Sophie & Dan's Olive Grove Home

There’s something about coastal living - and the style that follows it - that has become nothing short of intrinsic to life in New Zealand. With a neutral-toned palette of fresh whites, contrasting warm timbers and a focus on texture, beachside and coastal styled homes are becoming increasingly ingrained as a decorating direction for kiwi homes. This style is not dictated by proximity to the water, it’s the light, bright and natural feeling evoked which is what coastal style homes are all about – whether you’re near the water or not. Sophie perfectly showcases how to create this relaxed beachside vibe without it seeming overly themed.

What was your journey to building your home?
We brought the property 7 years ago because we absolutely adored the land, location, olive groves, paddocks and the native bush on the property. The property as it stood didn’t fit the brief of a bigger, newer home but we just knew we had to have it. At the time, all that was on the land was a 70sqm old olive grove press shed which had been loosely converted into a dwelling. It was still very much a shed, with the addition of a small bathroom and kitchen.
We did a full renovation on it, including a new kitchen and bathroom, painting and flooring throughout. This worked fine for just the two of us but once our daughter Poppy came along, we decided that we either needed to move or rebuild. We both loved the land and the location so much, we decided to rebuild. Initially we thought we would demo and rebuild the existing dwelling but after much deliberation we settled on subdividing and doing a new build in our back paddock. back paddock. From the start of the process to moving in, it was a 6-year project.

How did you come to select your flooring?
I knew that I wanted something light and creamy, a coastal feel. We had to make all of our interior selections during the first lock down in 2020 which was challenging. To start we couldn’t even have samples delivered as they were obviously not considered essential. This meant that I had to decide everything, flooring, carpet, tiles, bench tops, cabinets, fittings, fixtures, curtains, window shutters, paint colours - absolutely everything inside the house, purely online, which was intense and character building to say the least! There was little to no collecting samples and putting them next to each other to see if their tones and textures worked together, I had to wing it through internet pictures. I literally made decisions based on how certain things looked in people’s photos on Instagram.

“Since moving in, we’ve hired our home out for shoot days with filming, lighting, and photography equipment. Furniture is inevitably moved around. You name it, the floor has withstood it!”

What was important for your flooring choice?
The flooring had to be practical, light in tone and a solution that could run seamlessly through the home, including in the kitchen, to create an open, spacious, and cohesive feel. We’ve found Quick-Step Majestic to be ridiculously forgiving of mud and dirt, always cleaning up so well!
It’s also standing the test of time brilliantly against dog claws, toys, dropped items, the kids bikes and even our little lambs who wander in. Since moving in, we’ve hired our home out for shoot days with filming, lighting, and photography equipment. Furniture is inevitably moved around. You name it, the floor has withstood it! For these same practical reasons, we kept the carpet confined to the bedrooms which don’t see nearly as much action as the main living spaces. This afforded us the ability to opt for Bremworth Lattice textured wool carpet in the light tone of Weathered Grey.


For those that are embarking on a build, what are your top tips?
Although it can get tedious, revisit the plans time and time again. Go to open homes and look at layouts, fittings, and the flow of the homes. It can give you a really good idea of what you like and importantly, don’t like.

What area would you recommend you save or splurge on when building?
Skylights, add all the skylights. We originally wanted vaulted ceilings in our living and kitchen areas, but we couldn’t justify the extra expense, so we opted for multiple skylights instead. It gives height, extra light, and architectural interest at a fraction of the cost of a pitched roof and ceiling. We upgraded to high profile skirtings and architraves with a bevelled edge to bring character and a point of difference to the standard slimline that you see on most new builds. Wooden windows and joinery were also the dream but the price and maintenance were far from, so we went with aluminium and added a thick wooden detail around each window and door to de-modernise the finished look, bulk the aesthetic and give a slightly more villa window feel.

What were your non-negotiables?
Quick-Step laminate throughout the house except bedrooms. It’s easy to maintain and clean, especially living rurally with animals, including the bottle-fed lambs in the house during winter. Rain head showers for a lux feel in the bathrooms were also a must.

Is there anything left to finish off to complete your home?
So much! All of the landscaping and retaining walls. We’ve just had our pool installed in the last couple of months so we’re now working on getting as much of the landscaping done before Christmas. The driveway still needs to be concreted and I have a whole vision board for the new chicken house and run for the girls.

Where do you draw design inspiration from?
Namely Pinterest and Instagram, there are so many beautiful accounts that I adore following. Most of the Instagram accounts that I draw from are either English, Australian, Balinese, or Mediterranean (mainly Greek or Balearic Islands such as Ibiza). I’m English and have a natural affinity to all things British, that being classic with a country cottage twist. I have an eclectic love of old/rustic vs new/minimal.
Favourite accounts of mine to follow include Oak and Orange, Casa Nomada Bali, Talm, The Palm Co, Channel Beju, Jenni Kayne Home, Masseria Moroseta, Casa Sukha Ibiza. Closer to home, I adore Casa del Sol, Drift by the Bay and In House Style.

Where do you draw design inspiration from?
Bohème Home, A&C Homestore, The Dharma Door, Città Design, Kayu, The Cane Collective and Bohzali.