After renovating a small unit into a spacious family home, these homeowners know exactly how to make the most out of tight spaces
Meet + greet
Lily Richards, 34 (relationship and marketing lead at Revolution Creative), Mat Iliohan, 37 (martial arts teacher), Osis, 10, and Winter, 7, plus Bunbuns the bunny and Magic the kitten.
Honesty box
How do you maximise space in your small home?
Lily: Have a few big things rather than lots of little ones – it makes the space feel more substantial.
Avoid clutter; don’t have too many things or too many patterns. Only have what you need. Don’t feel like you must have everything for all occasions.
Play with height – it can be a clever way to find more storage and make a room look and feel more expansive.
Plant edibles; it might not make an outdoor space look bigger but it gives purpose and meaning to a garden, which is a different kind of bigness.
What’s one thing you would change about your home if you could? I’d get a new kitchen that was easier to keep clean.
Spend
$50,000 approximately
See more of the humble Auckland unit below
A base of white and natural wood means jolts of brightly coloured furniture, art, books, flora and textiles create plenty of interest in this unique home.
The living, hallway and kids’ rooms are floored in pastel blue lino. “I wanted colour but not carpet so I found this amazing industrial lino. I had to plead with the supplier, Polyflor, to let us use it so unconventionally,” says Lily.
The unit is adorned with vibrant rag rugs made by Lily’s grandmother, Beatrice Cross. The rugs took years to make by hand from strips of woollen clothes and fabrics found at op-shops.
It’s hard to believe this cosy yet light-filled master bedroom and living space was once a garage – wooden panelling, built-in shelves and Lily’s eye for colour and textiles have erased any trace of its utilitarian past.
A small wet-room bathroom is more than enough for the family of four, although Lily admits she now wishes she had been more adventurous with her choice of tiles!
Despite being just 80 square metres, the garden includes raised beds for veges, an outdoor bath and two seating areas, one of which doubles as a training space for Mat’s martial arts practice.
Floor plan.
Shop their style 1 French jug, $69.50, from Flotsam & Jetsam. 2 Hudson stool, $34.95, from Mocka. 3 Kilim Boucherouite rug, $790, from Madder & Rouge. 4 Small round basket, $29.99, from Trade Aid. 5 Retro kettle, $45, from Kmart. 6 Tolix replica chair, $114, from Cintesi. 7 Anglepoise Type 75 lamp, $490, from Citta. 8 Monstera cushion, $79, from Gorman. 9 Stash bookshelf, $499, from Nood. 10 Ranarp pendant lamp, $79, from Akia.
Photography by: Helen Bankers.
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