Interior designer making her mark

Kate Smith in the master bedroom with its French bamboo lamp table, and below, the wild-west themed spare bedroom. Pictures / Carolyn Robertson

It hasn't taken interior designer Kate Smith long to stamp her style on the Hobsonville home she shares with her fiance Tim Duncan. The couple moved to the three-bedroom home to be near Duncan's work at the airforce base at Whenuapai.

Smith, who was living in an apartment in the city, is enjoying the slower pace of life in semi-rural Auckland.

"I grew up in a small town [Kaikoura] so I like the country feel, being near to the vineyards and west coast beaches, and yet it's still only 15 minutes from the city and my work," says Smith, who has themed the guest room Wild Wild West as a tribute to their move west.

"Tim wouldn't let me throw out his bed, even though it's not quite my style, so I decided to rise to the challenge and set the scene around it," she says.

"I love the result because it is fun and quirky, and the bed actually looks good. But the best part is that you can lie in bed and look out at the sea with the city behind it."

Smith, who owns Trinity Interior Design in Grey Lynn, studied fine arts at university and travelled overseas for three years, before switching to interior design.

"While I was in Europe I was so inspired by the architecture and interior spaces that I decided to take up interior design when I got back to New Zealand," she says.

How would you describe the look of your home?

A mixture of serious and fun elements. I have certain things that I'll keep forever, like my sofa, but I like to change the look of my home with accessories. We've only been here two months and already I have changed the look of the living room twice. At first it was aqua blue and now it's green, with a transitional phase of yellow. 

What influences do you draw on when putting together the look of your home?

I am an incredibly visual person. Everything visual stimulates me, from fashion to movies, to a walk at the beach. National and international travel is also a huge influence. It takes you out of your bubble and shows you how amazing other places are, as well as making you appreciate home. One of my favourite places in New Zealand is Marlborough, and stand-out destinations overseas are Turkey, Prague and Italy. My home decor is inspired by all of those places. Although at the end of the year we are heading to Egypt, so I expect that will inspire another makeover.

What is your favourite designer piece?

My hand-beaded vase by French interior designer Gilles Caffier, sourced on a trip to Thailand, where he is based. I love its simplicity, and the way it is transparent, but most of all I love the organic nature of the hand-rolled beads. Better still, it makes a noise when you pick it up, because of the beads knocking together.

Do you have any pre-loved objects or furniture in your home?

Yes, I love to mix old and new. My favourite pieces at the moment are a Chinese antique vase and a French bamboo table I got from Piper antiques, a couple of doors down from Trinity. I pop in there on a regular basis looking for treasures. The woman in there sources the most amazing pieces, mainly from England and France.

What is your favourite piece of furniture?

My Trinity dining table, which is my own design. I wanted a table that was very simple. I chose pale Victorian ash because I love the grain of the wood, but it is also very dense so it takes knocks well.

What is your best buy?

A section of land by the beach in Kaikoura, the site of my future dream home. In about two years' time we plan to build a bach, but ultimately we want to retire there. Do you entertain much at home?

Yes, lots. We are very casual and our friends pop by on impromptu visits all the time, which we love. We are rugby mad and on game nights we lay out lots of floor cushions and everyone grabs a beer and crams in. I'm not a natural in the cooking department but I do have one special dish I pull out on these occasions. My never-fail and easy-to-make feta-and-tomato dish with fresh-baked bread is always a winner.

What can't you live without?

The cases of Koura Bay wine regularly sent up to me by my parents from our family vineyard in Marlborough. The first grapes were planted by my father in 1994 and the vineyard now produces some of the best sauvignon blanc I have ever tasted.

How does your work influence your home?

What I do doesn't feel like work so I don't separate it from home. I'm always changing things around at home. I am lucky that my work involves me with beautiful and stylish furniture, fabrics and finishes so it's inevitable that some of it ends up here.