We recently visited some friends that we'd not seen in a while. Naturally, it was great to catch up with them, but the thing we really noticed was how they'd made some very minor tweaks to their design aesthetic but it had literally transformed their whole house!

So, what did this small scale transformation entail?

They chose a new colour accent for their soft furnishings (cushions and a throw) and decorative pieces; in this instance it was copper. They bought some oversized pots and planted new indoor plants at their entrance. And that's it.

No painting or wallpapering. No new furniture. No new flooring.

The whole thing would have taken less than half a day (depending on how fast you shop) and would have been painless to the pocket (depending on where you shop). 

We call that a win/win.

​Until next time...

First off, let us say a very belated Happy New Year!

Yes, it's shocking but this is our first official week back after an extended (not-to-mention wonderful) Summer Holiday. We hope you are all safe, happy and well.

While we were off enjoying the sunshine and the glorious sights our fair country has to offer, we did manage to find the time to stage a few properties here and there, with one in particular being something we think deserves a special mention; not because of the great work we produced, but because of who it was for.

Late last year, we were contacted by MyPad inviting us to be involved in a local charity drive where they built a funky new "bach" in Mangawhai, to auction off to raise funds for The Mangawhai Activity Zone Charitable Trust.

It didn't take a lot of thought, we said yes!

Working closely with the MyPad, we're happy with the results produced and wish them the very best of luck on Auction Day (Saturday, 6 February 2016). Whoever wins it on the day is supporting a great cause, and buying themselves a wonderful space.

Until next time...

We recently had a look through photos of our recent work and was pleasantly surprised to notice that seem to have unconsciously adopted our very own signature; animals!

Whether it be giraffes, deer, owls, swans, we seem to often leave these little quirky characters at our staging jobs (and sometimes even our showhomes!).  They're nothing too ostentatious, in fact unless you're looking for them, you may not even notice them, but we think they are another way of adding a warm, friendly feel to room.

Never forget the small things, they go a long way to creating the overall vibe/theme in your home decor.

​Until next time...

For those of you who know us, or have worked with us in the past, you know that we're not ones to gush about our own work, however these past three weeks have most definitely earned us a big pat on the back. 

In our previous post 'Eight Years Young', we hinted at something big we were working on for Apartment Furnishing.  Well, we have officially completed the furnishing of six (yes, six) central city apartments; five in Anzac Avenue and one on Kingston Street. Needless to say, this was a mammoth task and pushed ourselves to the limits but it's done and we're delighted with the results.

The old adage, "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" is most certainly true in this instance. We have proven ourselves to be stronger (both physically and mentally), more adaptable, more capable and more creative than we knew.

Please take the time to visit our Apartment Gallery page to see our latest work.

Until next time...

Not that we're avid followers, but we have seen a few episodes of the latest home renovation show 'Renovation Rumble' and started to consider how easy it is to put a label on your home decor style/theme, i.e. Contemporary Coastal, Modern Vintage, Rustic Villa, Shabby Chic.

When we brought this topic of conversation up with friends over the weekend, we came to the conclusion that not many of us have the luxury (or budget) to decide on a theme and furnish a whole house with it.  We have pieces that we like, and we purchase bits and bobs when we can, and over time a theme or style emerges.  

Putting you on the spot now, if you were given $10,000 to makeover a room in your home, how would you do it?   Would Pinterest be your design bible, or would you hit the shops and decide on some pieces that just feel right?

Just curious.  Until next time...

Okay, so there's not a lot any of us can do about the scary property prices that we're experiencing right now.  And while that might mean you have to move to Greytown to acheive your dream of living in a beautifully restored four-bedroom villa with a yard that takes over an hour to mow, it also means that you can take the opportunity to live in the now.

It's great to have hopes and dreams, but why not try taking stock of what you have in the here & now, and make the most of it so you can live happily ever after (or close to it).

We've noticed an increasing number of enquiries for our interior design services, which leads us to believe that more people have decided to simply improve on their current situation, instead of moving on.  Not many of us can afford a new home (and mortgage) or extensive renovations, but we can achieve a new look through paint, wallpaper, a chaise instead of a three seater, or even just move your existing furniture to create a different living space.

You never know, your current address might just be everything you never knew you always needed.

Until next time...