The client’s brief was to create a contemporary lifestyle home for a blended family that balanced connection, entertaining, and privacy within everyday living. They wanted a home that maximised the expansive site, embraced natural light, and established a strong sense of indoor-outdoor flow. Central to the brief was the desire for generous communal spaces that encouraged interaction and social living, while still providing private areas of retreat, particularly for teenage family members.

The clients envisioned a home that felt relaxed yet refined, with interiors that were warm, layered, and highly personalised rather than overly formal. Entertaining was a key priority, with the brief calling for flexible living spaces and a pool that could act as a central gathering point for family and guests.

Aware of rising construction costs, the client also wanted the project to remain conscious of budget while still achieving a highly considered and impactful outcome. Rather than relying on expensive finishes, the brief encouraged the use of thoughtful detailing, sculptural forms, and creative spatial moments to create a sense of architecture within the interiors. The clients wanted the design team to explore how joinery, colour, curves, and feature elements could be used to create individuality, warmth, and visual impact, resulting in a home that felt both striking and deeply liveable.

The design response focused on creating an interior where every space felt like an “easter egg”, with moments of surprise, personality, and discovery embedded throughout the home. Each element was carefully designed both individually and as part of a cohesive whole. Working within budget constraints, accessible materials were reimagined through thoughtful detailing and creative application. Standard joinery, paint, and tiles were elevated through sculptural curves, custom forms, and layered colour combinations that create warmth, depth, and a strong architectural identity while maintaining a playful and highly liveable atmosphere.

The project embraces materiality through layered detailing that transforms accessible finishes into highly individual features. A pink concrete hearth, sculptural curved island, and furniture-like arched plywood veneer bar create strong focal points throughout the home. Curved joinery, wavy shelving, and arched wardrobes establish a consistent rhythm of soft geometry, while colour becomes a defining material through colour-blocked surfaces, two-tone curtains, and coordinated tones linking spaces together. Herringbone flooring, varied tile patterns, and playful detailing add texture, warmth, and personality throughout the interiors.

Innovation within the project emerged through the creative reinterpretation of everyday materials and the use of sculptural interior elements to shape the spatial experience. Curves, arches, and undulating forms were repeated throughout the home to create rhythm, softness, and moments of discovery. Feature elements such as the arched bar, floating pink hearth, curved kitchen island, and wavy shelving blur the line between architecture and furniture, creating spaces that feel immersive and highly individual. Colour blocking, layered textures, and unexpected detailing were used to bring personality and visual impact while maintaining a warm and liveable atmosphere.

Design Firm (Architecture Design + Interior Design): Emma Brown Design
Architectural Design: Sarah Cheetham
Interior Design: Hannah Thomas + Sarah Cheetham

1. Kitchen featuring bold colour blocking in Resene Cab Sav, paired with sculptural curves and layered materiality
2. Kitchen and living space showcasing repeated vertical detailing, herringbone flooring, and furniture-inspired bar and fireplace elements
3. Colour-blocked shelving with custom wavy-edge detailing, creating a playful architectural feature
4. Custom arched plywood veneer bar designed as a sculptural, furniture-like entertaining piece
5. Curved tiled fireplace structure anchoring the floating pink concrete hearth
6. Custom curtain detailing featuring oversized ric rac trim
7. Master bedroom featuring a custom two-tone wavy headboard and arched makeup station with bespoke stool
8. Master walk-in wardrobe with two-tone joinery, colour-blocked curtains, and custom wavy mirror detailing
9. Master ensuite showcasing layered two-tone tile layouts and repeated arched forms
10. Children’s bathroom featuring playful tile colour blocking and contrasting pattern layouts

• Confirm