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with personality

It was in a great location but lacking in space so owner Sarah Whinham had to think out of the box when it came to transforming her home in Blenheim on a budget.

WORDS: EMILY MARTEN MALINDA BONIFACE

When Sarah Whinham was looking for a family home in Blenheim, she was drawn to this little cottage - the section was north-facing, the perfect size, and had the best apricot and plum tree in town, she says.

“With the farmers’ market, the best butchers across the road and being close to the river the location was fabulous.” Although this ticked all her boxes, the interior was not quite as enticing but Sarah knew she could make her mark on it. “The inside had a strange layout and only two small bedrooms. Having lived in 20 or so properties both here in New Zealand and London I could see it had potential.” Sarah set about adding an extension to push out the side of the house and create a new kitchen, living space, master bedroom and the all-important front door. She also extended the deck for their summer living and entertaining which added a whole new outdoor room that can be used all year round. With an interest in interior design and styling, Sarah enjoyed the challenge that working within a budget posed, albeit with the addition of the occasional, more high-end piece. “I’ve always enjoyed interiors and I like playing around with styling - some people would say I am the Trade Me queen! However, I also love a few designer pieces such as my orange Arnold Circus stool which is a great statement piece. “I had a budget to stick to and there’s no better feeling than finding something you’ve been looking for on Trade Me for half the price! I got some real bargains, including the Fisher & Paykel oven which the previous owners had only used twice a year in their holiday home in Queenstown and a Methven minimalist gooseneck tap for a great price.” For Sarah, it was important to create a family home that would be a sanctuary at the end of the working day for her and her two boys, Tane, 11 and Niko, eight, but also one that was practical and livable.

“The house needs to be enjoyed and I can’t be too precious especially with two full-on boys and Momo the cat!” Sarah’s personality shines through straight away, with a rollicking orange aluminum front door from Fisher Joinery. A favorite vintage poster from Pop Motif creates a colourful focal point in the lounge.

A neutral, earthy palette for the main living area and the boys’ bedrooms is created using the soft, warm-tinted Half Rice Cake paint by Resene on the walls, effortlessly complementing the natural fibers, such as the jute rugs, linen, masi cloth, bamboo and rattan pendants from Corcovado. The end result is a supremely calming home, with pops of colour added throughout with accents of inky blues, orange and greens from Sarah’s plants. The all-white kitchen is crisp and bright. An oasis of light in a clean space with plenty of storage. “Johanna from Bay’s Joinery designed a seamless matte white kitchen with full-height handle less cabinets, an integrated dishwasher and a huge pantry so there is plenty of storage. The timeless pure white will never go out of fashion,” says Sarah. A clever window splash back lets the sunshine in and open shelving is a great way of displaying Sarah’s favourite cookbooks and plants as well as adding another touch of personality to the beautiful room. “I love that you can sit on both sides of the breakfast bar. It’s a great multi-zone space that can easily accommodate the boys doing their homework, having friends round for drinks, or for those big family feasts that need plenty of bench space. “I opted for Moduleo vinyl planks in Brandy for the entire living space, and I’m so glad I did! It’s so practical with the boys, I can vacuum it daily and it never shows up any marks. I also added new honeycomb blinds from Russells Curtains throughout the house to complete the look.”

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The unique personality of the house is continued in the children’s bedrooms, making the perfect space to relax in.

I love that you can sit on both sides of the breakfast bar. It’s a great multi-zone space... ”

Sarah painted the master bedroom in Resene Indian Ink for a sophisticated, moody and cocooned feel which also adds an extra dimension of colour and feel into the house.

“I painted the ceiling, trims and wardrobe in Resene Alabaster to stop the room from feeling too heavy, and to add visual height,” she says. White linen bedding and curtains provide a crisp contrast to the navy walls in this contemporary bedroom. Sarah’s money-saving mindset helped her save a tidy sum when it came to creating a DIY version of the headboard she’d had her eye on. For her boy’s bedrooms, Sarah went for a modern, fun look, using unusual and interesting items amassed on her travels around the globe.

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Clever use of space and light make the kitchen and eating areas roomy and welcoming.

“What do you do if you see the on-trend oval linen bedhead online that costs over $1000 but you can’t afford it? If you’re me, you make it yourself! I got the headboard for free on Facebook Marketplace and made the navy linen bedhead cover for it using old fabric I had lying around. “I mixed pieces from my travels such as Tunisian puppets, Indian felt garlands, Fijian masi cloth and Moroccan poufs. For me, it’s important each room feels homely and is somewhere the boys want to hang out.” Fully renovating the bathroom is still on Sarah’s to-do list, although she managed to give it a speedy refresh with a lick of leftover paint and some contemporary touches. “I didn’t have the money to redo the bathroom but that is next on my list to save for. In the meantime, I painted the bathroom using the leftover Indian Ink paint from the bedroom and painted the floors with Resene Walk-on paving paint in Alabaster and a gloss varnish. I added a new white double vanity for more storage with on-trend black tapware and a new loo.” Sarah isn’t afraid of a bit of hard graft and painted the whole exterior of the house in Resene All Black, including the garage, fences and even the old brown aluminium joinery. “I’ve always loved black houses, if you’re feeling brave and want to create some drama and impact on the outside of your home, I whole-heartedly encourage you to embrace the darkness!

Splashes of colour pop against the Resene All Black finish.

I had a budget to stick to and there’s no better feeling than finding something you’ve been looking for on Trade Me for half the price! ”

“I added a mirror tint to the bedroom windows to provide some privacy and along with friends removed three large macrocarpa trees at the front of the property. I have added a trellis around the perimeter of the property which I stained in Resene Pitch Black and will grow my favourite climber through.” Sarah added another garden at the side and back of the property which will blossom into its full potential with a few years’ more growth. Next on the agenda is to line the garage and turn it into a boy cave, but for now, the family are planning on enjoying the modern home they’ve created. Next on the agenda is to get builder Mike Newport back to line the garage. “I love that this is our space and it’s our wee piece of paradise. I have learnt over the years that living minimally with just the necessities means there is no clutter and life is easier, especially when moving around!”

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