorative. It had to be practical for their family that includes two dogs as well as the two kids, welcoming to their friends and whanau who they like to entertain, and a sanctuary to retreat to after a busy day.

Once we had selected paint colours for outside and in, Dana came to us for help choosing rugs and coffee tables for the two living areas. The existing sofa in one living area wasn’t proving very practical either, so we chose a custom sofa that would suit the style of the house and covered it in an amazing fabric with a built-in stain resistant technology. We then added custom made Bibby + Brady cushions.

We love the concrete fire surround and window ledge that Don Pitt designed. It creates a divide between the two living areas, helping to zone them, and the window ledge doubles as a place to perch. The Samsung “The Frame” TV sits nicely to the side of the fireplace, looking like a piece of art when not in use.

The oak dining table and black stained chairs have strong, clean lines with subtle design detail that complement the home

Dana and Maia had chosen the two sofas in the second living room and they still looked great, but the rug was very similar in colour, so we moved that to one of the bedrooms and replaced it with a rug that introduced a subtle pattern and contrast. We added a custom made round ottoman to nestle with the oak coffee table we’d chosen, and made some more custom cushions. We even sourced some pieces that look great but are child-friendly, as the ottoman and coffee table are at the perfect height for toddlers.

The little powder room was designed by Don Pitt, but we sourced some accessories to take it to the next level. The little in-set wooden shelf is the perfect place for a few “pretties”.

The hallway leading to the bedrooms is one of our favourite features in the home. One side of the hall has large floor to ceiling windows to let in light and give it a luxurious, spacial feel. The other side has large floor to ceiling sliding doors to each bedroom that can be left open, or closed for privacy and quiet. The doors are such a beautiful, dramatic feature - open or closed.

We had beautiful linen curtains made for the bedrooms that hung from an almost invisible track in the ceiling. In the primary bedroom they wrapped around one corner for additional texture and softness. We designed each bedroom and wanted the primary bedroom to feel extra special, creating that luxury retreat for the hard-working parents.

Dana had already chosen the duvet cover, but we elevated the room by adding the custom made headboard that we designed, along with a linen quilt, Euro pillows, a Bibby + Brady lumbar cushion, oak bedsides, elegant lamps, the oak bench seat, and a stunning piece of art by Rakai Karaitiana.

The middle bedroom needed to be flexible so that most of the time it was a child’s bedroom, but sometimes the two single beds could be pushed together to make a king bed for guests.

There’s a built-in wardrobe on one side of the room but additional drawers were needed. To keep it clean and cohesive we matched the tallboy to the bedside table, and added height to the table with a bedside lamp in mossy green. The print on the wall is another favourite by Rakai Karaitiana.

The last bedroom needed a solution for when the children were sharing the room, so we added the cutest set of bunk beds leaving room for a large bookshelf and some room to play.

We chose white wooden shutters for the narrow, high window. They look clean and smart, let plenty of light in but can also be closed up tight at bedtime.

Thank you so much Dana and Maia for allowing us to share your amazing home, and for being the coolest clients ever! You were a pleasure to work with, we know you love your home as much as we do, and we hope you have many, many happy days in it.

Eskridge Home | Before + Afters

November 13, 2020

This is a project that brightened up a pretty crazy 2020 for us, despite Covid19 making some aspects of it a bit trickier. Our clients contacted us at the end of 2019 when they had just purchased their beautiful home in the Esk Hills, Hawke’s Bay. They took possession of the house early 2020 and hired us to help them furnish it. Essentially no structural work was to be done, and the kitchen and bathrooms were not part of our brief (other than a mini makeover in the powder room).

Let’s walk through the home with some ’before & afters’ and I’ll explain what we did. Although the house was already painted a neutral, slightly beige-y shade, we re-painted it a fresher, lighter shade of white. The change is subtle but it’s amazing how it elevates and gives the home a more contemporary feel.

You can see in the ‘before’ photo above the little nook to the side of the front door. As soon as we saw it we knew the perfect furniture piece for here. I measured the space and found it would fit with millimetres to spare and was the exact depth. The cabinet with internal shelves is used for the family’s shoes, and a matching nook on the opposite side has hooks for coats and hats. We chose the dish on top of the cabinet to throw the car keys as you enter. The print features colours that we’ve used throughout the home, whilst the frame picks up the oak in the cabinet.

The previous owners had a single runner down the long hallway. We had two gorgeous, deep teal runners custom made to fit either side of the front door, leaving the walkway from the door into the main living area clear. The two runners help to lead your eye down to the rooms beyond, and add a softness to the polished concrete floors.

The original home owners had a round dining table, which was nice, but our clients had their hearts set on a long antique French-style table. We found the perfect table for them and it works so well in the space. The long table sits beautifully in front of the large window and leads your eye out to the view as you enter the room. We teamed it with deep green velvet chairs, super comfy for long, leisurely dinner parties.

The dining area sits between the main living room and the kitchen in a large open space. The light hanging over the dining table helps to zone that area, and we used a large wool rug to zone the living area. The existing schist fireplace echos schist on the exterior of the home, so the clients wanted this to stay.

The living room consists of several custom pieces. We had a large corner sofa made, which enables multiple people to either watch TV or enjoy the incredible view beyond. A pair of custom made arm chairs create a social setting with the sofa; and a large custom made ottoman tucks under the coffee table and can be used to put your feet on, an extra seat, the kids can lie on it, or you can pop a tray down for drinks. We had the artwork behind the sofa commissioned for the room.

We had new curtains made for the living room and chose a matt black curtain rod for a more contemporary look. We then replaced the venetian blinds on the smaller windows with roman blinds in the same fabric.

As I mentioned, we didn’t do anything in the kitchen, other than provide a set of cool barstools. But there was a built-in drinks cabinet tucked in a corner between the kitchen and dining room. It was made from a beige-y yellow melamine product (or similar), and this didn’t look great once we painted the walls in a fresher white, so we got our painters to give it a new lease on life by painting it black and we added cute brass handles.

At the other end of the large open plan living area, past the kitchen is a smaller living room that we dubbed “the sunroom”. It’s always great having two living areas in case the kids are watching TV in one room and you want a quieter spot for a glass of wine with your girlfriend (one example that springs to mind).

We liked the previous owners furniture layout, it created a social setting and you could enjoy the gorgeous view from the sofa.

Because this room is smaller we chose to add circles and curves to soften the straight lines and angles. A large round wool rug grounds the furniture which includes a small round coffee table, and a pair of custom made curved armchairs. These are covered in outdoor fabric to protect them in their sunny spot. A small round side table brings a touch of colour and pattern. It contrasts the chairs and coffee table, which we deliberately kept light and leggy to give an airy feel in this light-filled room.

Along the hallway that leads to the bedrooms, there is a small guest powder room. The client asked us to give this a mini makeover, meaning they didn’t feel the need to change the toilet or handbasin, but they did want to remove the frieze that ran around the room.

We replaced the frieze with a stunning wallpaper that echoed the teal blue runner outside. We swapped the mirror out for a round one to soften the strong angles in the basin and vanity; and we also replaced the smaller fixed accessories like the hand towel rail and toilet roll holder for slimmer matt black versions.

Another of our custom curved armchairs sits in the corner of the master bedroom and also creates a focal point as you walk down the hall into the room.

In the master bedroom we had the chair, the headboard, the bedside tables and the ottoman at the foot of the bed custom made. We took our colour palette from the gorgeous art piece that we chose for the room, and it also repeats colours used in other areas of the home. We wanted the room to be a calm oasis for our clients to escape to after a busy day.

The cushion was also custom made, as most of our cushions are to ensure the best quality and longevity.

We wanted the guest bedroom to also have a calm and peaceful vibe, so we painted it a soft green blue. Once again the headboard and cushion were custom made and we chose bedding to compliment.

Finally we move on to the two little girls’ rooms, which we had so much fun designing. Both these rooms had bright blue feature walls before we got to them. It’s our belief where possible to paint or wallpaper all of the walls in a room. Feature walls were big in the 90’s so they can look dated now, and we encourage you to embrace your choice of paint or wallpaper and just go for it!

On occasion this room will be used by guests also, hence the king bed. But the little girl is still very young so we wanted a room that she could love as well as having a quiet sophistication for when adults stay.

We had the headboard, the long cushion, and the chair all custom made for this room. When she outgrows the whimsical wallpaper it can be stripped and the room painted, but the headboard and chair will still work for a teenager or young adult.

Little sister has a pair of single beds so big sister can share the room when needed, and when she’s a bit older her friends can stay over. We piped these curved custom headboards, which might just be my favourite of all of them. The wallpaper is a bit bolder in this room, but the colour scheme has a sense of continuity between the two children’s rooms.

What a great way to finish, on one of my favourite photos. I hope you enjoyed this tour and getting a glimpse into the journey. Thank you so much to our amazing clients (who were a pleasure to work with) for allowing us to share their home with you.