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Beyond the downlights

5/8/2024

Avril Heard-Woollcombe
Karibu Interior Design

An example of different lighting used in a home renovation, designed by Avril.

Good lighting is not only a stylish decorative addition to an interior but can also be used as an effective means of defining and highlighting task areas in both residential and commercial spaces. Avril Heard-Woollcombe of Karibu Interior Design shares her advice on how the right lighting can make your space feel cosy and inviting.

What should be taken into consideration when choosing the right lighting?
Consider the different functions that each room serves. For example, a home office needs brighter task lighting, while a living room benefits from more ambient lighting to create a relaxing atmosphere. Make sure all bulbs are the same hue. LED bulbs are a great option as they last longer and use less electricity than traditional incandescent bulbs. Consider purchasing dimmable light fittings to control the light intensity depending on the desired ambiance.

What are some different forms of lighting?
Task lighting illuminates an area for specific tasks, such as a work surface or corridor. Ambient lighting provides overall illumination within a room, usually soft, moody, relaxing, and easy on the eyes. Directional lighting creates drama and interest. Decorative accent lighting is the fun 'wow' statement piece. It can be the room's focal point and help divide spaces while adding drama and visual interest.

How to master home lighting to create the 'wow' effect:

Light unexpected areas such as mirrors, bookcases, a textured wall, or a feature for effect. Get creative with backlighting using LED strip lighting for a soft glow.
Use task, ambient, and accent lighting to create richness and layers. Light features should complement each other and balance within a space.
Use correct colour temperature bulbs. Warm yellow/white light bulbs are ideal for living spaces, while bright white suits workspaces like laundries and garages.
Play with shadows and light. Not every space needs to be fully lit - less is more. Light every second step to create shadows.
Mix downlights with other lighting forms. Don't assume they need to be symmetrically installed; focus on illuminating interesting areas.

By carefully considering and planning the lighting in each room, you can create the perfect atmosphere for every space in your home. When selecting and designing your lighting scheme, talk to a professional to get it right for functionality and the desired overall effect.

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Get creative with textiles

17/4/2024

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When it comes to residential and commercial design, window treatments, upholstered furniture and soft furnishings are key features which are rarely considered during the design process and sometimes only tackled during a renovation. Using fabric and textiles in interiors is a great way to inject an illustration of your own personal style and personality in a space, while adding textures that are both visual and sensory. Avril Heard- Woollcombe shares her advice on what to consider when choosing textiles.

Interior Advice with
Avril Heard-Woollcombe
-----------------------
Karibu Interior Design

Design selection

The aesthetic appeal of a fabric is a crucial factor
in determining its suitability for drapery and furnishings. Consider the existing colour palette and style of your room. Are you aiming for a cozy, rustic vibe? Textures like tweed or wool can add warmth
and authenticity. For a more contemporary look,
sleek fabrics like linen or silk contribute to a clean
and sophisticated atmosphere. Prints and patterns are popular choices for textile fabrics and bring interest and character to a space.

Textiles play a crucial role in enhancing our homes. Various types of textile products are used in the composition of furniture, wall coverings, blinds, and window screens.
Alhambra-Malcolm Fabrics Ltd NZ

Window treatments

Available in a variety of fabrics, designs, and finishes, most upholstery fabrics have special characteristics making them suitable for specific areas such as outdoor, commercial, aged care, and light domestic.
It's essential to consider the functionality of the
space. Different areas of your home have distinct
requirements. Think about who will be using the
piece and where it will be positioned. High foot
traffic areas such as a family space will require a
durable material, while furniture that is not used
frequently, like a bedroom chair or cushion, needn’t
be as sturdy. A fabric’s durability is dependent
on a testing process to ascertain its durability
and resistance to abrasion and rubbing. Consider
discussing your furnishing requirements with an
experienced interior designer. They can help to
incorporate suitable furnishings into your overall
design concept, avoiding costly mistakes!

Window treatments play a significant role in the absorption of sound, heat retention, insulation
layer, UV protection, privacy and light filtration. Professionally fitted, lined drapery can reduce window heat loss by 40-60% when closed. Depending on
the orientation of your windows, the harsh sun can cause damage to curtain and interior furnishings. Choosing a material that has a good UV protection rating is highly recommended due to the extremely harsh environmental conditions we face here in New Zealand. Different curtain fabric types include natural fibres (linen, cotton, silk, flax, hemp, ramie, jute and wool), synthetics (polyester, viscose, rayon, acrylic)
and eco fabrics (recycled polyester, and cotton blends).
Assess the types of windows you have in your home,
noting their style and shape – do they suit curtains,
blinds, or a mix of the two? What privacy level is
required? Do you need to consider young children
and pets?
The curtain header refers to the way in which the
fabric is sewn or pleated at the top of the curtain.
This directly impacts the way the material drapes or
hangs. Examples include pencil pleat, single pleat,
French pleat, inverted pleat, and wave.

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Colour your world

17/4/2024

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Interior Advice with Avril Heard-Woollcombe Owner of Karibu Interior Design

Now that the warm summer days are well and truly behind us, owner of Karibu Interior Design, Avril Heard-Woollcombe says it is a good time to brighten up the home by bringing some of nature’s colour and tones into our interior and exterior spaces.

Think green

Creative influence

Was there ever a better time to go green? Think of all the qualities it evokes, nature, freshness, and new growth. Green has made a huge comeback in both interiors and fashion. Green is particularly effective for giving a soothing, calming feeling in rooms where we seek comfort, such as bedrooms and living rooms.

Moody blue

Look to the sea and sky for a limitless source of colour inspiration – from the pale, watery blue greens of a sun-soaked lagoon, to the vibrant aqua and turquoise blues of the islands and the moody grey-green and slate blue of a stormy coastline. Blues are a popular choice for a wall colour and works well as a tonal back drop to other colours,
such as greens, pinks, and ochre. Create a light and bright space with soft and gentle blue paint tones
or, for a little more impact, try a deep, intense
shade all over or up to picture rail height. Research shows that blue is the most favourite colour for both men and women worldwide.

Sunshine yellow

Yellow evokes so many feelings such as creativity, optimism, productivity, happiness, sunshine, energy, spring flowers, warmth, and sun flowers. A small amount of yellow – a cushion, a chair,
a front door – can have a dramatic effect and enliven a space without being overbearing. Yellow compliments green and blue, completing the nature theme.

If you are feeling stuck look around you for colour inspiration, at accessories, a piece of art, a duvet,
a favourite ornament – put it in pride of place and plan your palette to match. Colour can be introduced not only with paint and textiles but in pieces
of furniture, kitchen joinery and benchtops and splashbacks, appliances, tiles, and flooring. If you
are using an accent colour in small doses, be creative with placement, and have touches around the room to give balance.
Wallpapers, patterned, plain and textured can also
be a wonderful way to incorporate colour and impact
into your scheme.
Bold colour – use a neutral base colour to stop bold
shades being overpowering. Balance strong colour
with more restful materials and shades for a more
liveable space that will last beyond trends.
Beware of selecting colours directly from colour charts.
Like selecting a product off the internet these are not
always a true representation of the colour. Use sample
test pots or order a sample draw down card.

karibuinteriordesign.co.nz
@karibuinteriordesign

ABOVE: In this commercial space Karibu Interior Design’s, Avril Heard-Woollcombe created an informal, relaxing meeting space on the landing by adding pops of colour with coloured stools and walls of black and yellow.

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'Tis the Season

17/4/2024

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Interior Advice with
Avril Heard-Woollcombe
- Karibu Interior Design

‘Tis the season...

Decorating your home for Christmas can be fun for the whole family. Avril shares her tips for creating the perfect festive theme for your home this holiday season.

Make decorating for Christmas fun for the whole family with these tips for creating the perfect festive theme to suit your home.

Homemade biscuits cut into festive shapes, decorated, and then threaded with ribbon and placed on the tree make for a wonderful family activity. Create your own Christmas crackers by customising plain crackers with bands of fabric around the centre, and then attaching embellishments, foliage, and baubles onto each.
Search online New Zealand companies that sell all the products required to make your own, even with the essential ‘bang’ and hats!

Start with sensory:

Let there be light:

One of my favourite ways to decorate the house during the festive season is to bring the sights and smells of the outdoors in, by filling large bowls with pinecones, rosehips, lavender, and a large vase of scented Christmas lilies.

Unlike the Northern hemisphere, we are heading to
the outdoors for our pleasure and entertainment. Create a festive alfresco area with fairy lights, Christmas lights, bright cushions, rugs, and furniture. Thread fairy lights into the trees and pots, and around the front door, and entwine greenery into the lights both indoors and outdoors to create a festive feel.

Create your own festive wreath:

Wrapping it up:

Create this delicate decoration by arranging sprigs of foliage such as ivy, eucalyptus, olive leaves, conifer, and cones around a wire wreath. Secure with fine green florist wire, working around the frame in a clockwise fashion. String mini baubles in the centre and hang with lengths of vibrant ribbon.

Make your own wrapping paper by using newsprint
or re-cycled paper decorated with rubber stamps, stickers or paint, then tie with fabric ribbon, colourful wool or twine.
“Christmas is all about family, friends, and do not
forget the pets,” says Avril. “You want to create
a wonderfully festive, warm, and inviting home.
Christmas is the mark of the year's end; it is a time to
unwind and celebrate surrounded by those you love and
give thanks for what we are lucky enough to have.”

Choosing a tree:

Consider purchasing a real Christmas tree! There is something special about a family outing to choose your own tree. Alternatively, grow your own potted version which can be decorated each year. Nothing is more Kiwi than a driftwood Christmas tree, so why not make your own. Make it a fun time for the whole family to decorate their tree. The pine tree aroma
says Christmas is here.

Decorations:

Think visual. The best Christmas decorations are family heirlooms that emerge year after year. You may wish to limit the colour palette to two or
three colours; like metallics, red, white, and green.

karibuinteriordesign.co.nz

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Interior Advice

17/4/2024

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Finding flooring

with Avril Heard-Woollcombe
- Karibu Interior Design

When undertaking a building or renovation project, flooring is an important consideration, both financially, and as the starting point for your interior colour scheme. As a general rule, Avril says to start from the floor and then move upwards.

being one of the most sustainable, environmentally friendly, biodegradable, and durable fibres in the world. If your budget does not allow you to upgrade your carpet selection to a denser pile, consider using a thicker underlay which will give your carpet a more luxurious feel underfoot.

Consider your lifestyle

Tiles

Thought needs to be considered as to how the space will be used, who will be in the space and the aspect (north or south facing). Consider how much exposure to sunlight the area has, the access to outdoors, the subfloor type and condition, and whether or not
there is existing underfloor heating. Depending on your lifestyle factors, you may need flooring that is more durable than others.

Ceramic, porcelain, marble, granite, and other
natural stones. Extremely hard-wearing but unforgivingly hard and can be cold, so require underfloor heating or to be situated in a sunny area. Great for use in wet areas such as bathrooms and showers, plus can be used as splash backs and feature walls in kitchens and bathrooms.

Look at your options

What’s in style?

There are a number of options on the market for achieving a beautiful wood or wood-look floor.
Sheet vinyl is the most cost-effective, minimal maintenance floor covering for bathrooms, kitchens and laundries. Vinyl planks/tiles are hard-wearing and great for use in high-traffic areas, such as the kitchen, dining, living, hallways and bathrooms. Vinyl planks have the advantage over sheet vinyl, that if one is damaged it can be easily replaced without having to replace the total floor area.
Laminate flooring has the beauty of looking and
even feeling like real timber, but without the
maintenance and it’s a fraction of the cost. The
top layer is a photographic image of wood with an
overlay of a durable protective product. Generally
harder wearing than vinyl planks but be aware of
waterproof ratings and guarantees.

The flooring trend is moving away from the cooler dark charcoal, black and grey shades of carpets and planks, to more natural warmer tones. Very dark flooring shows just as much dirt and debris as light flooring. The use of mid-earthy tones will reduce vacuuming and warm up the space.
There is a move to the use of hard flooring
throughout the high traffic and living spaces which
creates a seamless flow and leads you into the main
hub. Carpet is often now only in the bedrooms and
the formal lounge for warmth and comfort. Rugs are
also a popular choice for creating areas and adding
texture, colour and warmth.
Visit your local showroom to look at the vast array
of flooring options and always ask to see the largest
samples available. Work with a knowledgeable
designer or flooring representative to get the correct
product and look you are after.

Carpet

Synthetic carpet has the advantage of being more fade resistant than wool carpet, which is important with our strong NZ UV, plus it is highly stain- resistant and cost-effective. On the other hand, wool carpets are making a huge resurgence, with wool

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Marlborough Magazine

17/4/2024

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Where is your home and who lives here?

We live in a semi-rural setting in Renwick,
surrounded by vineyards. The farmhouse was bought
22 years ago – the worst house in a great location.
Both our children, Sammy and Louis were raised here
but they have sadly now left the nest. Tui,
the foxy poodle cross keeps us company.

What four words would you use to
describe your home?

Relaxed, welcoming, functional and homely.

My

HOME

Avril Heard-Woollcombe is one of Marlborough’s well- known interior designers. Inspired by materials, nature and individual products
and pieces, Avril shares her tricks to making her own space feel like home.

What do you love about the neighbourhood where you live?

We love the hood we live in, a quiet rural setting with only occasional tractor/harvester noises to deal with. Great neighbours who will water your garden, feed the cat, neighbourhood watch and are always keen for a catch-up.

What piece would you never part with?

The collection of art, sculptures and crafts that I have collected on our travels or from family and friends over the years.

What’s your favourite spot in the house?

Kitchen/dining as you can open all the French doors out to create a wonderful indoor/outdoor flow. The kitchen is the hub of the house in which we love to entertain family and friends.

What inspired this look?

The house was very dated and had no character at
all both in the interior and exterior areas.
The Axminster (patterned) carpet, lace net curtains,
holland blinds and patterned textured wallpapers
all had to go! Painting the bedrooms before we
moved in was a must and most of the house has
been repainted more than several times since. The
house needed to be lightened up, modernized, and a
flow created with the outside.

Where do you shop for homewares?

Mostly from the wholesalers that I deal with for
my design business. They keep me updated with
the latest new products that will be soon released
into the marketplace. Where possible I source New Zealand-made.

What’s your decorating style?

Not a particular style but designs for the way we are
living at that stage in our lives. A practical design that
feels right for the space and décor that reflects our
personality. The use of natural products and textures
gives the space some warmth, interest, and soul.

When it comes to homeware, do you save or splurge?

Both. Generally, I like to co-ordinate the product
with the space but then I have been known to
impulse buy. Some of the furniture and homewares are bespoke and have been locally made which gives them even more meaning to us.

What’s your favourite room?

That’s a tricky one as I love our kitchen and dining space but also this flows out onto our alfresco

Entertaining area with the pizza oven. The pizza oven was sourced locally, in kit set form, from Morepork
in Havelock. Here in summer, we tend to have most
of our meals outdoors and entertain friends. We have created this rustic space with old cherry netting
poles, a large homemade table and benches, concrete, rough sawn timber paving and exterior lighting.

What should every home have?

A comfortable chill-out space where you and the
family can spread out your wings and relax.

Best money spent?

Good quality thermally-lined curtains and blinds
for retaining the heat, protecting your furniture and adding that final touch to a room. This goes hand in hand with a great log burner and heat transfer unit.

Best seat in the house?

Corner nook in the dining/living room. Perfect to sit
in the sun with a coffee, wine, read the paper and
direct instructions to the kitchen or pizza alfresco
staff (family).

What is one thing you would change about your home if you could?

On the to-do, need and want list is my very own semi-detached design and art studio. Here I would surround myself with inspiration, samples, products and not have to continually tidy up.

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ARTICLES

Beyond the downlights

Avril Heard-Woollcombe
Karibu Interior Design

Get creative with textiles

Colour your world

'Tis the Season

‘Tis the season...

Interior Advice

Finding flooring

Marlborough Magazine

My

HOME

Archives

Phone

Email

ARTICLES

Beyond the downlights

Avril Heard-WoollcombeKaribu Interior Design

Get creative with textiles

Colour your world

'Tis the Season

‘Tis the season...

Interior Advice

Finding flooring

Marlborough Magazine

My

HOME

Archives

Phone

Email

Avril Heard-Woollcombe
Karibu Interior Design