Opulent blues and greens, quirky art and ingeniously repurposed salvage fill this quake-damaged Christchurch home with warmth and joie de vivre
Meet and greet
Kiri Penfold, interior stylist, Skot Penfold, senior project manager, Inovo Project Management, Tane, 20, Gabe, 18, and Milan, 14, plus German shepherd-ridgeback cross Theo.
DIY decor and statement colours give this Christchurch villa a unique vibe
When Kiri and Skot Penfold sold their family home to invest in a business venture, little did they know it would be more than 10 years before they would become homeowners again. When that time finally came, in 2016, the old Christchurch villa they bought was earthquake-damaged and far from perfect but a combination of hard graft and prudent purchases have turned the place into their own slice of Kiwi paradise.
“We purchased the home for $300,000 and had a budget of $60,000 to repair and redecorate,” says Kiri, a creative interior stylist. Given the size and vintage of the home (it was built around 1900), fixing it up was always going to be a challenge. When the cost of re-piling gobbled up more than half of the already squeezed budget, only the couple’s positive attitude and complete faith in their ability to make it work carried them through.
Kiri dismisses the praise for her clever home makeover. “Clever? Not really. I’m just thrifty. If there’s a way of doing it myself, I just do it.”
Kiri’s style top tips
- Don’t care about what anyone thinks. It’s your space and a reflection of your style and taste. Own it and make it yours.
- Take time to achieve your vision and stick to it. Good interiors don’t happen in an instant.
- Make a space for everything. Be creative – picnic hampers for toys can be stacked into great displays, filing cabinets make excellent laundry hampers and bedside cabinets, etc.
- Change it up. Move furniture and other items around the house – it’s fun to relocate, replace or redesign pieces.
- Budget constraints often force new creativity. Many of our favourite design solutions have been inspired by lack of money.
- Have fun. Make coming home a pleasure. We love our space; it’s an extension of who we are. Don’t take yourself too seriously.
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The Penfolds love the original features such as the plasterwork and hallway arch.
The antlers were gifts and the skull came from Etsy.
The light fittings shown on this page and opposite were all found by Kiri.
The fruit bowl and egg stand (glimpsed in the background) are examples of Penfold DIY, both made from glass dishes glued together.
In the kitchen a French glass-drying rack full of coloured glasses makes a colourful display; it was festooned with scarves when Kiri first saw it in a cafe gift shop.
Kiri has a special knack for repurposing finds, such as the old filing cabinets used as bedside tables and a set of church windows that have found new life as mirrors.
The main bedroom is located on an upper level added in the 1970s and gets very hot in summer, so the industrial fan is much appreciated.
This second living room is a cosy spot to watch TV or read. The replica Chinese coffee table folds out and is ideal for storage.
Son Gabe picked the mantra for his bedroom wall and Kiri painted it freehand.
The wooden cabinet, found on Trade Me, houses a valve radio, turntable and a mirror-lined drinks cabinet.
Kiri painted the circle using paint given to her, with a dash of black mixed in. She made the desk from the legs of a Singer sewing table and some marble she got for $10.
The home was reclad in faux stone and imitation wood in 2008; the Penfolds have no plans to replace it yet.
Quirky finds such as old signs and fire-alarm covers add interest throughout the house.
The carport has been reinvented as a colourful outdoor dining area. On the ceiling, old bike rims entwined with fake flowers create a delightful effect, looking a little like medieval chandeliers. The wrought-iron table and chairs came from Lysaght in Ashburton.
Words by: Ady Shannon. Photography by: Kate Claridge.
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