Alice Lines, Auckland

Images by Greta Van Der Star

Alice Lines is an Interior Stylist and also the Editor of the New Zealand interiors magazine, homestyle, and so it comes as no surprise that her own home in Auckland's Point Chevalier is a celebration of New Zealand design and artisanship.

Alice lives here with her partner, Nick Burrowes, and son, Ted.

"We moved into our place two and a bit years ago a couple of weeks after our son Ted was born. The timing was a little hectic, but we just couldn't pass up the opportunity of this location. No matter what time of day, or what the weather is doing, looking out across the harbour to the Waitakere ranges is always magic.".
No matter what time of day, or what the weather is doing, looking out across the harbour to the Waitakere ranges is always magic.
"Point Chevalier is such a great spot. It's only a short drive from Auckland central, and yet you really feel like you're somewhat removed from the hubbub of the city.The beach is a stone's throw from our home, there's a great little community garden you can get involved with, a local library that puts on fun activities for kids and with Daily Bread just up the road, we're sorted for the best sourdough in town."

On the wall sits a woven basket by Ruth castle and tapestry by Erica van Zon alongside antique landscape oil paintings, a print from Kyoto, and a print by Hein Studio.

"Nick and I like to mix thoughtfully designed furniture with vintage scores and unique pieces discovered on our travels - from stashing Japanese ceramics in my hand luggage, to hauling rugs home from Istanbul, to seeing how many kantha quilts I could squeeze in my suitcase in Rajasthan recently, interior objects are always the thing I get most excited about hunting out when we're overseas. Closer to home, a new bed from Simon James Design was a good excuse to give our sleep space an overhaul, and I treasure the Venini Vetri Murano glass lamp on my bedside which is a family heirloom. The Douglas and Bec coffee table in our lounge works perfectly to centre the room, and now we're on the hunt for a (toddler friendly) sofa that will fit with a pair of cane chairs I picked up from Babelogue, one of our favourite vintage haunts here in Auckland. We also love how our Ercol dining table from Good Form extends to host a crowd.
"My mum recently brought us some wild-harvested kawakawa which we brew in a pot with fresh ginger and mint. Kawakawa was used widely in traditional Maori medicine as a general tonic for good health, and has a refreshing peppery taste."
Kawakawa was used widely in traditional Maori medicine as a general tonic for good health, and has a refreshing peppery taste.
"I'm always interested in taking a deep-dive into the cultures of places we want to travel to. I was in India earlier this year for an interiors focused trip with a friend of mine who's also stylist, and really enjoyed the process of discovering more about the ancient crafts that are being kept alive there through various social initiatives linking textile printers, weavers, and makers directly with designers and boutique businesses around the world. Nick and I are currently planning where to head to next for a family holiday, which is bound to involve seeking out some sort of design-related exploration too." Linen duvet, pillowslips, flat and fitted sheet by IN BED

Alice's bed, layered in IN BED linen, with a duvet and pillow slips in Chestnut, pillow slips in pine, paired with linen fitted and flat sheets in mist.

The photograph above the bed was taken by Alice in Bolivia.

"Kitty is actually my mum's cat, and comes to stay with us when she's up from the South Island. We joke that it's his seaside holiday home where he lounges about all day in the sun, and enjoys fresh kahawai caught by my brother-in-law for dinner."

Ted's room.

@alice.lines