Once a dark & leaky 1990’s house and sleepout, now sits the spectacular home of interior designer and creative, Alex Fulton, husband Jeff and daughters Isla & Violet. Taking the gold in this year’s New Zealand Architecture Awards, the Sumner Beach property affectionately named Beach Barn, spans considerately across the coastal terrain. Nested discreetly behind the home you’ll find an outdoor oasis, complete with a jacuzzi, sauna, shower, and entertaining space. The old sleepout has been dramatically transformed into a creative haven – an art studio for Alex and band room for Jeff. Underfoot lies Bremworth Galet Carpet in colour Sage, the perfect addition to the playful and adventurous space.

01 - What was your journey to living in your current home?

We lived in Sumner Beach for 10 years, but moved to Marlborough after the devastating Christchurch earthquakes. After about 5 years, we decided we missed our life at the beach and had to go back. When looking to buy, we saw a friend’s house was up for auction and couldn’t turn down the opportunity. We bought this property back in 2017, and lived in it for about 4 years before embarking on a full renovation, that took 2 years to complete.

02 - What was your vision for the space?

Our creative studio was originally an old garage, converted into a sleep-out by the previous owners. After renovating the main house, we saw potential in the space to become a band room and art studio for my husband and I. We recladded it to match the main house and slightly altered the layout to maximise storage. The space opens out into our outdoor dining space and conversation pit, which makes for a great view to look out onto when you need some creative inspiration!

03 - What was important for your flooring choice?

As the space doubles as a band room for Jeff, carpet was an easy choice for its soundproofing qualities. The flooring in the main house consists of black cork and tiles, so it was nice to have an opportunity to feature carpet in the studio. As an Interior Designer by trade, my style is always based on colour, form and function. The Bremworth Galet Wool Carpet in Sage from Flooring Xtra was exactly what I was looking for – a chunky texture and an earthy injection of colour.

04 - Where do you draw inspiration from?

The studio acts as is a ‘little sister’ to the main house, so we used the same elements such as tongue and groove wall panelling, and bright, white aluminium joinery. Choosing the Sage carpet intentionally connected the garden and same green used in the main house, creating a nice story throughout. I always knew that I wanted to paint a mural in the space as a big colour moment!

05 - For those that are embarking on a renovation, what are your top tips?

Be very clear on your design direction, your budget and colour palette from the start. Knowing these three elements will keep decision making easy, keeping you a clear path to a cohesive end result. If you get speed wobbles during any part of your renovation, always refer back to them and reference them often.

06 - Is there anything left to finish off to complete your home?

Last on the list is finishing the garden. It’s been a 2 year project on top of the house renovation with hardscaping elements such as decks, walls and covered areas. We really wanted the house to ‘spill out’ onto the garden, and that reflected our design and architectural decisions. We are nearly there but unlike Interior Design, planting and landscape design decisions are governed by the seasons. This summer we plan to put in the final plants to finally complete the project.

Credits

Homeowners: Alex & Jeff Fulton
Where: Sumner Beach, Christchurch
Interior Designer: Alex Fulton Design
Landscape Architect: Henry Blakely Landscapes
Architect: Nott Architects
Photographer: Olivia Pitcher