It wasn’t love at first sight when this family first moved into this suburban do-up! But now they say they’ll never leave
Meet and greet
Kathrine McDonald, interior designer, Bain McDonald, property consultant, Ella, 11, and George, 9, plus Lucca the dog (being dog-sat by the family)
Problem
- Limited backyard living and no flat area for outdoor furniture.
- No second living area.
Solution
- A retaining wall and deck helped to provide flat entertaining areas at the back of the house.
- The laundry was moved up to the living level and the office shifted downstairs. The space once occupied by the office and a relocated powder room became a second lounge for the kids.
Background
With the benefit of hindsight, it’s easy for Kathrine McDonald to laugh. But at the time, it didn’t seem funny that her husband, Bain, had convinced her – his pregnant wife – to leave their beloved modern beachfront home and shift into the rundown house he had bought as an office space. “I remember standing in the pantry crying because of what I’d left behind,” she says.
Thankfully, the misery was short-lived. Kathrine quickly came to appreciate the elevated ocean views and protection from chilly winds that the move had afforded them. She realised her husband was right: the home’s layout was better suited to family living, with more outdoor space for kids, and was closer to the local school, movie theatre, great shops and cafes. And now that she’s able to reflect on the decision, she says they made the right call.
“People have romantic ideas about living by the ocean but our old beachfront deck was freezing when the sea breeze hit and it was shaded in the afternoon.”
What was supposed to be a short-term stay – the couple planned to move back into their seaside house after giving it an upgrade – started to look permanent. “We had to make a choice about which property we were going to renovate,” says Kathrine. “We never got back to the beach.”
Will they move again? “This is going to be our forever house,” she says with certainty. “I’d have to drag Bain out of here with a crowbar.”
Having changed careers, former teacher Kathrine was itching to put her interior design skills to work on the dated decor. So after seven years in residence, she and Bain sketched out plans within the home’s existing footprint that played to its strengths.
Kathrine McDonald, interior designer, Bain McDonald, property consultant,Ella, 11, and George, 9
The couple also planned a new pool and better integrated indoor living areas with the addition of decking and outdoor entertainment spaces.
“Lots of people find renovations really stressful but I loved it and it was a fantastic learning process for me,” says Kathrine. “Our builder was great and Bain and I have a similar design aesthetic, which really helped.”
The double height entry way is a stand out feature.
The colour scheme is restrained and tonal, flowing through to furniture, art and accessories.
Blonded tawa floors run throughout the home, creating a laidback, beachy vibe.
“This is not a new build, so we didn’t go ultra modern,” she says. “We tried to embrace the existing structure and give it more of an understated, timeless feel.”
Kathrine still gets a kick out of her gorgeous kitchen. “I love the way the beautiful Carrara marble benchtop dominates the space and is offset by the black tapware and black feature light,” she says.
The McDonald home has been decorated in a warm, neutral palette, which allows the colours and textures of their art collection to stand out.
In the kids’ bedrooms all the bright colours and fun of childhood take the limelight against a neutral background broken up by occasional blocks of colour and pattern on the walls.
In the kids’ bedrooms all the bright colours and fun of childhood take the limelight against a neutral background broken up by occasional blocks of colour and pattern on the walls.
In the kids’ bedrooms all the bright colours and fun of childhood take the limelight against a neutral background broken up by occasional blocks of colour and pattern on the walls.
Navy blue accents in the master bedroom introduce richness and depth, while the brass occasional table adds a touch of luxury.
The kids’ bathroom features black tapware, which ties in with other black hardware used elsewhere.
The marble look in the kitchen is carried through into the master ensuite.
Words by: Sue Hoffart. Photography by: Rachel Dobbs.
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