Exploring Design, Home, Art and Gardening since 2008. By Julia Atkinson-Dunn
The story of my Mum’s mission to create a large, off the grid family house for us all to gather in the weekends and holidays. Built on a portion of our old family farm in Hanmer Springs, Mum and I share the details, cost saving ideas and helpful hints on an ambitious but exciting project.
Read MoreWhat a complete honour it is has been to be asked to create a product in reflection of my own tastes.
Better yet, to present a hand drawn concept and have it interpreted exactly as imagined!
This new build truly reflects their aesthetic that softly and casually floats around clean lines, colour, natural materials and an attraction to dashes of quirk. The use of corrugated iron cladding and the honest, pitched roof profile nods at the simple structures of rural New Zealand.
Read MoreYour home should both express and envelope you. Offer you a place, irrespective of size, to be relaxed, protected and reflected in your surroundings…
Read MoreYour interpretation of ‘home’ is your personal creative right.
For all those that quake in their boots at choosing the “right” paint colour, dining room chairs or even bed linen with the ache of wondering if it is “cool” and “now” – it’s time to REALLY let all that go.
Despite the fact you bury yourself in tidal waves of inspiration each night via your phone and magazine pile, it’s YOUR cool and YOUR now that matters.
Let what’s going on outside, influence what’s going on inside….
Read MoreI can safely say, that the most enduring home decorating feature in my life to date is the humble, paper globe light shade.
Read MoreJust when you thought brick was fuddy duddy and out... Australian architects have it re-imagined!
Read MoreArt is food for the soul and a visual treasure that becomes part of your “home”, wherever that might be.
A piece of art to me, is something with a story. Either attached to its subject matter or the person who created it.
Read MoreThe term ‘Mid Century Modern’ is readily flung around by furniture stores, magazines and bloggers like a little hook to lure you in. Hey, its not the only catchy catch phrase out there that glows with trendy interior promises – but if you, like me, have grown a little confused about “what” sort of style it relates too, then let me help clarify.
Read MoreFast forward 4 months (from Vol. 1 of this story) and here we are, with interior finishing touches all done and a big beautiful baby Ada (who arrived 9 weeks early amid their mad painting effort!)
Their home, while compact, is open and extremely user friendly. High ceilings and decent sized rooms have allowed them to claim back some square footage for inbuilt cabinetry and their palette of soft but full colours is the perfect backdrop to their collected treasures.
I’m Julia Atkinson-Dunn
THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME!
Here, you’ll find my ongoing adventures of creating art - oil pastel and painted landscapes, mixed media botanicals, plus some writing and information about me!
Studio Home began as NZ’s first design blog, launching in 2018 as a champion of NZ/AUS creative talent.
Since then I have used this space to continue exploring design and art as well as deeply investigating gardening through the publishing of three books and the launch of Unearthed in 2023.
Julia xo
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