Belhams Interiors - Transforming houses into homes

When Belhams Interiors was announced as the Regional and then Supreme Winner at the Taranaki Top Shop 2024, owner Belinda Brown was stunned.

First up, she and her team were delighted to win the Home & Furnishings category sponsored by Razz Print & Design during the awards evening at the Devon Hotel in mid-June.

But there was more to come. Belinda was floored when the New Plymouth interior design studio and showroom was named as the Centre City sponsored Regional Winner.

She hadn’t even realised they had won until she saw the Belhams logo on the big screen. “To win that was just amazing, and the (Toi Foundation-sponsored) Supreme award was just unexpected.”

In her speech at the awards ceremony, Belinda thanked her staff and customers.

“I couldn’t do this without my fabulous team – past and present. Most importantly, we can’t do this without our customers. They are our priority. We wouldn’t be here without you,” she says.

“We are very passionate about what we do, but we are particularly passionate about making your home your sanctuary because it makes people feel settled, calm, and happy to take on the world.”

Feedback from the Top Shop judges was just as effusive.

“What a gorgeous shop. Warm and welcoming with a great first impression. Lovely décor and ambience and a helpful and attentive staff member. It is well laid out to display the different options available for home decorating. Stunning retail space with an excellent comprehensive website and good signage with a strong and captivating brand. An absolutely beautiful ambience and first-class experience. We could not fault this business. It is the epitome of all-round excellence.”

Belhams, a blend of Belinda and husband Hamish’s names, was established in 2004 when living overseas.

“Fun fact... it was put together with a family friend over a couple of boutique beers at a brewery in Perth,” she says.

Hamish, who works in the oil and gas industry, has been a steadfast supporter of Belinda’s entrepreneurial journey to transform a passion into a thriving business.

She’s had other help from family.

Adrienne Brown, Belinda’s sister-in-law, based in Christchurch, works full-time for Belhams. “She works remotely then joins the team for several weeks at a time to contribute her expertise and support,” says Belinda.

The talented team includes Sarda’e Palmer Curd, who manages the showroom and ensures that customers receive excellent service. Jo Collins and Rachel Brooks handle staging and styling, creating beautiful and sellable homes with keen eyes for detail and aesthetics. And Brooke Gordon is the space planner.

“Apart from Adrienne and I, our team is all new as of February of this year. And it has been incredible the way that everybody has pulled together so quickly. It’s important to build a team based on complementary skills,” she says.

“Our approach is very personalised. We stage to the home, not the furniture. It’s about making spaces that people can truly live in and enjoy.”

Belinda’s journey into transforming homes began with precocious talent. “Interior design was always my hobby. I started decorating my family home when I was just 11 years old.”

Originally from Auckland, Belinda met Christchurch man Hamish in London and together they became globe trotters, living in Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia. They also have two teenage sons.

While in Malaysia, Belinda honed her design skills, helping expatriates adapt their home furnishings to new environments.

“People would arrive with containers of furniture from their homes in Australia, New Zealand, or the UK, and struggle to make them fit in large, open-plan apartments with marble floors,” Belinda says. “I started helping friends and soon developed a knack for arranging spaces to make them feel cozy and functional.

“When we moved to New Plymouth (in 2016), it was a lifestyle decision,” she says. “After years of working in IT as an accountant and business analyst, I decided to turn my lifelong passion for interior design into a full-time career.”

Belhams Interiors started humbly, operating from home and focusing on helping friends and family. However, as Belinda’s reputation grew, so did the demand for her services, leading to the opening of a physical store on Beach St Fitzroy, in 2019.

In August 2023, Belhams Interiors moved into its new high-ceiling home at 30 Liardet St. With help from Adrienne, Belinda transformed the former music and instrument shop into an enticing space of elegant beauty.

There’s still music.

Jazz swirls through the air, which is delicately perfumed with scented candles, and the entire store is furnished in a melody of earthy tones with subtle hints of colour.

“We want people to walk in and feel relaxed and to have an enjoyable experience with no pressure to purchase. We’re trying to provide inspiration for their home,” says Belinda.

Belhams Interiors has a simple but clear philosophy: “The goal is to make your house into your home.”

30 Liardet Street, New Plymouth

belhams.co.nz