From top to bottom this vibrant family home is bursting with colour, pattern and texture.

Words Lucinda Diack     Photography Lisa Gane

We all wish we were brave enough to embrace colour – but not many of us actually take the plunge. But for Christchurch-based interior designer Alex Fulton, working with colour and introducing it to her own home is a natural task.
Walking through the front door you are immediately immersed in this family’s colourful world and it is little wonder that the first reaction from guests is “wow”. Patterns, colours and statement furniture blend effortlessly together to create an outgoing, warm and inviting home environment, which is reflective of the vibrant family that resides here.

While often involved in the redecorating process, it is also not uncommon for Alex’s husband Jeff and daughters Isla (7) and Violet (5) to come home to find the house has been reworked. “A friend of mine and I were recently experimenting with bright blue paint, Dulux Opua, and thought it would be great on the wall. So we tried it out – and it worked. By the time Jeff came home, we had pulled everything off the walls, painted the family room and re-hung various bits and pieces. It was a shock, but he loves it.”

Like so many homes the open-plan living and kitchen area is the hub of the home, and even the kitchen accessories embrace Alex’s love of colour. “I have a yellow peeler, because if I have to peel potatoes, I want to have a good time while doing it,” she says with a laugh. The open-plan space is also home to a bold botanical couch. Recently re-covered with a leafy Unique fabric it was to be used in the exhibition garden Alex was involved in as part of the 2011 Ellerslie International Flower Show. While sadly the show was cancelled as a result of the February earthquake, the couch has become a firm favourite in the home. “I love it! While it is a bold pattern, I just thought ‘why not?’ The thing about using pattern is that you have to love it and not be afraid! Just embrace it.”

While the family room embraces bold colour and pattern, the secondary living area is a soothing room of crisp whites and dark feature walls. “We had to replace the fireplace which essentially meant a whole new room.” With extensive storage and open shelving the room has become a display centre for the family’s much loved collections and treasures.

Working from home as a result of the Christchurch earthquakes has allowed Alex to use the space as a showcase for Alex Fulton Design. After selling her Auckland-based graphics on canvas business in 2006 Alex kick-0started her interior design business which has since evolved into a nationwide interior design consultancy. “Recently, especially in Christchurch, there is a trend to jazz up existing spaces and experiment with things homeowners haven’t done before, which is great,” describes Alex. But colour is not all she does. “For me, interiors are about being an embodiment of who is living there and sometimes people just need a little guidance with displaying their character, be it with pattern, colour, neutrals or simply reworking what they have.”

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