Wednesday 28 August 2013

Hamilton Home

For me, one of the most special parts of Cush & Nooks is getting to meet so many amazing, like-minded people. Just over a year ago I got a Facebook message from a follower of mine, asking advice on some art for her home. Since then we have exchanged many more messages and emails, and on a recent trip to Hamilton I got to visit her in her gorgeous home.




Sarah-Jane Hamilton is one of those people who is as beautiful inside as she is out. Bubbly and vivacious, she took me on a tour of the home that she and her husband, Justin, bought in May 2012.




Although no structural work needed to be done to the house, Sarah and Justin have given it a major makeover. Originally painted in tea tones with wooden beams, the first thing they did was paint the entire inside of the house in a fresh white to lighten and brighten it. Once they had their blank canvas, Sarah was able to work her magic by layering furniture and homewares that she'd been collecting and creating. With a job as a graphic designer she has a great eye, and simply oozes creativity.




Heat pumps, while practical, are not beautiful! Sarah has cleverly distracted your eye away from theirs by creating a fun picture wall underneath. Included in the mix is a framed piece of Cole and Sons 'Woods' wallpaper (a favourite of Sarah's) and a photo of Justin, who is a police officer.





Sarah is a great example of patience and innovation. If there's something she loves but the budget doesn't quite stretch that far, she'll diligently save until she can afford to buy it. She believes in investing in quality pieces, and by saving for them she can be certain that they're not just bought on a whim. If she can't find what she wants, she'll make them herself, or find someone to help her make them. A great example is the moose cushion, bought from Harvey Norman, which has been pimped out with hot pink pom poms that she sewed on by hand.







A black and white base with pops of vibrant colours is Sarah's M.O. It was her mum, Jenni Greenfield, who encouraged her to paint the back wall of their dining room a striking black.




Bold black and white striped wallpaper leads you upstairs where the black and white theme continues.





The colourful garland in the guest bedroom is another of Sarah's creations.




Karen Walker's 'fuscous grey' has been used on the back wall of the master bedroom. The deep charcoal is slightly softer than black.




Plans for the office include wallpapering it in the favourited 'Woods' wallpaper. It may, one day, need to be turned into a nursery, in which case the wallpaper will make a delightful feature that will not be outgrown.




Sarah is lucky enough to have a wonderful and close relationship with her mum, Jenni. They share a passion for interiors which runs in the family. Jenni tells of her 80 year old mum who recently white washed the floor boards in her Napier home herself - what a woman!




Combining their styles, which compliment each other beautifully, the talented mother and daughter pair have started a Facebook page which showcases all the things that they love.
In particular, Sarah is passionate about the fusion of fashion and interior design. So if you like what you see here, go over and 'like' their page, there are sure to be great things to come.





All photos are taken by the amazing and extremely talented Larnie Nicolson. Larnie is responsible for the photography of many of the gorgeous homes you see in our NZ home magazines, so make sure you 'like' her on Facebook too. She has a new book with LeeAnn Yare due out soon, featuring 24 amazing New Zealand homes. I've pre-ordered mine!

My heart goes out to Sarah and Justin who recently lost their beautiful dog, Whiskey, to an unexpected surgical complication. As a massive dog lover, I know how big a hole they leave in your life when they leave. Rest in peace Whiskey x

17 comments :

  1. These pictures are SO good! I love their gallery wall and the way they have used black in such a chic way across the spaces. Great tour! x

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  2. Great house! Which white paint did they use?

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    1. They used Resene Quarter Black White - but had to do three coats to cover the tea colour underneath. I hope that helps x

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  3. LOVE IT. Love their facebook page and am feeling very excited as Ive just purchased that grey for my bedroom and it looks fabulous in these pics! Dawn Bannister

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    1. Thanks Dawn. I'm sure your bedroom will look amazing! Dark colours in bedrooms help create a lovely cocoon effect. x

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  4. What a lovely house, love the bedroom decor. Just found the you and me pillowcases online as Love them. Have already liked them on facebook.

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    1. Brilliant, much appreciated. Those are very cool pillowcases, aren't they?! x

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  5. I didn't even notice the heat pump until you pointed it out! Gorgeous home, love the black and white features and fun vibe. Stunning photography from Larnie (as always) and I've already jumped over and liked their page! x

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  6. Clever with the heatpump, I didn't notice it at first either. middle of my sitting room.

    I like Sarah's design style, it is quite unique, clever little touches throughout the house such as the hanging tassels above the bed and the pom poms hanging from the stags head.

    Thank you for sharing.

    Lee :)

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  7. The home is gorgeous and so are the photographs

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  8. Love these two ladies and what they are doing - their facebook feed is always full of great images. Nice to see such a fantatsic home and taken so perfectly by my favourite photographer - Larnie Nicolson!

    I love the connections you can make via the web, well done Vic.

    Alex Fulton

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  9. Love this home. Would you happen to know where the tassel garland is from. Thanks :)

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    1. Hi Nadeesha. Sarah made the tassel garland herself - clever girl! x

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  10. Gorgeous home :) love the colour! So sorry to hear about your beloved dog Whiskey xxx

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  11. Are the walls and roof the same white? :)

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    1. Yes they are, both are Resene Quarter Black White x

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It's lovely to hear from you. Thanks for your comment. Best wishes, Vic xxx

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