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...

What we want to see more of in 2025

January 10, 2025

2025… it feels like an auspicious year, a quarter of a century! Over the last week I’ve had a lot of fun scouring the internet to get some insights into what this year may bring for the world of interiors. I am so inspired and so excited to let you know that one of the main themes seems to be individuality and authenticity. With everything that has happened over the last few years and with what the world is facing, our homes, more than ever, are our havens. They need to reflect our own unique style and be less cookie-cutter. Our homes should be filled with history, character and personality, a place to recharge and fill our cup.

Whilst we don’t necessarily like to follow trends, we prefer our designs to be timeless and ageless with a sense of permanence, there are definitely some slow-burning design characteristics that we are loving and will look to introduce, or continue to use in our designs.

The Pantone® colour for 2025 is Mocha Mousse. A warming, brown hue imbued with richness, it nurtures us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort. Combining this colour with warm creams, dark chocolates, and burnt coppers is a beautiful answer for those who love a neutral colour palette.

We’ve been moving away from a palette of more cool grey based tones for several years now. The use of these warm tones is cosy and welcoming, like a warm hug.

There are no straight lines in nature and we’ve always loved to work with circles and curves in our designs. It’s a wonderful way to soften the lines and angles found in most architecture - walls, windows, doors - although even a lot of these are being created in arches and soft curves right now. We’re continuing to embrace this attribute as more and more of our suppliers are producing stunning curved furniture and accessories. With an amazing group of skilled furniture manufacturers and contractors at our fingertips we can custom design pieces if we can’t find exactly what we want. The curved and organic forms emphasise the warm, comforting environment that people are craving.

Alongside natural form we continue to love natural materials like wood, wool, linen, stone etc. But we’re juxtaposing those earthy textures with the gorgeous shine of metal and glossy, highly lacquered paint finishes.

Another thing that I’m so happy about is the normalisation of rich, deep colours in our interiors. This is especially exciting for those of us who crave a touch more colour in our homes. Colour can be just as sophisticated as the beautiful neutral palettes of above. I’m seeing a lot of rich reds, burgundys, and deep, browny pinks, as well as our favourite earthy greens and steely blues.

The high gloss paint finish on the cabinetry in this room is contrasted with the dryness of the velvet sofa and the wool rug. And take note of the built-in bookshelves, as custom built-in furniture is another feature we’ll continue to see in 2025.

Coloured kitchens are here to stay, no longer do you have to stick to plain white especially now we’re using a lot of integrated appliances that are hidden behind cabinetry doors. A lot of kitchen cabinetry is designed to look more like furniture.

Natural elements like wood and stone are still popular and look stunning surrounded by rich colours. Don’t forget that art isn’t confined to the living and bedrooms, bringing artwork into traditionally utilitarian space such as kitchens, bathrooms and laundries is a way to emphasise your personality and individuality.

Just another way we’re seeing curves used in our homes is the resurgence of bullnose bench tops. They provide a smooth, comfortable surface to lean against, accentuating a sense of warmth and safety in our homes.

In the bathroom below they’ve used a double bullnose bench top and repeated the look at the top of the splash back. In both images the combination of green with dark brown wood is divine and borrowed straight from nature.

Combining red and green together might be a scary concept for some, but because they’re complementary colours it makes perfect sense. I love the boldness and playfulness of the kitchen below, it’s a great example of the unique, personality-driven design we hope to see more of. The burgundy and cream glossy tiles surrounding the cooktop are the hero, and complemented beautifully by the sage green cabinets and peachy pink walls.

The use of scallops, ruffles and curved edges will be prevalent this year. Using them in small touches such as lamp shades and cabinet handles is a great way to introduce this look into your home. There’s an emphasis on hand crafted pieces, treasures and trinkets in your home that bring you joy and spark memories.

Built-in furniture will always make a home look more finished and intentional. We’ve transformed many of our clients’ homes by designing custom built-in pieces to fill nooks and small spaces. Storage is always welcomed, especially clever storage that utilises the space well. The cabinetry below in a child’s room is not only fantastic storage, but showcases what we want to see more of - bold colours teamed with pattern and personality. They key to mixing this much bold colour is to keep the palette reigned into three or four hues, in this case - red, green, blue and yellow.

Maximalism has been on the rise for a couple of years. The look we’re loving hints at maximalism… less cluttered, more brave and unique. The use of bold patterns; embellishments like ruffles, fringes and piping; sculptural forms and colour drenching.

To summarise, be bold but exercise restraint. Add curves, softness and fun into your home. Surround yourself with things that bring you joy. You do you! And if that means a disco ball inspired rangehood in your kitchen - go for it! I hope you leave this blog post filled with inspiration and excited about the possibilities.

Starting fresh in 2023

January 17, 2023

We recently appeared in the first issue of Bay Buzz for 2023 which was all about ‘refresh and renew’. It’s packed with great advice from many experts on how to refresh and renew your mind, body, career, business and home, as well as the planet. We highly recommend picking up a copy to read all about it.

The new year is a brilliant time for new beginnings and a new, fresh look for your home. We love transforming our clients’ homes and seeing the positive effect it has on them, their family and their lifestyle. We wanted to share with you some of the tips and advice we gave Bay Buzz (plus a few extra) to make changes in your home that don’t require a big, expensive renovation but can make the world of difference.

LAYOUT & FLOW : :

We always recommend starting your design process with a really good edit. Take everything out of the room except for the large furniture pieces and look at it with fresh eyes. Are you happy with the arrangement, does it have good flow? If not, try moving furniture around. If possible move furniture away from the walls. It always surprises us how many people push all their furniture to the edge of the room and have their coffee table floating in the middle out of reach and disconnected, or the seating is too far apart to function socially. If your room is large enough, try pulling your furniture in to create cosy, social settings. It might take a few moves before you get it right, and this process may also highlight areas that are lacking or need changing. For example, you may need a bigger coffee table, or to add side tables... That’s ok, this is all part of the process to get the best looking and best functioning room for you.

SHOP FROM YOUR HOME : :

Once you’re happy with your furniture layout move onto the decor. Put all of your accessories together in another space, perhaps on the dining table or kitchen bench, and ‘shop’ from your collection. Look at each piece and consider whether you would buy that if you saw it in a shop today. Only put back those pieces you love, and don’t feel you have to put them back in the same place. You may want to move some pieces to another spot or to other rooms in the house. We regularly move pieces around our homes to refresh each space.

Create groupings with your items. We like to put odd numbers of items together - 3, 5, sometimes 7 or 9. But three seems to be the magic number to keep your eye moving for a more interesting visual experience. Another way to create interest is to have a mix of shape, size and texture. Experiment and play around, there is a real skill to styling and you’ll get better the more you do it.

Books are a favourite tool of ours. We use them as plinths to ground and elevate smaller objects. They also add an element of design and reflect your interests. Look for books about things you love, but also keep in mind the colour of the book and the graphic nature of the spine and cover and how that will work in your room. Sometimes the colour of the hardback book beneath the jacket can be quite different giving you two options in the one book.

FILL THE GAPS : :

If there are any gaps after the process of shopping from your home, you now have specific pieces you can look for, so you can shop with purpose. We love that final layer in a home, it’s the one that adds your personality. Keep scale in mind. Large-scale pieces like a large lamp, balanced with a large vase add drama and interest and create a less cluttered look than a lot of tiny pieces would. We try not to have any decor pieces smaller than an orange, which is a good rule to remember. Often larger pieces make a space feel more luxurious and expensive. Give it a try.

PAINT : :

Without a doubt painting your room is the least expensive way to create impact. Look at existing pieces in your room like furniture, art, curtains and flooring and choose a colour that will be harmonious. We’ll often pull the paint colour out from one used in a piece of art or the rug.

We’re not fans of the feature wall, it’s the quickest way to make your room look dated. Instead we encourage you to go for it and paint your entire room. Don’t forget the trims and ceiling, we’ll often paint them a fresh white, but on occasion we’ll paint the trims, and even the ceiling, the same colour as the walls. If done right it looks incredible and is especially effective in media rooms and powder rooms to create a cocooning feel.

ELEVATE YOUR WALLS : :

We love to use wall paneling to elevate a room and add architectural detail in an otherwise plain room. There are lots of different styles to choose from - v-groove, box moulding, board & batten, wainscoting. The style of your home will dictate which style of panelling you choose. If you’re handy with the tools you could apply the panelling yourself, otherwise talk to your local builder or handyman.

We used a chunky box moulding in Dael’s media room (above) in her 1940’s home; and a finer, more subtle panelling for our clients’ character villa (below).

UPDATE YOUR HANDLES : :

It’s amazing what a difference an updated handle can make in your kitchen, wardrobe, dresser etc. Knobs are easy to replace as there is only one hole, but if you have a D handle measure the distance between the two centre holes and look for new handles with the same centre handle distance. This will save you having to fill holes if the new handles are a different size.

Overhead cupboards in the kitchen can sometimes look more contemporary if you take the handles off completely, fill, sand and paint them and add a push-to-open mechanism on the inside.

INVEST IN NEW LIGHTING : :

Replacing old pendants and lamp shades can change the look of a room quite dramatically. If possible add dimmers to your lights so you can create different ambience for different situations. Make sure to hang your pendants at the right height. This will be dependant on factors such as the scale of your light and the height of your ceilings. Kitchen pendants will often be hung 70-80cm above the bench, and over a dining table we’ll start with 75cm higher then your table top. Each space will be slightly different, we use our eye to get it just right, but these are good measurements to start from.

INVEST IN A RUG : :

The right rug can totally transform a room, but the key is to get the right size. Don’t get a tiny rug that your coffee table fits on but nothing else. This is the quickest way to make your room look too small and cheap. The golden rule is that the front feet of all of your chairs and sofas sit on the rug. If all of the legs fit on, even better, this will make your room look really spacious.

Under your dining table the rug needs to be large enough to pull the chairs back without them falling off the rug. Yes the larger the rug, the larger the price tag, but it’s something we would recommend getting right. If a hand knotted wool rug is outside of your budget, start with a large jute rug.

I hope you found some advice that you can apply to your own home. We’d love to hear about it if you did - feel free to DM us on Instagram. And if you’d like our help with your interior design journey, whether that’s a new build, or renovation, or just sourcing new furniture, get in touch anytime.