Black, white and bold

Designed by Di Henshall,  Di Henshall Interior Design

From the interior designer:

A 25-year-old mansion right on the water overlooking Auckland city skyline was designed to be reminiscent of a Mediterranean villa, with classic features and ochre exterior walls with aqua trim. 

Our owner, who has been a repeat client for many years with various projects, asked Di Henshall to redesign the house, in a contemporary sense using a black and white palette. 

Di Henshall determined that it should evoke the feeling of a sophisticated, New York-style art gallery, using a black and white basic palette.

The designer also added midnight blue, taupe and splashes of colour in artwork and lighting to soften the look. 

The floors were re-polished in a rich, dark tone.

Every room was gutted, as were the gardens and extensive grounds, with the roof and exterior walls and windows being painted in a more neutral tone. 

The kitchen was shortened in depth to allow a new scullery to be introduced, tucked behind full-height cabinetry in blackened timber veneer. 

The cooktop is totally invisible to the eye, enhancing the sleek, modernist appeal of the kitchen and beyond.

Boiler plate was used for both the new fireplaces flanking each end of the ground floor – one in the formal lounge, another in the family room, where reading nooks were built on either side of the fireplace.

The lighting designed for the house was deliberately selected to be art sculptures rather than just task lighting, to stunning effect at night time.

New planting throughout the grounds has reinvigorated the property, along with the creation of a pétanque court on a narrow strip of unused garden overlooking the water.

Story by: Trendsideas