LIVINGROOM,
WHISKEYROOMThe
livingroomis a classic
exampleofartdeco
architecturewithits
curvedwallandbuilt-in
niche.Thewallpaperis
‘Volute’inoldgoldfrom
Bradbury& BradburyArt
WallpapersintheUS,and
theleatherchairis an
originalBarcelonaChair,
firstconceivedin1929.
Theworkingradiogramin
thewhiskeyroomwasa
lucky find on Trade Me.ice-creampinkmadewayforcobaltblue,a
choiceinspiredbyfashiondesignerYvesSaint
Laurent’sfamousMarrakechhome,VillaOasis.
TheHaddenshavealsoplanteda sizeable apple
orchardontheirlushsection.
Inthegarden,thepairdid“aphenomenal
amountofwork”,rippinguplawnsandfences
infavourofraisedflowerbeds,pavedpatios
andintimateseatingareas.Colindida lotof
thisworkhimselfwiththehelpoffamilyfriend
andtradieSebastianLogan.“I’ma complete
andutterblackthumb,”saysEmma. “I’m not
allowed near the garden.”
Forthepatio,Colinwantedtocreateanaged
effectinkeepingwiththehouse,soinsteadof
usingpavershemadeindividualframesand
pouredconcreteintothem.Oncetheconcrete
wasset,hepulleduptheframes and filled the
gapswithredstones.
ThefrontandbackentrancesofMeadowood
wereswitchedaroundandtheparkingareawas
movedtothefrontoftheproperty,tomakethe
backgardenfeelmorepeaceful.“Theprevious
layoutwithcarsparkedbesidethehousewas
unsightlyandit gotreally mucky if it rained,”
explains Emma.Finally,thecouplechangedthe
accommodationofferedatMeadowoodfrom
B&Btoa whole-house-for-hire,andquickly
abolishedthe‘nokidsorpets’rule.“Wejust
thought,‘Thishousehasthe potential to be
suchfun,’”saysEmma.
Theyrippeddownalltheoldsigns,scoured
theop-shopsforaccessories,andnamedeach
roomaftera different1930sicon.Theyalso
turnedanunusedsittingareaintoa whiskey
room.“MyhusbandandI arebothIrishanda
houseisn’ta homeunlessyoucanoffer a guest
a tipple of Jameson,” laughs Emma.yhg| 69H