Wild At Heart

An untamed farm and basic barn house looking out towards Waihi Beach was the ideal project for this handy family.

- Monique Balvert O’Connor

Interior designer Kate Clay, her builder husband Brent, and various other family members combined their talents to give an ugly duckling the swan treatment in the hills above Waihi Beach.

Where did you move from? Kate: We were living in a renovated villa in Waihi but were looking for a lifestyle block where the kids (Stella,17, Riley, 8, and Tex, 7) could make some noise.

Why did this property appeal? The views sold us 100 percent. The moment we came up over the rise of the driveway and saw the view, we looked at each other and nodded. Even better, the agent took us for a walk through the private native bush with its very own waterfall and swimming hole. It’s the perfect rural retreat while still close to amenities – only two minutes’ drive to Waihi Beach village and the beach.

How about the house? The house was a threebay garage with a one-bedroom unit built into the southern end. The building was a basic farmhouse with bitzer window joinery and myriad clashing colours. But we knew we could turn the house around. That knowledge – combined with the view, 48 acres of land and 24 acres of grazing – meant this was a no-brainer.

What needed to be changed? Everything! We had a royal blue kitchen with a red splashback and black glitter benchtop. The bathroom was turquoise and the ensuite canary yellow. I was hyperventilating the day we moved in, knowing I had two years of living there before Brent would let me touch it. I refused to style it or try to make it look good – it would have been an insult to my beloved art and furniture.