Home profile
Meet and greet: Melissa (design consultant) and Scott Cossey (key account manager), their children Olson, 11, and Beaudan, eight, and Yorkshire terrier Harley.
The property: A renovated three-bedroom art deco home in a leafy Auckland suburb.
The words “family home” have a special meaning for Melissa and Scott Cossey. The creative DIY dynamos have been hands-on during the revamp and refresh of their 1930s house in Epsom, Auckland. “We did the demolition work, painting, insulation and Gibbing,” explains Melissa. “We recently finished painting the exterior of the house as well.”
They aren’t the only family members who’ve contributed to 150sqm stucco house with three bedrooms and two living rooms, plus a five-star treehouse. Sons Olson and Beaudan have also been involved in indoor and outdoor projects. The treehouse, for example, was a Covid-lockdown challenge for Scott and the boys. “They [the boys] learned how to use a spray gun to paint the walls, use drills and hammers, help design the layout and they chipped in with plenty of sanding.”
Melissa describes the work as much more than a way to keep everyone occupied. It was also a “real memory maker with family over the lockdown period”.
The brothers have made more contributions. Art adorns the house and when they moved into their bedrooms, they turned into design directors. “Until just over a year ago the boys shared a bedroom so we surprised them one weekend and put them in their rooms, which allowed for a fun weekend of changing things around,” she says. “We kept the rooms simple, added art and let them add their favourite items to add their own character to the rooms.”
Of course, it involved no small amount of parental input. The couple stayed up late getting things right – Melissa sewing a duvet cover set and Scott crafting a desk from a side table found on Marketplace, painting it green and topping it with a timber benchtop.
House-hunting and gathering
The deco house is effortlessly chic, but securing it required stamina, perseverance and an ability to pounce. In 2016, the couple wanted to move to a bigger home and the 1930s property ticked a lot of boxes, including being across the road from the local primary school.
Even though it needed “a lot of work”, they loved its character and after viewing it on its first day on the market, they put in an offer. “We had been looking for months and months prior and had been let down at many auctions. We were in that peak of the market when everything was in demand and selling rapidly, so by that stage we were ready and jumped at this opportunity.”
Fast forward to 2025 and the house is eclectic yet cohesive; relaxed yet supremely stylish – a reflection of the couple’s artistry and do-it-yourself attitude. Both come from creative backgrounds: Melissa studied fashion and textile design and Scott has a BA majoring in photography.
“I live by the mantra that in a space there should always be a mix of new, old, found and made,” says Melissa. “We have quite a few pieces of furniture, cups and vases that have been passed on by grandparents and close family members. I love finding and collecting vintage items and have handmade and upcycled many pieces throughout the house.”
Melissa reels off some of them – a wall sconce in the main living room, the pendant lampshade and customised rust-coloured rug in the second living room, the restored secondhand cabinet in the entrance and a customised stone-look rug in Olson’s room.
The textured chrome art on the wall in the entrance was made from a tarnished serving tray, the green ruffle canvas in the dining space was crafted using leftover canvas, the coloured wall art in the living room was painted by a friend and the textured art in the kitchen is from Melissa’s mum. “Most of the art on the walls has been done by us, the children, friends or family members.” Olson, who has a keen eye for art, loves to doodle – and has three framed drawings in his bedroom.
The house’s palette includes nature-inspired neutrals mixed with stronger earthy browns and deep leafy greens. “I’m more drawn to texture, so where something is a soft ivory or warm wood, it’s bound to have a heavy grain, rich texture or raw element look to it,” says Melissa.
Open home
They bought the house with renovation in mind. Between 2017 and 2020 it was given a new roof, a minor bathroom upgrade and cosmetic painting. The couple always knew that at some stage they were going to renovate the dated kitchen, the laundry and the living area. They wanted better flow, so, in 2023, they revised their floor plan. This involved some structural work – putting in a steel beam to replace a bracing wall, increasing the kitchen space and relocating the laundry. “Our goal was to completely open the space, which then flows out onto the deck and backyard.”
An interior designer friend was hired to help with the kitchen plans, design and consent work. On the couple’s wishlist: an island. “Given the space was long and narrow we decided to capitalise on the length. So, we filled the space with a three-metre island.”
This has afforded them plenty of food-prep workspace and a place for family dining or drinks with friends. “We’ve done a lot of hosting since the renovations,” says Melissa. “In summer we always have the doors to the deck open and sit out there as much as we can.”
New skylights help showcase the neutral tones and rich textures, and the curved island is a nod to the house’s deco era. They chose timber veneer cabinetry to complement the original rimu floorboards, that they also sanded and sealed. The floor has been such a hit that Melissa and Scott are planning to do the same in the rest of the house. It’s not the only success story. “We actually reduced our laundry size and relocated it to an area where there were some old built-in cupboards and shelving, but it’s so much more functional now.” The pull-out laundry hampers are favourites.
Mum’s lounge
Melissa’s sanctuary is the second living room, which also serves as her studio for creative projects. It retains many of its period features – the original open fireplace, art deco-style window, coving on the high ceilings and copper hearth.
“I’m always moving things around, collecting vintage items and making new pieces to display. I love to sit with a cup of tea or wine when the evening sun streams in. I just take my time to admire the space.”
Of course, it’s also a gallery for handmade and upcycled pieces. “I love the idea of closing the gap between something old or secondhand and buying new, by giving it a new lease of life.” Melissa has an Instagram account @bask_by_melissa where she shares her projects.
Backyard to the future
Often, landscaping is the last item on a reno to-do list. However, after Melissa and Scott secured the house, their first project was the backyard. It had sloped gardens, so they dug it out, levelled it as much as they could and laid down a lawn. “It was important that we had an area for the kids to run around. I was pregnant with our youngest son at this point.”
This was no easy feat. With a volcanic base, even a small digger wasn’t able to lift all of the boulders. One, in particular, is the reason the couple has a mound in their backyard “as it was easier and more affordable to keep it there and grass around it”. And when life delivers a mound, you build on it. It became the site of the treehouse, which is a description that doesn’t do the structure justice. It features bunk beds, a secret door, shelving, clear roofing and basement storage. Underneath are three 200L storage tanks that capture roof water, and have soaker lines to feed the garden.
The aim was to use as many recycled materials as possible, plus a few new purchases. “We used old timber fencing off Marketplace, timber posts from the neighbours and recycled Clearlite roofing.”
Scott, who has the green thumb in the family, also has a small vegetable garden. And the cacti at the house entrance? They were another lockdown purchase to give the property a Palm Springs flourish.
Content for now
The Cosseys are happy with their revamp – a result of rolling up their sleeves and flexing their creative muscles. “Everyone has their own space but the open entertaining and living spaces feel inviting and [have] a sense of unity.” Is the deco delight a much longer-term family property? “We planned for this to be about a 10-year home,” says Melissa. “We’ve been here eight years so another year or two still aligns with this plan.”
Home truths
What did you save on? Painting. We’ve done all of that ourselves. And finding items on Marketplace and Trade Me.
Any splurges? We upgraded hinges, runners and hardware in the kitchen. The granite sink and tap. We wanted hands-free drawers and opted for shark nose timber veneer. Getting someone to rewire the house was a necessary but an unwanted splurge.
Lessons learned? Expect delays. If you’re doing consent work, expect that you’ll spend a good portion of the budget before any work has begun.
Anything you’d never do again? A lot of our decisions were based on our budget. If that had been bigger, we’d have definitely changed some details. But overall, we’re happy with everything we’ve done.
Best advice? If possible, do as much prep/demo/paint work yourself to reduce costs. Seek help from a draftsperson or interior designer for drawings. Research different products or get help sourcing them – there are a lot more available than the mainstream options.
Shop Melissa and Scott’s Epsom art deco home style
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