Something old, something new

The kitchen was designed to feel more like a bar. Picture / Babiche Martens

Melissa Bowman and husband Stuart bought their 1950s stucco Remuera home four years ago.

It was in need of serious renovation - "it had been a renter for years and was almost uninhabitable," says Melissa. They set to work on renovations almost immediately and the result is a bright, airy and open family home. The Bowmans own Auckland design store Apartmento and stock the new Meluka storage range which features throughout their home. "With three children we have a lot of stuff that needs putting away," says Melissa.

Where do you live?

Hapua St, Remuera

Who lives there?

Stuart and Melissa, Harry 12, Monty 9, Prudy 6, and Gus the cat.

The best thing about living here?

The position is fantastic for us, walking distance to Parnell and Newmarket. We don't have a lot of land but there's a great park at the end of our street and the kids treat it like their back yard. Our own back yard is quite steep - the native bush provides an adventurous (even dangerous) play area for the kids and, handily, is also a great reason not to garden.

Can you describe your house?

I'd love to be able to say it was a mid-century classic but that's stretching it a bit. Really it's a 1950s, two-storey, stucco, work in progress. It's come a long way from when we first moved in, then it was truly scary, but we saw that it had potential. The floor to ceiling windows let in tons of natural light and now that we've knocked down just about all the walls it is a very airy space. It's not a big house but it works really well for us. The first thing we did was turn two of the garages into a space for the kids so they have downstairs and we have upstairs. We've tried to keep some of its original features like the fireplace and louvre windows but the pink exterior is going to have to go.

How would you describe your interior design style?

I love old mixed with new. You have to be confident and believe in your own style, it either looks good or it doesn't.

Where do you find inspiration when putting together the look of your home?

I tend to get very inspired when Stu's designing new furniture for Apartmento. I think it probably drives him nuts because as soon as they've finished a new product I start trying to sneak it home. I think this is a good sign in that I love what we do but can also be very frustrating because I have a never-ending wish list.

What colours and textures have you used?

I lean towards a neutral palette. That whole sandy, creamy, chocolatey thing is such a great starting point. But I don't want it to be too bland so we've punched it up with some citrus - acid yellow, orange (my faves), maybe even red. It makes the room more fun. You don't want to get too serious, your home should make you smile. I don't think you can go wrong with black and white, it's so strong and gutsy. Textures - as many and varied as possible - such as shaggy woollen things, shiny surfaces, crafty woven stuff, beautiful textiles all jumbled together hopefully make for a fabulously layered environment.

Your favourite room?

I'd have to say it's the kitchen, quite possibly because it was the last room in the house to be finished and it's still a novelty. When we were designing it we decided it should feel more like a bar - lots of dark wood and mirror. This has been fairly successful given the amount of the time spent in the kitchen drinking and not cooking.

Favourite piece of furniture?

Would have to be the Apartmento Salon chair, it's classically elegant yet sits comfortably in a contemporary or traditional environment.

What is your most treasured possession?

Tough, most things are replaceable, but photos and children's art and funny little keepsakes, things that trigger your memory should be treasured. We have a photo wall in our home office which I look at every day.

I love a house with soul, then it truly becomes a home. Minimalism - who needs it. Books, photos, kids artwork, all add warmth and humour. Your home should make you happy.

Do you have any collections?

I'm not a big collector - I've tried to collect things and then get sick of it, it just gets tedious. I think people who collect things are weird. But I do love groupings of things or things lined up in rows. We have a great Pellegrino collection, and I did go through a stage of collecting olive tins but then they changed the design so I gave it up (you can see what I mean).

Do you have any pre-loved objects or furniture?

I love our black wrought iron fire guard. It was in my grandparents' house then my parents' house, now I have it guarding my fire. It's been beautifully restored by my mother.

Wood floors or carpet?

I love wooden floors, we had ours lime-washed and they work well in a light house. Adding rugs provides warmth and interest and more importantly keeps the noise down.