Deck the halls

The owners of a renovated ’50s house with cool art deco features prepare for a festive day of fun

- Holly Jean Brooker

On Christmas morning, Erica and Colin Wilson’s kids wake up to the smell of fresh waffles, soon to be devoured with sweet summer berries. Their home, a renovated ’50s pad burrowed into the coastal suburb of Welcome Bay, is the perfect backdrop for a festive day full of family time and fun.

“I love decorating my home for Christmas,” says Erica. “It’s such a beautiful time of year and you don’t have to go crazy with decorating to make your house look festive.” This year, the Wilson’s Yuletide theme is all about embracing minimalism, due in large part to their overly curious toddler, Nash, who “gets into everything”.

A large, snowy tree takes pride of place in the living room, which on first glance you wouldn’t even notice is devoid of the usual baubles and swag of tinsel. “A tree can look amazing with just a few layers of pom-pom lights from the hardware store, it looks so nice and bright,” Erica says. Underneath, a cluster of thoughtfully wrapped presents await the children to be opened after their breakfast, but they’re far from the main occasion of the day. “We don’t go too hard on presents at Christmas, for us it’s more about family time,” Erica says. “I love to use craft paper with ribbons for wrapping gifts, or reusing fabric carry bags for presents, to reduce waste.”

A place to call home The home has seen quite a few renovations to become the Christmas haven it is today. Aucklanders Erica and Colin moved to the Bay of Plenty in 2015 soon after starting a family. With a deposit at the ready, they were on the hunt for that quintessential first home to call their own.