My HOME

Built in the 1850s, Simone and Andy Cardwell’s cob cottage in Brightwater was one of the first homes in the region. The charming cottage has been transformed over the years but retains its warmth and character with original features and vintage decor.

Tessa Jaine

Where is your home and how long have you lived here?

Our home is an 1856 cob cottage, located in Brightwater. We bought it five years ago when we moved here from Auckland with three of our five children.

What four words would you use to describe your home?

Charming, wonky, quaint, and inviting.

What inspired this look?

The family that built the cottage had immigrated from Scotland, it would have been built to the architectural style from that era and region. It has certainly stood the test of time. Such wonderful craftmanship was used.

What’s your decorating style?

English cottage meets European farmhouse. We like our home to look collected, but not cluttered. Antique furniture and interesting vintage decor are what we are drawn to. I love the look of French rustic homes and we are slightly influenced by that.

Where do you shop for homewares?

We have a few favourite antique shops we visit in Nelson, Eclectic Antique Centre being our most frequented and Richmond Antiques & Curios. We enjoy perusing thrift stores also. Other than appliances, I would say everything we buy is preloved. We like to decorate with objects that have history and a story.

ABOVE: Simone and Andy Cardwell with their youngest children, Oliver and Abigail, and dog Pepper.

What piece would you never part with?

A 19th century French armoire that we bought when we moved in here. It houses all our crockery as there was little storage space in the kitchen/ dining space. It is such a handsome piece and looks right at home here.

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

We are thrifty spenders, although the aforementioned armoire was a splurge. Have you done any renovations?

We were fortunate that all the hard work had been done for us. The only addition has been a kitchen pantry. We would like to update the kitchen one day, although that is a cosmetic change and not something that needs doing immediately.

What’s next on your interiors list?

I would like to refresh our daughter’s room with whimsical wallpaper and new paint. Her room has sloped walls and a dormer window, it lends itself to the English cottage charm seen in Beatrix Potter books.

What’s your favourite spot in the house?

The main living area. One half has tall, vaulted ceilings with original beams and the other, a snug, with a large fireplace and a mezzanine space above. Very cosy spaces in winter. Also, a walled courtyard that we call the Gin Garden, for obvious reasons. That gets used a lot over summer.

What’s your favourite room?

My favourite room is our bedroom on the ground floor. It has lower ceilings and beams and feels like a small retreat. It has a lovely view out to the front garden.

Best seat in the house?

That would be our Victorian chaise lounge which is shabby and well-loved and yet so elegant. It has affectionately been dubbed ‘Pearl’.

If money was no object what would you get for your home?

We would love to put in an inground swimming pool. That would be a dream addition for our children.

What should every home have?

To quote William Morris “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be beautiful or believe to be useful.” I have always lived by this. A home should reflect your style and personality and bring you joy.

If you had a day to refresh your home what would you do?

I would replace the bathroom tiles to some that are more to our style and taste while keeping to budget. There are so many beautiful designs and colours available now. It’s proving to be a difficult decision.

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

We would like a laundry in the main house. At present it is in a second dwelling that we have set up as a guest house. There isn’t really any room that could be used, though I see it being built into the kitchen renovations plans. I know English homes have their laundry appliances in their kitchens so I think that could be a clever use of space.

Best budget tip?

To buy only what you truly love and not something that is trending, avoiding impulse purchases and waiting for the right piece of furniture or fixture. We have been searching for dining chairs to go with our farmhouse table for seven years. I know one day we will find the perfect ones, or they will find us. I think especially when your budget doesn’t align with your dreams, it’s about being content in the in-between.

Best money spent?

We removed the existing hot water cylinder and replaced it with a gas califont for hot water. This was such a good upgrade as we were a family of five when we came here (our eldest daughter has since moved away from home). It was a great investment, and we do have out-of-town visitors, so it’s nice to never have to worry about hot water running out.

Did any of your purchases cause a debate?

Well, there was the fridge debacle of 2018! Andy wanted a modern, shiny Samsung fridge with all the bells and whistles. Whereas I wanted a retro Blue Smeg that was more fitting in an older home. Let’s just say the latter stands pride in place in our cottage kitchen!

Do you have any tips on how to keep your living area orderly?

With young children, you do need to get creative so that toys and bits don’t take over the space. We use a collection of vintage suitcases and baskets to store things away. There are built-ins shelves in the snug for these as well as our books, mostly vintage. I have them arranged by colour for a more structured look and find it aesthetically pleasing.

What do you love about the neighbourhood where you live?

Brightwater is a small, tight-knit, family-friendly village. We have felt very welcome here.

Best memory in your home?

I recently celebrated my 50th birthday and we had a French-inspired garden party here at our property, with friends and family. I enjoy hosting and it made it extra special to be able to do that here in our home. It was a gorgeous event, and we will always cherish the beautiful memories we created.

65th Anniversary!

Danske Mobler is proudly NZ family owned and operated since 1958

Ken & Bente Winter (left) began making furniture in a little shed in Titirangi, Auckland in 1958 Their vision was to supply unique and beautiful furniture, crafted to the highest quality and value Sixty-five years later the styles have changed, but the next two generations of Winters continue to uphold their values

Like Danske Mobler, we're proud to have three generations of family work at Lynfords As the exclusive stockist of Danske Mobler in the Top of the South, we couldn't be more excited to celebrate their fantastic milestone!

19 August - 10 September