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A Christchurch renovation by The Home Maker and Urban Function Architecture

A Christchurch renovation blends Palm Springs and European influences into a warm, character-filled family home.

Homestyle
Last updated: 18 June 2026 | 2 min read
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A Sumner, Christchurch renovation by interior designer The Home Maker and Urban Function Architecture has transformed a 1950s house into a character-filled family home. The design blends Palm Springs and European influences, focusing on texture and natural materials.

A clever 60cm extension significantly improved the home's functionality, creating space for an extra bedroom and larger living areas. The interior honours the original build by reusing rimu and incorporating vintage finds, including pieces sourced from Trade Me, creating a warm, sun-filled home.

Living room

Abbie wanted to incorporate Palm Springs style, so she brought internal brick walls into the entryway and dining space, and specified a breeze-block fence that can be viewed from the open-plan living area through new bifold doors. “From inside, the fence looks like a wall of art, plus it creates privacy and interesting shadows on the deck,” she says. The crew matched the new floors to the recycled timber, then gave it all a coat of whitewash to tone down the red in the rimu. This corner of the living area is decorated with Queen of Light by Jenna Paige, and a Cuzzi II lamp by St Clements on a custom-made coffee table.

In the main bathroom Avocado Zellige tiles are a rustic backdrop for an Olympia Arch mirror by Sunday Made.

Ava’s bedroom is extra-special with its walls in Resene Tuft Bush, lightshade from Bohème Home, Cottage House bunk bed from Made of Wood and rug from Copper & Pink.

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