Hannah Whitehead's Soft Minimal Coastal Build
The Whitehead family moved to the coastal community of One Tree Point just under three years ago from Whangarei. “Living by this part of the coast has always been the dream,” she adds. Spending her days as the creative director for children’s clothing brand, Jamie Kay, Hannah wanted this home to feel neutral, calm and inviting. A down-to-earth approach to minimalism is no easy feat however.
Clean white surfaces and oak toned laminate provide the perfect backdrop for Hannah Whitehead’s love of Danish design in their new build home. “I would perhaps describe it as a little empty currently,” laughs Hannah, “but we’re trying to keep the space simple.”
Yet Hannah’s eye for texture and soft shapes in homewares and soft furnishings creates a warm, composed ambiance from room to room. The oak tone of the laminate is easily paired with leather, cream ceramics and black accent pieces in the living space. The interior mood is relaxed, though the devil is in the detail and beautiful objects can be showcased in this space without feeling precious. Whilst European homewares are dotted throughout, arguably Hannah’s home evokes contemporary New Zealand home style – refined but casual. This is emphasised by Hannah’s favourite space in the home, the open plan living/kitchen space. “As corny as it sounds it really is the hub. We spend a lot of time here and I love that it is a living space that isn’t centred around a television,” adds Hannah.
There were two important factors when it came to finding flooring for this home. It had to be hard- wearing to withstand daily family life and easy on the pocket. “I spent a very long time looking at samples!” notes Hannah. A scratch resistant laminate, paired with a wool loop pile carpet turned out to be a match made in heaven for this home. In particular, the grey carpet grounds the playful printed wallpaper in both Leo and Frankie’s rooms. And the tailored look of the Levante carpet in no ways impedes play time; wool carpet is naturally stain resistant and is beautifully soft underfoot. The bedrooms evoke equal parts calm and joy. In its totality, Hannah and her husband have built a nurturing home. Furniture, homewares and flooring have been carefully selected because of the form and function they serve. This young family has boldly invested in a handpicked approach to their coastal abode, and it’s paying dividends.
