Modern MATCH

A New Zealand couple delved into the dark side for a slick and stylish revamp of their 1970s home.

- Leanne Moore

FAMILY MOMENTS Rebecca and Paul’s Auckland home, constructed nearly 50 years ago, is filled with contemporary know-how. Rebecca, who’s a fashion buyer, and Paul, who builds houses for a living, took a hands-on approach to reconfiguring their two-storey abode, adding a light-filled living zone to share with their children, Isabella, 10, and eight-year-old Miller. The dark, barn-laid solid oak flooring (opposite) mirrors the home’s moody interiors, fixtures and accessories such as the large artwork, created by Rebecca (pictured with Isabella) from an image originally designed for fabric. In the ultra-comfortable living room (below), a family-sized ‘Jasper’ sofa from King Living is softened by patterned cushions Rebecca picked up while on holiday in Noosa in Queensland; the velvet ones are from Città Design. It’s here the adults can be found during nights in. “When we’re having a dinner party, the children gather upstairs on oversized sofas for pizza and movies, while the adults crank up the music and dim the lights downstairs,” says Rebecca.

Homes built during the 1970s have their challenges, and for Rebecca and Paul, the greatest one they faced when they bought their tired and dated abode in 2010 was having the living and dining room inconveniently positioned upstairs. “It was a nightmare when the kids were little because they always wanted to be outside, and it was difficult to keep an eye on them,” explains Rebecca. “The layout was all wrong for how we wanted to live as a family.”