14 minute read
MAN OF STYLE
A LOT TO TREASURE Old and new, colour and texture abound at Andre Afamasaga’s inner-city home. Some of his favourite finds were bought at auctions and markets with his father when he was younger.
Meet & greet Andre Afamasaga (New Zealand Human Rights Commission senior manager) and flatmate Paul Whiting (Ministry of Education lead).
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MA AN N of STYLE
A passion for the beautiful and eclectic reflects the occupants of this historic Wellington apartment
Text Michael Mansvelt Photography Gina Fabish
ANDRE AFAMASAGA
The old Aulsebrooks factory in the middle of Wellington hasn’t been making iced animal biscuits in years. Instead, the historic building is now an apartment building with smart, spacious apartments featuring soaring ceilings and period details.
Andre Afamasaga and civil servant flatmate Paul Whiting have lived in one of the complex ’s light-filled two-bedroom rented apartments for seven years. There are shades of Monica and Rachel’s New York pad from the ’90s sitcom Friends to it, with its tall bank of colonial-style south-facing windows and their eclectic mix of furnishings and decor.
The apartment is solid concrete, which is warm in winter and cool in summer, and the recent earthquake strengthening is apparent wherever one looks with large steel beams unapologetically poking through walls and midway through spaces. This only adds to the heritage feel of the space and provides comfort to its tenants who were living here during the Wellington quakes of 2016.
Andre is a human rights advocate and former pastor who hit the headlines with his coming out column in the Sydney Morning Herald and several other international publications, which went viral at the end of 2019. It was in response to the Instagram posts by rugby superstar Israel Folau condemning the rainbow community to an eternity of judgement and torment.
He told his story about coming to terms with his sexuality, faith and self-acceptance to send a clear message to young rainbow people in the Pacific community who looked up to figures like Israel Folau, and that his outspoken comments were not only false, but unacceptable and harmful.
Andre’s life has been built on a strong foundation of faith, family and culture. The Kiwi-born gay Sāmoan man grew up in a proud and vibrant, faith-filled family and migrant home where his late parents always put first the needs of others.
“Even as a kid, I loved making spaces inspiring and beautiful, ” he says. “When I turned 15, I used my birthday money to buy a large, American-style Christmas tree for our lounge. In following years, I kept adding classic, inexpensive items to mimic a Christmas-themed spread I’d seen in a Country Road/Vogue Living advertorial in the early ’90s. ”
LET THERE BE LIGHT
Andre's orchids, palms and ficus thrive in the light-filled living area of the apartment, which opens to the balcony. Conch and coral prints from Freedom adorn the top of the bookcase, next to an Empire State Building ornament – a reminder of trips to New York before Covid travel restrictions. The vintage movie light next to it adds a quirky touch.
KITCHEN/DINING The round dining table is French vintage and the rattan dining chairs were picked up on sale at Bunnings. The kitchen may be pocket-sized, but Andre is a dab hand at putting together a healthy fruit platter. He likes nothing better than hosting a gathering for friends with good food and lots of laughs.
TRUE COLOURS The red-brick and yellow wall and ceiling shades were not Andre’s choice, but he's made it work with the glass pendants and aged leather seating. The addition of a large framed mirror helps to create the illusion of space. Coffee table books of fashion design and photography are scattered throughout the apartment.
His love of style was apparent from a young age as he followed his father around markets and auctions, delighting in sourcing beautiful and unique objects for their surroundings. He began collecting fashion and interiors magazines as a 12-year-old in the ’80s, cataloguing the culture, clothes, people and decor, well aware that the people in these glossy publications looked nothing like him.
“I hope a young brown kid will be inspired when they see this spread of my family and I. That’s why representation matters, it gives people hope and something they can relate to, ” says the senior manager at the New Zealand Human Rights Commission. “Above all, I want my home to be a place where people can feel joy, beauty and acceptance. ”
Bookshelves are filled with Architectural Digest and collections of international editions of GQ and Vogue magazines. There are also plenty of other hallmarks of his style and personality, which includes carefully selected curios such as Pacific ula given as thank you tokens for his community work, or his collection of theological books that have been colour coded, and other memories from a life well lived.
“I had lots more books, magazines and items dating back to the ’70s, but they got accidentally thrown out in the decade I worked abroad as pastor in Sydney. ”
For some that would be disturbing but Andre puts things in perspective, “I don’t believe that style and substance are mutually exclusive, while I love stylish things, they ’re a bonus – not an essential. What truly matters are loved ones and relationships. ”
Style is also about finding solutions for the not-sogreat. Take the imperfect carpet in the open-plan space. It’s effortlessly disguised with a well curated selection of rugs, a mix of sisal and vintage Persian styles, and follow a common rule in good interior design – that there are few spaces that don’t benefit from an area rug.
Everything in the apartment has a feeling of place, such as the hall table with fresh flowers, a well-curated collection of shells and an antique model sailing boat alluding to the maritime environment on the wharf close to the apartment block.
Andre will happily find treasure everywhere, from the auctions his father introduced him to early on to hardware stores. The vintage French dining table is surrounded by ’80s-style rattan dining chairs found on sale at Bunnings.
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Tip Instead of one large picture in the bedroom consider a gallery wall with a number of favourite images.
desk in a working-from-home Covid environment. But sometimes I blur my Zoom screen because I don’t want people to think I’m too ‘ extra’ or to be distracted by all the objects in the background. ”
Recently, he’s taken on the care of several indoor plants and it is clear to see he is keen to approach their care with as much love and empathy as he does everything else in his life. His favourite is a heliconia, a lush tropical beauty that sits alongside a kentia palm, both framing a large mirror against the brick wall.
The ’90s zombie-yellow and brick-red palette used on the walls and ceilings wouldn’t be his first choice if he owned the space, however it matches the warm, rich tones of his aged leather and vintage French furniture. In fact, it works so well with yellow and red that one would almost be forgiven for asking the question, “Wow! Are these colours back in style again?’
The curse of many inner-city apartments is a lack of natural light – something both bedrooms suffer from. Although his bedroom has no windows to the outside, Andre has created an inviting retreat with soft linens, artworks and lighting. This is also the space where his love of fashion and style are most evident and a glance in his wardrobe could well make the most style-conscious gentleman green with envy at the beautifully curated blazers, shirts, and other classic pieces. “I like to mix classic with casual. But an ’80s- or ’90s-style navy blazers with jeans, and a white tee or oxford shirt, and Ray-Ban sunglasses are my go-to uniform, ” he laughs.
After many years of serving others and his community, Andre has become more comfortable with the value of having a space to recharge, relax and reflect, surrounded by things that bring him joy. His family and friends appreciate the central location and hospitality, too, often congregating here. It’s a testament to the welcoming space Andre and Paul have created.
BEDROOM A tranquil retreat was created using a tropical palm, luxe bed linen from Ralph Lauren Home, Urban Loft and Tommy Bahama, with subdued lighting from Early Settler. The picture wall features some of Andre's favourite ’80s and ’90s photos from Richard Avedon, Peter Lindbergh and Bruce Weber. HALLWAY The console, with its wooden tray filled with favourite sunglasses, features a model of a sailing boat, a stack of favourite books and a piece of coral from Queensland.
OUTDOORS The balcony is the perfect entertaining area, and a place where Andre’s plants thrive.
ANDRE AFAMASAGA
Honesty box
+ What areas of your home did you save on? Price is always my foremost concern. Over the years, I’ve added pieces slowly but surely. + What did you splurge on? More recently I’ve updated my bedroom space by getting new linens, feather-filled pillows and botanical bedside lamps. + Best lessons learned? I have never owned plants before. I underestimated how they can bring life, vitality and dynamism to any space they occupy. + What would you never do again? Buying on-trend items because they’re on sale or look good. I now try and look for more classic, enduring pieces. + Any decorating disasters? When my bedroom became a makeshift storeroom of furniture and pieces, I told myself I’d eventually sell but never did. Giving them away to family and goodwill gave me space and a feeling of improved wellbeing. + What’s one thing you would change about your home? If I owned it, I’d give the walls a makeover, with grasscloth wallpaper, in either gold or navy, and tropical hardwood flooring. + What has been the most memorable experience you’ve had in your home (good and bad)? A bad experience was the 2016 earthquakes. Since I rent, I wasn’t able to secure furniture to the wall and some pieces became broken. The good experiences are having loved ones over with good food and lots of laughs.
GATHERING PLACE Due to its central location, Andre’s apartment is a popular place for friends to drop by. On the day we visited, there was a delicious lunch. Andre's sister Shalleen and brother-in-law Geoff, share their recipes (below). Flatmate Paul helps serve lunch (below left).
Geoff’s corn fritters
MAKES 30-40
INGREDIENTS
4 corn cobs 1 onion Fresh herbs, we used mint and rosemary, but coriander is nice too 2 cups grated cheddar cheese ½ cup self-raising flour 4 eggs ½ cup milk 200g feta cheese, cut into small cubes Salt and pepper, to season Oil, for frying (see Note)
1 Slice kernels from corn cobs and place in large bowl. Separate corn kernels. 2 Dice onion and finely chop the herbs. Add to the bowl with the grated cheese. 3 Add self-raising flour and toss through, coating all the ingredients. 4 In a separate bowl, mix eggs and milk to combine. 5 Pour the combined egg and milk into the corn mixture. Add the feta cubes and season with salt and pepper. 6 Heat 2 tablespoons oil in frying pan on medium heat. Fry heaped dessertspoons of fritter batter, about two minutes per side or when golden. Test for doneness by pressing a finger into the fritter, if it bounces back they ’re done. Or taste test.
Note: These can also be done on the hot plate of a barbecue; you may have to add more oil between batches.
Shalleen’s salsa
INGREDIENTS
1 yellow capsicum 2 medium tomatoes ½ cucumber 2 nectarines or any firm summer stone fruit, such as peaches
DRESSING
4 Tbsp tomato relish 1 Tbsp olive oil Juice of half a lemon 1 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce Salt and pepper, to season
1 Dice the vegetables and stone fruit into small pieces and put in a bowl. 2 For the Dressing, put all the ingredients into a glass jar and shake. 3 Pour Dressing over salsa and toss gently. Season to taste before serving.
Serve salsa with Geoff’s corn fritters.
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A carefree blend of Euro-chic finds with cane, plants andand Pacifica patterns is a recipe for a truly global apartmentent
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1 Santana plant stand, $79.99 (large), from Adairs. 2 Flower and bird tablecloth, $199.99, from Trade Aid. 3 Chinese ginger jar lamp, $366, from Leopold Hall. 4 David candle, $69, from The Axe. 5 Fermob Montmartre table, $900, from Jardin. 6 Zigzag rug, $269.99, from Trade Aid. 7 Kauri Pacific tablecloth, $89, from Pauanesia. 8 Luca Belize chair, $1299, from Farmers. 9 Resene Dynamite paint, $4.90 (testpot), from ColorShops. 10 Resene Egg Sour paint, $4.90 (testpot), from ColorShops. 11 Pelargonium Dark Delight plant, $17.90, from Kings Plant Barn.
Join the jetset
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of bacterial growth, a must for keeping your family happy and healthy.
The superior battery capacity means you can clean for up to two hours with the two supplied batteries lasting up to an hour each and, when you ’re done, simply return the stylish vacuum to the integrated and clever All-in-one Clean Station. Once connected to the dock, not only will the appliance recharge at the press of a button, it will activate Samsung’s unique Air Pulse technology to rapidly empty the dust bin meaning no dust particles will escape in the process and you ’ll never have to get your hands dirty again. The waste is sucked into a bag that’s housed inside the clean station, which creates a non-contact, completely sealed dust removal system.
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With its sleek design, the Samsung Bespoke Jet will fit right in with the interior design of your home while the exceptional performance and convenience will have you wondering how you ’ ve ever got by without it.
