The owners of this Auckland home — Emma and Dane Winter, their three children, and Emma’s mother — are a busy multigenerational family.
The family purchased a 1960s two-storey home for its location in Te Atatū and engaged interior design studio Material Creative to design an extensive renovation.
Dane and Emma are the founders of Summer Supply and footwear brand La Tribe. They asked the designers for a calming home featuring great flow and lots of spaces to gather.
‘They wanted to create something that contrasted with the chaos of everyday life; a family home that’s serene and clutter-free, welcoming, and relaxed,’ says Toni Brandso, director of Material Creative.
‘Emma and Dane didn’t want a lot of colour, preferring a limited palette and less visual noise, but still wanted something interesting. This encouraged us to rely on tactile textures and the juxtaposition of forms and furnishings to give the spaces the right energy.’
The renovation takes inspiration from the simplicity of Japanese design. Spaces feature natural materials, neutral colours, and minimal embellished except for subtly textured tactile surfaces.
‘Timber throughout was a priority to complement the era of the house while referencing the calm Japanese aesthetic,’ says Toni.
Materials in the pared back palette include oak, Shinoki walnut, porcelain tiles, marble, and linen curtains.
Structurally, the house was reworked to overcome its ‘confusing rabbit warren’ original floor plan. ‘The house had multiple rooms on the ground floor and the view was obstructed by walls that just didn’t make sense. Opening up the ground floor in particular was a priority to ensure the great flow and connection that the brief required,’ Toni says.
Post-renovation, the house looks sleek, constrained, and sculptural. The feel is sophisticated, yet approachable.
Toni says, ‘The perfect fusion that speaks of the relaxed nature of our clients: stylish yet salt of the earth.’
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