KEY POINTS:
Visualising how a neglected cabin could be turned into an inviting family home required a lot of imagination on the part of Bas Smith and Francesca King. "The first night after buying it we sat here by the fire, eating fish and chips on the floor, so excited about its potential," says Smith. "It had such good bones." The elevated Queenstown house, which started out as a small wooden hut in the 1950s but grew over the years, overlooks Lake Wakatipu and has glorious views of The Remarkables.
Not only had it housed the local doctor and hosted visiting diplomats, it had also been a brothel for a while. But in recent times, with its owners overseas for 18 years, it had been a rental with a reputation as the local party house.
When Smith and King saw it five years ago, the house had been trashed and the grounds were overgrown. "We couldn't even get in the driveway when we found it," remembers Smith. "Where the back lawn is now was covered in mature trees. We had to push through the bushes, everything was covered in ivy and there were huge pine trees.
We've probably taken out 30 trees, half of them big, mature pines and gums, which was sad in a way as they were beautiful. However, it was so dark and cold without the light." The lack of light and the jungle-like grounds were just the beginning of the problems, though. The house also needed serious attention.
"When we first walked in it was a wreck. All those big windows at the front were smashed," Smith says, indicating the picture windows that afford stunning lake and mountain views. So, with the belief that a lot of hard work and a touch of invention would make their vision a reality, the couple has turned a rundown house into a functional and personalised family home for them and their children, 7-year-old Lucia and 2-year-old Marley.
The home's neutral walls are the ideal backdrop for the couple's extensive collection of Polynesian and Maori art. Mixed and matched with pieces by King's mother, sculptor Virginia King, and paintings by artists such as Simon Kaan and Mike Petre, is an assortment of Polynesian pieces as well as fans, leis and shells. They fit with Smith's Maori heritage and complement the tikis and photos of his ancestors.
To add to the cultural clash, King, who is involved with designing costumes for film and television commercials and also designs clothing for her Smith & Western label, has a passion for things Mexican, particularly the work of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Taking pride of place in the home are pieces with a personal connection. "Most of our things have got a story and are made by family or friends in the design industry," she says, pointing out the tiki clock made by her brother Josh King, the woven place name brought home from a friend's wedding in Samoa and the duvet cover designed by friends at Auckland store Bella Pacifica.
"It feels really like a home to us now, considering what it was," says Smith. King agrees: "We've loved having this home - fitting a new couch into the big room instead of sitting on bean bags, painting the horrid window frames white, creating a neutral background for all the things we've gathered, and letting our style develop."
Develop a style
Family affair: Turn a house into a home with art or ornaments created by family and friends, heirlooms and family portraits.
Be consistent: King has established a decorative theme throughout the home with Mexican and Polynesian art.
Time warp: Sifting through items at second-hand shops is a great way to acquire distinctive pieces that will give your home character.
Conversation pieces: Decorate with items that have a story behind them. The antlers above the pantry come from a stag that Smith shot for a friend's wedding.
* Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden. For more on this home, see the issue on sale now, or visit www.yourhomeandgarden.co.nz
