KEY POINTS:
Home, for many of us, is a refuge from our busy working lives. But for Kellie and Chris Taylor, the two are inextricably intertwined. Respectively design director and general manager of Moochi, the fashion label they founded eight years ago, the Taylors keep reminders of past collections dotted around their simple, stylish Mt Maunganui home.
Each season they celebrate the launch of a new Moochi collection by commissioning an artwork to display instore, which ends up on their living room wall. There's "Every day is my Moochi" from summer 2006 and "And then I called you back," from summer 2007.
Even the set of white, painted books that sits on the Kartel bookcase in the dining room was originally a shop fitting. "People occasionally ask whether it's difficult being surrounded by reminders of work at home, but it's not like that for us. There isn't a strict line between work and home. Moochi is an extension of us," says Kellie.
It's four years since the couple moved into the home, one street back from the beachfront. And during that time it's had a serious makeover. The decor they inherited was most definitely not Moochi, and that mattered. "To live in a space that doesn't feel right is a killer creatively," says Kellie.
Everything was pretty much in the right place so no structural work was needed; instead they worked on paring back the decor to clean lines and functional spaces.
The kitchen is a great example of how a little bit of tweaking can go a long way. The benches were squared off and given a stainless steel edge, the cabinets repainted and a new hob installed. The large and user-friendly kitchen really is the heart of this home.
The windows open out completely, making it easy for food to be delivered to the outdoor eating area and for the cook to be part of the conversation. Their children Morgan, 6, and Hudson, 4, love sitting up at the bench for snacks and Kellie says it's an ideal spot for family catch-ups. "We live in the kitchen," says Kellie.
"It's where all the big family discussions take place and I think that's really important. Meal times are one of the few times kids actually stop, and you can ask them a question without them running away to do something else."
Now there are different challenges in the pipeline for the Taylors - the house is on the market.
Work and family interests are moving them to Auckland, where they'll be on the lookout for a new family home to make over.
Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden. For more ideas from the magazine click here
