Our Place : Lynette Fisher

Photograph by John Borren.

LYNETTE Fisher is a proud non-minimalist.

Her house is overflowing, albeit everything perfectly placed, with arts, books and interesting bit and pieces from their life together and overseas adventures.

"I have always worked in the arts, either as an artist, curator, framer and educator so I have all these amazing friends that make art that I have swapped with over the years, and whenever we can, we like to support artists so there are a few 'had to have it' purchases."

As a result, the interior of the Bellevue Beazley home - built in the 1960s - is a colourful, eclectic mix of everything, which she loves.

Lynette lives here with husband Bryce, son Gabe, 15, "and our decrepit and vocal cat Ruby, and all her cat mates that come to the door wanting to be fed".

She describes their home as a good "old bog standard Beazley box" which are well represented in the suburb.

When they looked at the house 22 years ago, the view to the Kaimais was the selling point. The view was rural then ... now they are surrounded by suburbia.

Photograph by John Borren

"When the subdivisions started popping up everywhere, Bryce joked that when we first saw the orange street lights we were out of here!"

The Fishers bought the house for a mere $175,000. Lynette and Bryce surmised that their hard earned rent money would work better for them if they bought a house instead.

And they were right considering Otumoetai is one of Tauranga's most sought after suburbs.

When they first moved in the interior was an interesting mint green and soft pink in keeping with the times.

Photograph by John Borren.

The family has carpeted, polished the floors, painted, added a garage, landscaped and redone the kitchen and bathroom. Bryce is currently building a deck out the front.

Inside, the house is adorned with mostly sentimental artwork gifted by local friends and artists.

There's Graham Crow's flower sculpture which was a gift. Lynette has a couple or Rosey Armstrong's scary dolls.

"There's also the hoof - a friend of mine and I have a long-running gift challenge that involves 'rescue items'. Hence why I also have a pair of jousting sticks, and resin cat named Kitto and she has a house full of burnt matchstick frames and Dutch-themed souvenirs."

Photograph by John Borren

Bryce and Lynette bought a collection of John Roy sculptures from Zeus Gallery, which they love. Lynette is working towards her own exhibition and has taken over the dining room as her painting studio. That's the dream - a purpose built studio "but I would settle for a massive walk-in wardrobe and a housekeeper", she says.

Lynette's latest exhibition will be I am what I Play - a look at childhood battles as an adult - at The Incubator in November.