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're loving right now

January 21, 2025

In the spirit of being authentic and embracing our individual styles - which is what we’re predicting more of for 2025 - we’re sharing some of our “favourites” which are wonderful examples of that…

Spaces we’re loving…

Studio Giancarlo Valle is an award-winning design practice dedicated to creating spaces that are playful, studied, and unexpected. Their portfolio of work is so inspiring, and radiates joy, style and sophistication. We particularly adore this Soho Townhouse - six floors dipped in a saturated palette of deep emeralds, mauves, pistachcios, and cotton candy blues.

What we’re loving listening to…

Arent&Pyke is a Sydney-based design practice and a long-time favourite of ours. They were the first guests on This Much I Know - a podcast by Est Living hosted by design writer Karen McCartney. If you love interior design or are planning on embarking on your own project, we highly recommend listening for valuable insight into how these talented designers create unique homes for their clients.

Style we’re loving…

Blair Eadie is the owner and operator of the personal style site Atlantic-Pacific. She is a fashion guru and an inspiration for anyone who wants to dress to express their personality and find joy in their outfits. She’s written a fantastic article on “how to find your style”, and it’s amazing how similar her process is to the one we tell our clients. There are many crossovers in the fashion and interior world, and we often tell people to look to their wardrobe for clues to their interior style.

Food we’re loving…

We’ve both had our kids home from University over the Christmas break and I know I’ve had to adjust to cooking for more than just two people again. We’ve been loving making these wellness bowls as they’re super delicious and nutritious, and everyone can build their own bowls to suit their taste. We’ll have different protein options, as some are vegetarians and some are not, and people can add more of what they love and less of (or leave off altogether) what they don’t love.

If you’re inspired to inject more style and personality into your home we would love to help you. If you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, let us use our wealth of knowledge and experience, and our extensive network of suppliers and manufacturers to bring your visions to life.

“SHINE BRIGHT, BE YOURSELF” - Stephen Richards

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.