KEY POINTS:
A visit to Bernice Ryan's Auckland home practically counts as a mini break to the south of France. Bernice describes her style as "French country with a dash of English manor". The kitchen and family area in particular is pure Provence, with its pale yellow cabinetry and bold, red walls.
Bernice and her husband Jim bought their home three years ago, after a stint living in Britain where Bernice completed an interior design course at London's Inchbald School of Design, and also worked as an antique dealer.
The home's classic 1960s design makes it the perfect backdrop for Bernice's love of interesting furniture - much of which she restored herself. "I love 1960s houses as they have good-sized rooms and the simple architecture will suit almost any interior style," she says.
Painting much of the interior in a colour similar to that of old linen also helped make it the ideal backdrop for the French provincial style. When she returned from Britain, Bernice set up her Birkenhead store, Vintage Antiques.
It offers a range of quality furniture, decorative items and collectables, meaning Bernice is never short of new things to add to her home. She travels to Britain and Europe twice a year to find new stock. "There are always one or two things from each trip that find their way to my home," she says.
Another way Bernice finds new pieces is by using the furniture repair skills she picked up in Britain. Jim is used to pieces of furniture turning up on their doorstep that appear past their use-by date.
"He has totally different interests and trouble imagining what it will look like, but he's always happy with the end result," says Bernice. "When I arrived home with the old wooden sofa in the lounge he said 'what skip did you drag that out of?"'
But the home is about more than showcasing a particular style or carefully restored furniture. "It's about having the things I love around me, regardless of whether they are old, new or reproduction."
BUYING VINTAGE
Past and present glories mix well in this Auckland home
Feel the love: Don't buy anything you're not passionate about, or you'll clutter up your home. Buy once, buy well: No one has ever regretted buying quality pieces that they will have for a lifetime.
Don't worry about placement: You can easily mix and match old and new. When you get an item home the perfect spot for it will become clear.
Dither at your peril: You can't presume an item you love will still be there on your next visit. If you need to, use layby and save to pay it off. Or ask the store to hold the item for an hour or so while you think about it.
