Liv & Sam's Second Homecoming
While building their first home back in 2020, couple Liv and Sam Kennedy unearthed a newfound passion, sparking their desire to sell and build all over again. The two formed a dynamic duo, Liv, an Interior Designer at Mooi Design in Christchurch, used her background to take charge of all the creative decision-making, while Sam project managed the whole process.
As new parents to their 1-year-old son Ralph, and their dog, Kobe, all of their interior selections had family living front of mind. Opting for a water-resistant and scratch-proof laminate, and a stain-resistant carpet was a no brainer, but Liv didn’t compromise on style. Step inside their beautifully considered home and learn a few tips and tricks that you can take into your next project.
Tell us a little bit about yourself, your work and what led you to interiors?
I am a wife to Sam, Mum to a gorgeous little 1 year old boy Ralph and Interior Designer at Mooi Design in Christchurch. I have always had a keen eye for interiors but it wasn’t until my late 20’s I decided to dive in and follow my passion. Prior to Interiors, I studied Social Work and worked as a Social Worker before moving to London for 4.5 years with Sam. London was such an incredible experience, we spent our weekends travelling Europe and absolutely loved the apartment living and big city life. It was probably here when I realised how much I loved the interiors space, I was so inspired by the Airbnb’s we stayed at throughout Europe and it made me so eager to get into this industry upon my return to New Zealand.
What was the journey to your new home?
We completed our first build three years prior and we were eager to do it again! This time around it felt a lot easier in terms of interior decisions because of me working in the interior design industry. I had so much more knowledge and ideas and it excited me to get stuck in. Sam was Project Managing the build - he’s a numbers guy and I’m the creative, so I think we make a pretty good team!
This isn't your first time building new, what drew you to embark on another new build?
We felt like we had gained so much knowledge from the our first build and because I had a lot more experience in the interiors space this time around, it felt a lot more seamless. I had so much more knowledge and had much stronger ideas on what we wanted!
How did you come to your flooring choices?
I knew I wanted a walnut-coloured kitchen, so I wanted to ensure I picked a flooring that really contrasted with it. I wanted something light and slightly ashy, a real scandi feel. We spec in Quick-Step Flooring for projects at Mooi Design regularly and I love the quality. It’s so hardwearing and forgiving, so I knew from the outset that I wanted to use one of the QuickStep ranges.
What was important to you when choosing your new flooring?
The most important factor when selecting our hard and soft flooring was durability. Being a family home, with a soon-to-be toddler Ralph and our dog Kobe, I didn’t want to have to be precious. From a design perspective, I wanted our flooring to be warm and light hues, to blend seamlessly with our existing furniture and décor pieces and create a peaceful, homely space we love to come home to. We opted for Quick-Step Perspective Nature Laminate in Brushed Oak Natural and Reside Maiden Lane Locale SDN Carpet in the colour Elliot. Both products ticked all the boxes for style, durability and quality.
Top tips for those who are embarking on a build or renovation?
Plan ahead and be as organised as possible when it comes to your interior selections. Try to make as many decisions as you can early on as it makes it so much easier when you’re in the construction phase of the build or renovation. This will stop you from having to make rushed decisions picking things on the spot and allows you to have a cohesive design plan for the whole project.
What areas would you recommend saving on, and splurging on when building or renovating?
For us, we were lucky in the sense that we were able to save a lot of money on the Project Management with Sam doing this himself. But I do think that you can creative with saving and splurging. Things like tiles, you really can hunt around for a cost-effective tile that still looks fabulous. We decided not to go for a feature tile in our bathroom and ensuite this time around, we went large format in the whole bathroom, which saved
Do you have a forecast for flooring or interior design trends for the next year?
I feel that currently everyone wants timber or laminate flooring that has a warm and natural look as oppose to polished concrete or tiles. Warmth, neutrals and textures continue to be such a strong trend but I can see deeper and moodier interiors are starting to make a comeback. I’m seeing a lot of walnut kitchens, dark coloured flooring and dark feature walls coming through.
Who either online, in the social media space or in the interiors industry do you find you draw inspiration from?
There really is inspiration everywhere! Pinterest is my best friend when it comes to designing though, it is such a useful tool and so there are so many incredible designs on there. Gezellig Interiors is one of my favourite NZ Interior Designers to follow and Annika Rowson is a total inspiration to me when it comes to kitchen design. There really is so much talent in New Zealand in the creative space.
Where are you shopping and sourcing from?
Ah, I love too many things and it’s especially hard working with so many fabulous suppliers – forever having to stop myself from buying everything! My absolute favourite place for interior accessories and lighting is ECC. I love supporting small New Zealand businesses like Special Studio (big fan of their Lulu stools!) and of course the timeless favourite is always Citta.
Do you have anything left to do on your new home?
Other than some landscaping bits and bobs and my dream to fill the house up with amazing art, we are pretty much finished!
Do you have any other exciting projects you're working on?
Call us crazy, but we are thinking of selling and buying an old villa to renovate in Christchurch! We do love a challenge, so watch this space..
