The Retro Home
Words: Pattie Pegler
Images: Supplied
When Rebecca Smith first moved into her two-storey, brick house in Timaru 10 years ago, it was “one blank and beige canvas to stamp my mark on.” Embracing her love of all things retro she soon transformed it into a swirling carnival of colours, patterns and textures.
“I’ve loved retro style and vintage décor items for as long as I can remember,” says Rebecca. “It was the style I grew up with in my Grandparents’ homes and our holiday bach. I love the bold clashing patterns of 1960’s prints and the bubble-gum colour palette of the 1950’s.”
Not long after moving in Rebecca started the makeover treatment on the house and she was able to bring out many of the pieces she had already collected. The first room to be renovated was the kitchen, followed quickly by the bathroom and the rest of the 3-bedroom home. “As we worked our way through the renovations it was just a matter of figuring out how best to ‘dress’ each room with the stuff I already had,” explains Rebecca. “And then scouting around for other bits to complete the look. If I were to stay, I would just start redecorating all over again. It's constant.”
Bringing together patterns and colours can be tricky but Rebecca has kept this in mind in her scheme. In the front bedroom flower power wallpaper, a patterned bedcover and a patterned couch are tied together with colour tones. Elsewhere neutrals in the ceilings and trim balance out the boldness and there are pops of colour from artworks and objects.
When it comes to finding quirky and retro pieces, Rebecca goes online. She checks out the usual sales platforms but advises buyers to be “super onto it” if they want to get the good stuff, that can mean dropping everything and zooming across town to get in first. She also browses op shops and scans garage sales. “I’ve also been known to slam on the brakes when driving and had to rearrange the kids like sardines in a tin when I’ve spotted free items on the roadside,” she says.
After ten years of adding colour and style to this home, Rebecca and her family are now on the move. When it came time to put the house on the market, Rebecca wasn’t sure it would appeal to all. “My fear was that the décor might put potential buyers off,” says Rebecca. “And I would have to give the house a grey/beige makeover in order to sell it. That would have broken my heart.”
But that didn’t happen – instead the house sold quickly and when we speak Rebecca is packing up for the move. Readying this unique home for its new owners.
Get The Retro Look
We loved this retro look so much we asked Rebecca for her top tips for those of us who want to go a bit retro at home. Here’s what she told us:
1. Find the era that appeals most then search the web for reference images of kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms etc from that decade.
2. Decide how bold you’re prepared to go – full immersion or just hints. There are so many options and suppliers of retro wallpaper and curtains these days if you’re wanting to go all out.
3. Save up for a couple of larger key pieces to anchor the room.
4. Don’t be afraid to go with reproduction furniture – original pieces are often hard to find and sometimes not in great condition.
5. Pick a colour scheme and begin searching for items that fit your scheme. Have fun with it.
