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.

Shed 5 Apartment | Before + Afters

October 16, 2020

One of the first enquiries we got in 2020 was from a lovely Auckland couple who had just purchased an apartment in Ahuriri, Napier with the dual purpose of an Air BnB to rent out, and a home-away-from-home for when they were visiting family in Hawke’s Bay. They hired us to help them furnish the apartment and turn it into a space that they would really enjoy staying in.

We wanted to create a “moment” at the front door to welcome the family and guests in. On the right we hung a series of hooks above a smart black bench seat. This is practical for hanging coats and bags, and plopping your handbag down when you arrive, or putting your shoes on when you’re about to leave. You can see we also painted the front door a glossy black, which elevates the entrance and links to the black elements inside.

On the left as you enter we put a beautiful, sleek console table and created a vignette on top. We chose furniture pieces with simple, clean lines in keeping with the modern loft apartment vibe we wanted to create. Above the console a large mirror is great for checking your appearance, putting on lippy etc as you head out. The circle adds a nice softness and contrast to the straight lines around it. We replaced the roller blind on the front entrance window with gorgeous white shutters, and how amazing do they look?! Because you can angle the blades it allows light and privacy at once. We are huge fans of shutters!

The stairs are a big architectural element of the apartment and are quite industrial. You can see in the “before” photo there was a chunky desk under the stairs when we first visited, but as the stairs are already quite heavy looking, we wanted to keep it a lot cleaner and lighter underneath.

We had the sofa custom made in a soft, neutral colour, and it’s super comfy for the family and their guests.

So many people make the mistake of pushing all of their furniture to the outside of the room, up against the walls and then have this cavernous space in the middle of the room (see above). What we like to do is pull the furniture in to give it air and a more spacious feel. This is where a large rug is great, it grounds the furniture so that it doesn’t feel like it’s floating in the middle of the room.

By adding beautiful soft and floaty linen curtains we’ve added a softness and texture to the hard, straight lines of the room. They’re not needed so much for privacy so we didn’t need to line the curtains, which allows a lovely filtered light to come in.

Upstairs there are two bedrooms. The master bedroom has a small second space beyond separated by black French doors. We added more linen curtains here, this time lined to stop the morning light from streaming in and, again, to add softness.

We wanted the bedroom to have a boutique hotel vibe, so we had an extra wide headboard custom made that ran behind the bed and the bedside tables. We also switched the old wall lights out for simple matt black lights to tie in with the other black touches throughout.

The bedding is from Foxtrot Home, including the fabulous reversible quilt at the foot of the bed, and we had the long lumbar cushion custom made.

A black bench seat at the end of the bed is the perfect spot for popping your bag or suitcase when you arrive.

The second bedroom had a couple more challenges for us. Our clients wanted two single beds for their children to use, but also the versatility of being able to push the beds together to form a king bed if guests wanted that. Echoing the long headboard in the master bedroom, we had another one custom made to run the entire length of the back wall in the second bedroom. This way it works with either bed configuration.

You’ll notice in the “before” photo above the awkward spaces set back either side of the wall. We weren’t sure what the purpose of these were, but the space made it difficult for conventional bedside tables, especially with the different bed configurations. Our solution was to design and have our joiner make the little bookshelves with a cupboard below. These can act as bedside tables and gives those nooks a purpose. Again, we replaced the old lights with matt black ones, and the little stools at the end of the beds are great for bags as well as seats.

Our clients were thrilled with the end result and we thank them for allowing us to share their apartment with you. If you’d like to stay here or recommend it to friends, you can find it here (tell them we sent you).

Entrances | where first impressions count

March 31, 2020

If you haven’t already, hop over to our Instagram page or our IGTV channel to watch Dael’s video with tips for creating a beautiful entrance into your home. To help illustrate some of Dael’s tips I’ve put together this blog post for you. An entrance is vital for creating a good first impression and giving your visitors a taste of what’s to come, and we also like it to have some practical solutions to make our lives easier.

The most important piece of furniture in your entry is a console table. These are designed to be tall enough for you to drop your keys, mail etc as you walk in, and narrow enough so as not to take up too much valuable walking space. A console with drawers is handy for storing items you don’t want on display, but another option is to add storage baskets underneath. The image above is a great example of style and practicality coming together - a lamp to greet your visitors at night; a purely decorative piece for interest; a lidded box to store your keys; a vase of flowers for texture, interest and a beautiful scent; a mirror to bounce light and let you check yourself before heading out; and baskets for storing the dog’s lead, the kids’ shoes etc.

Get creative and playful with your entrance table. Art is a great alternative to a mirror, and remember not to hang it too high, you want it to have a connection to the table and vignette below it. In the image above they’ve hung the artwork off-centre and balanced it with the large clam shell and branches. Simple branches or greenery from your garden can be used instead of fresh flowers and will likely last a lot longer while still adding texture and life. In place of a lamp, if you don’t have a power point handy, add a candle.

I love the image above! The styling is deliberately simple allowing the beautiful pieces to shine. Instead of a console table, a small cabinet has plenty of hidden storage within. The artwork is hung off-centre and anchored below by the small black table, which would be handy for dropping keys on as you enter. The vases are in a group of three (the magic number when styling), and create a simple but interesting grouping of varying shapes and sizes. The touches of black add depth and lead your eye around from the table to the lamp and back across to the artwork. This is a simple but clever way to link everything together.

If you’re lucky enough to have the space for a piece of furniture with storage, you should definitely take that option. Just think of all the things you could hide in there, and the first impression your visitors will have is how tidy and organised you are. This piece (above) has been custom made and built in to the alcove. Talk to your local cabinet maker, joiner or interior designer if you want a custom piece for your entrance.

Dael and I sometimes look to use wallpaper in our clients’ entranceways when we want to create a real impact. It’s a space that you pass through rather than sit and spend time in, so you can afford to be a bit brave if you want to. Don’t be afraid to hang artwork on top of your wallpaper, it looks amazing and breaks up the pattern, helping to create a focal point around the console table.

Bold colour also creates a sense of “wow”. Use the space to express your personality. I love the mix of traditional, pretty pieces with textural tribal masks in the image below.

If you have stairs in your entrance take advantage of the wall under the stairs to create ‘a moment’. A bench seat works really well, and then follow the sloping line of the stairs with artwork and/or a floral or greenery arrangement.

If you have room a row of hooks in your entrance way is super handy for hanging coats, hats etc. Just make sure it doesn’t look too messy, that’s not a great first impression. Dael has hers tucked away behind the door on the opposite side from her console table. That way your eye is drawn to the table and not the hooks.

Don’t worry if your entranceway is small, there are still things you can do to create something fabulous. With the space below they’ve kept it simple with the the largely white artwork and small white, leggy table not taking up too much visual space. There’s enough room to drop your bag and throw your keys on that table.

Even a tiny floating shelf will do the trick, and mirrors are always great for bouncing light around and creating the illusion of space.

My dream house would have a large, welcoming entrance, and in this case you can have fun with the scale of your furniture and lighting. Dael and I both love a large, round table a few metres inside the door. Style the top with flowers or greenery, a tray for your keys and favourite decor pieces.

If not centring the table in the entrance, but it’s still a large space, make sure you play with the scale of your pieces. In the image below a large entry rug welcomes you with a large statement chandelier filling the space above. The console table is chunky and wider than a conventional one and the pieces on top are also substantial in size.

Finally, it’s not unusual to have a home where you walk straight into a living room or perhaps a kitchen. In this situation we try to create a sense of an entry by having a table or surface where you can still pop your keys etc. The image below has a long console behind the sofa. This creates a seperate hall like space between the living room and entrance.

I hope that’s given you a little inspiration, and now that we all have a bit more time on our hands with the Covid-19 lockdown in place, you can have a play with yours. Again, make sure you watch Dael’s video on our Instagram page. Stay safe, stay home and make that home an awesome place to be!

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