KEY POINTS:
Selling their large Mt Eden villa began a chain reaction that eventually saw Ali and Kingi Hui building a new home in Avondale.
The couple became convinced they had too much money tied up in their Mt Eden home so they sold it and moved into a rental property they owned. They began renovating that and bought another rental in Avondale, a rundown three-bedroom home that Kingi spent his evenings working on.
But Ali thought the renovation process would be easier if they shifted there, so she "dragged Kingi, kicking and screaming" to Avondale.
After living in the home for a while, Ali realised the area was growing on her. "There's a great Asian market close by, the neighbours are absolutely lovely, we've got family nearby and it's quiet and spacious," she says. "Suddenly I wanted to stay."
The house they were renovating sat at the front of a section large enough to be subdivided. So, with the help of a designer, the Huis began work on plans for a new house on the back of the section.
The house not only caters for the couple's blended family but also their businesses: Ali owns childrenswear company Babu, while Kingi is an engineer. Their children Jack, aged 7, and Rubie, 4, have their own rooms, as does Kingi's older daughter, Deena. And the renovated house at the front of the section is now home to Kingi's son Stacey and his partner Lauren. Ali's sister calls the property the "Hui pa". While the home has concrete floors and white walls, the couple has added colour in furnishings and artworks.
Although most of Ali's collection of 1950s Murano art glass is in storage, she keeps the look of the home fresh by rotating pieces. The couple's art collection combines pictures collected on Ali's buying trips to Vietnam with Maori artworks and family photos.
The two vast works of weaving have extra meaning: they decorate the home but were bought as an inheritance for Jack and Rubie. Moss-green couches in the lounge are another colourful feature. "Because this room is just so light, anything pale would have disappeared into the space," Ali explains.
Light floods into the double-height room from the split window, with the bottom half looking out on a water feature while the top takes in the sky. "Kingi and I work a lot," says Ali. "I'm always travelling overseas, and when we're home we love getting down on the floor and playing board games with the kids. We all live in this room, and it works amazingly well."
The home is so well-geared towards the family because they have all put a lot of time into it. Kingi project-managed the construction, while Ali designed the colours and some of the furniture. They also included useful personal touches like a fold-away stepladder behind the kitchen kickboard that Rubie uses when she's helping her mum in the kitchen, and a cubby hole in the downstairs bathroom that's the perfect spot for Rubie and Jack's bath toys.
Generous storage spaces throughout the home are another family-friendly feature. "It was important to create a space that would be easy to keep clean and tidy," says Ali. "Everything has its place."
Family values
Colour crazy: If you have favourite colours, splash them about confidently. They'll bring even the palest room alive.
Cut costs: Don't be afraid to compromise, especially if it's going to save you money. Ali went for Stonex rather than a more expensive Corian benchtop in the kitchen.
Storage sense: Creating storage spaces in voids or parts of a room that would otherwise see little use will go a long way to making your home tidy and more orderly, especially if you allocate kids their own cupboards or drawers.
Snap happy: Setting aside a wall for family photos is a great way to personalise your home.
* Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden. For more on the Hui home, see the issue on sale now, or visit www.yourhomeandgarden.co.nz.
