Elegant features are merely a backdrop for a collection of treasured items at an Auckland home.
Asked to sum up her decorating style, Karina McLeod suggests starting with a neutral backdrop "then layer 16 years of family life over the top".
That approach means while the Auckland home she shares with her husband Iain and their two sons has elegant features, such as high ceilings, polished timber floors and neutral walls, these are merely the backdrop for an eclectic collection of vintage toys, antiques and colourful finds from abroad. A stuffed owl sits beside a bust of a Greek goddess, and Star Wars figurines are arranged on a bookshelf before a set of the Encyclopaedia Britannica.
"I'm not a fan of minimalism, or houses that look like they're out of a catalogue," says McLeod. "After all, a home should be about the personalities who live there, and we all bring our unique flavour into this house."
That flavour has changed in the 16 years the couple have lived in the Mt Eden home with sons Jack, now 17, and Tom, 14.
"Over time our tastes change, our needs as a family change and fashions change," she says. "Some people pretend they're immune to fashion, but none of us are. It's perfectly healthy - and a lot of fun - to respond to new influences and changing trends."
A major investment in recent years has been the installation of a rectangular pool bordering the kitchen and living areas along the western side of the house. The couple had originally planned to replace the whole wall with a series of french windows but the cost and the exposure to the south-westerly wind doomed that idea.
"Major structural work is so high in cost," McLeod says. "When I thought about all the smaller aesthetic changes I could make instead - like wallpaper, lighting or art - I knew where I'd rather spend the money."
However, this meant the family's garden and pool could be reached only through the french doors in the main bedroom.
"After a barbecue with guests traipsing back and forth through our bedroom, I'd had enough," McLeod laughs. "I phoned the builder and told him that if he didn't put doors in our kitchen before the summer, I'd take an axe to the walls myself."
To create access to the pool from the open-plan kitchen and living area, the kitchen windows were replaced with doors.
This meant removing part of the kitchen bench, which was then placed back-to-back with the existing island, so no storage space or bench area was lost.
"I love that this new arrangement evolved out of practical necessity."
Style tips
Small change: If you want to redecorate on a budget, new lamps or cushions can dramatically change the look of a room, while using wallpaper is an easy way of injecting colour and texture.
Contain clutter: Finding a balance between quirky and cluttered is easy if you create display areas that can be crammed with objects while the majority of the space is kept clean and tidy.
Personal highlights: Embrace the personalities within the home. Strange treasures such as a replica human skeleton and a giant model cockroach form part of the display in the McLeods' sons' room.
Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden. See the latest issue for the full story on this home and other ideas for your place.
