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Meet and greet: Rachel Soo Thow (beauty executive and creator of The Lit List), Samuel Crabtree, (distribution director and filmmaker) and their nine-year-old pug, Henry.
The property: A two-bedroom 1970s townhouse that’s been given a personality-packed makeover by a creative couple with a love of colour and an eye for a secondhand bargain.
From the road, Rachel Soo Thow and Samuel Crabtree’s Mt Albert, Auckland, home looks just like its row of townhouse neighbours. Step inside, however, and you know this property is one of a kind. At 59sqm, it’s compact, but what it lacks in floor space it more than makes up for in fun. Its exuberant personality is a result of curated arrays of playful pieces and flashes of vivid colour.
“With this being a townhouse, we couldn’t change the exterior colours, unfortunately, so we decided that it was vital we make the indoor decor our own – a reflection of who we are as creatives and a culmination of our passion and interests,” Rachel says. “Anyone walking through our doors will get a sense of who we are and what we love, and there are so many elements to look at – anything makes a great conversation starter.”
Talk of the townhouse
Where to start with such a vast collection of pop art, collectables and other treasures? “Ah, so many we love,” says Rachel, whose favourites include the green velvet and gold deco bar stools from a secondhand shop, a Lipstick mirror by Roger Lecal, bought on Facebook Marketplace for $20, and a checkerboard-tiled coffee table in the lounge, which was made by a friend as a housewarming gift. “It’s such a treasured piece in our home,” she says of the latter.
Sam found the Homer Simpson vintage cookie jar with a talking head at an op-shop when he was on a skateboarding trip. “The lid is broken but it still talks and we’ll get around to supergluing it back together one day.”
The skateboard decks? “Sam works in distribution and in the skate scene so a lot of these boards, especially the Deco [Sam’s brand] ones upstairs in the office against the wall, are designs that he’s worked on collaboratively with friends,” explains Rachel. “All the other boards on the walls in our home are either special-edition collabs with brands or limited edition. I’d love to have a wall of our favourites one day when we get a bigger home.”
Another piece that succeeds in drawing the eye in a space in which there is plenty of competition is a giant Snoopy above the sofa. It’s a limited-edition rug. “Who says a floor rug can’t be wall art, too?”
Rachel says that Sam, who’s from Napier, is a fan of the art deco era and she loves retro and thrift finds, so some weekends are spent on treasure-hunting expeditions in Auckland and beyond.
The front yard and back garden are both exceptions to the pair’s filled-with-delights style. The front, says Rachel, is the introduction to their home, and the backyard is a place of sanctuary. “It was important to keep both of these spaces minimal and simple, yet cater to our needs – especially after long days of work.”
Read all about it
In this home, books matter. By day, Rachel is a beauty executive, but at night, she becomes a literary influencer and commentator on Instagram. “To be surrounded by literature is such a privilege,” she says, “so being able to have bookshelves filled with authors such as Joyce Carol Oates, Joan Didion, Claudia Pineiro and Junji Ito, and being able to gaze upon these shelves every day, is what makes me so grateful.”
For Rachel, art and literature have always been powerful influences. As a child, she immersed herself in the worlds of comics and horror, and she loved to sit cross-legged on a library bean bag trying to bring the hidden image in a visual puzzle – a kaleidoscope of texture and colour – to the fore.
The home, she adds, reflects many child-like elements. “From the M&M’s dispensers to the cookie jars, skateboards and space-age elements scattered throughout, the home greets us with such joy as we walk through the doors.” Though her partner might not always return to the same house he left. “Sam will sometimes come home from work and find pieces of furniture switched around completely, and it’s like moving into a new space all over again.”
Primary schooled
The house was a blank canvas when the couple bought it in 2022, and they initially thought they’d paint feature walls with hues they loved. But it soon became clear that, with their collections of retro and vintage finds, limiting colour to distinct features would be best.
Given many of their belongings contain primary colours, red and yellow were chosen. The red beam, stair handrail and other features were painted by Sam, and bright yellow Arnold Circus stools can be found inside and out. “We use them as side tables and stools for hosting and they’re super light, too,” says Rachel. And because they are made out of recyclable plastic, making them UV-safe, the colour won’t fade.
Naturally, the couple has more shades in mind. The next colour they’re considering is cobalt blue, “so watch this space”.
For Rachel, the lounge, with its gallery wall and books, is a favourite space. In the heat of summer, back and front doors are flung open and the breeze filters through. “There’s something about reading a great book on the couch with a wine that oozes self-care. It’s an activity I try to indulge in as much as I can.” The Ecosa sofa is both a daybed and a place to enjoy movie nights using their projector. “It’s like the adult version of building a fort as a child – we love it so much.”
How did the couple express their personalities in the compact kitchen? There’s the red painted beam, the vehicle mat, fridge magnets from holidays and messages from loved ones. The bathroom is a work in progress. They’ve added Made of Tomorrow shelving and bright accents such as the rug and greenery.
Downsize and declutter
In order to move into their first home, the pair had to shed some of their possessions. They had to say goodbye to a few larger pieces of mid-century furniture they loved – such as a hidden drinks cabinet and buffet table unit – but wanted the lounge to feel airy.
The couple also decided to make a few other changes. “I think as soon as we both have an idea in our heads, it doesn’t take long for us to do a bit of research and reach out to people for quotes etcetera, so in terms of the front yard, we had that done over the course of a month.”
They swapped the original turf and bricks for terracotta slabs and white stones for more of a “courtyard feel”. Then, they added low-maintenance sun-loving plants.
Out back, they installed a pergola, which Rachel describes as the best decision the couple made. It’s a divine spot for alfresco dining, but also a place where washing can go. Sam decided to paint the pergola black so it looks sleek and modern. “It’s been wonderful having the doors open to this space, and the flow between the home and the backyard is now seamless. It’s perfect for summer dinner parties and barbecues.”
They replaced the water cylinder and installed gas outside. The couple also removed wardrobe doors so they could easily see their clothes. Rachel says she and Sam are both believers in getting rid of items they haven’t worn in a month or more.
The pair didn’t have a firm budget for their changes and additions but were mindful of costs. They relied on friends who work in the trades and thoroughly enjoyed giving projects a go themselves.
Should I stay or should I go?
The couple loves their home’s central location. It’s across the road from a supermarket, close to West Auckland where Rachel’s parents live and near motorway access to South and East Auckland where they work.
“There are also favourite eateries nearby, like Young George, Baby G Burger and Broke Boy Taco. That’s so great for nights when we get home late from work.”
They also feel pleased with the townhouse itself. They enjoy the cosiness, as well as relaxing and entertaining in the backyard in summer. “We really wanted to come home to a space we love and want to spend more time in,” says Rachel.
The couple plan to stay here for a couple of years and then look for somewhere bigger. “I miss being able to lie on grass during the summer months. We’d also love a bigger space for Henry to be able to run in.”
Shop The Lit List’s 1970s townhouse style
Read this next:
- Not their first rodeo: A 1970s home renovation with a few contemporary twists
- Nancy Meyers-inspired: An Auckland homestead made magic thanks to a couple of rom-com devotees
- Benji and Zoe Marshall’s luxe home renovation is in a league of its own
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