Right at home

Style magazine

Napier interior design firm Bibby + Brady puts an emphasis on enhancing the lives of clients through careful consideration of their needs.

While overhauling the interiors of this home in Napier’s Esk Hills, Vic Bibby and Dael Brady were more or less left to their own devices. With such a fabulous end result, it’s clear that the pair, who together form Bibby + Brady, are a match made in interior design heaven.

Bibby says the owners of the house, All Blacks star Brodie Retallick and wife Niki, were “dream clients” in that they trusted Bibby + Brady to do what they thought was best for the space. “The reason this project was such a wonderful success is that Niki and Brodie were brave enough to trust us and let us do our job,” says Brady. “Niki has a good understanding of design and how an idea needs to be carried through. She knew that changing one element would have a domino effect and managed to see the whole picture, which was immensely helpful to us.”

The first thing Bibby and Brady consider when designing a new space is what the client wants to achieve, which means gathering as much information about them as possible. “We really try to get inside their head. How do they live? What will they be using the spaces for? Does it need to be child and/or pet friendly? Do they like to entertain? How do they want to feel in their space? The more information we have, the better we can design a space that is perfect for each individual client,” explains Bibby. For the Retallicks, Bibby and Brady took into account that the home would be lived in by a young family. “They have two young daughters, so we knew their home had to be practical and comfortable as well as stylish,” says Bibby. “We used a lot of FibreGuard fabrics, which are durable and easy to clean. We also wanted to create a calm and welcoming retreat for Niki and Brodie to come home to after spending time overseas, so we chose a palette that reflects the New Zealand landscape, with blues, greens and warm wood tones.”

Masters of colour, the design duo share their expertise with customers via online colour courses, developed in partnership with Resene. Says Bibby: “We created our online colour course because it’s the most common question we get asked – what colour should I paint my room/front door/ house? There are no quick answers; we choose colours based on a number of factors. So the course enables us to share that knowledge and teach people how to create a colour palette that is perfect for their home.”

Welcome home

Frequent international travellers, a New Zealand-inspired palette of blues, greens and warm wood tones creates a welcoming retreat for the owners to come home to. In the master bedroom, Resene Robin Egg Blue on the walls provides a soothing backdrop to the crisp, white linen bedding, enhanced by pops of dark teal and dusky pink. Throughout the rest of the home, neutral-toned floors and floor coverings, as well as walls painted in Resene Quarter Bianca become a blank canvas for statement furnishings in more eye-catching colours.

Blue mood

In lives marked by busyness and constant interruptions, blue tones help us to filter out the noise and switch to a more mindful state. Ever-relevant in interior design, Resene’s wide range of appealing blue hues offers so much diversity, finding fresh and exciting alternatives to trending blues of years gone by is a breeze. Not only easy on the eye, these hues can also be easily adapted to warmer and cooler weather. Pair them in the warmer months with timber finished in Resene Colorwood Whitewash, natural rattan, seagrass baskets and linen, and heavily textured woven throws and rugs when the cooler weather sets in. Keep the look soft and soothing with light touches of blush.

“Blue has no dimensions. It is beyond dimensions” - Yves Klein

Bibby + Brady, 50 Ossian Street, Napier

Photography: Florence Charvin
Words: Ashely Wallace