Home couture: bold and beautiful

For some retirees, downsizing their house can mean muting their preferred design aesthetic. Not so for Judy Martin. The Summerset at Pohutukawa Place resident’s villa remains a testament to her bold and glamorous style, one that has seen her previous bedroom grace the pages of a style magazine, and her old garden feature in the Taranaki Garden Festival.

“It was a huge garden,” says Judy. “My husband passed away 22 years ago, so I mowed the lawns myself for years, but as I’ve got older it was less appealing to do!”

Judy may not have the large garden anymore, but she still has plenty of plants. Approaching Judy’s front door means passing a riot of greenery and giant stone buddha heads, which lends it a jungle vibe. The decor changes again across the threshold, as in the hallway you are greeted by a huge black and white photograph of an Indian yogi’s face on one wall, while on the other is a giant tapestry of an African tribal woman. “I knew they would fit,” she says. “I fell in love with the wall hanging when I saw it in a shop. I loved it because it was so different – and it was also half price.”

Whether it’s wall art or furniture, Judy doesn’t shy away from oversized pieces, but her home feels light and airy. Although she has plenty of ornaments too, the space is ordered. “I wouldn’t say my style is minimalist, but I dislike clutter. I like clear surfaces and I can’t bear anything on the fridge.”

Judy has used some clever design tricks. Her sofa, although large, is raised off the floor so light can pass underneath it. A vast mirror on the wall reflects the natural light from her sunny west-facing windows and gives the illusion of more space. Judy also uses a variety of different shapes. A round low pile rug underneath her round coffee table softens the sharp rectangular lines of her TV cabinet and sofa.

Judy also plays around with textures and fabrics; rattan chairs can be scratchy, but Judy has used longhaired sheepskins in a rich umber to create comfort, whereas her sofa is a luxe velvet. While her bedroom has jewel tones, the predominant shades in the lounge are gold, cream and a deep ochre. “I just love those shades,” says Judy. “I always have. They are warm and inviting.” Judy’s cat, Ginger, with his orange, black and white coat, looks to have been chosen to complement the decor too. “He scratched the rattan chairs once, but I sprayed it with cat repellent and he’s not tried since!”

“I have always been interested in design and decor,” says Judy. “I was forever moving my bedroom furniture around as a child.” Judy became a farmer’s wife and milked cows, but she still brought her style into the farmhouse. “I probably prefer style over function, although its great if it can do both. I’ve had furniture that looks wonderful but is uncomfortable. I would put the more comfortable pieces in the dining room as that’s where we would spend the most time, and the uncomfortable ones would be in the lounge.” Judy’s late husband, Brian, didn’t mind the furniture changing and rearranging. “He only asked that I didn’t touch his armchair, and I never did. I didn’t need to – I chose it for him!”

Several of Judy’s ornaments are from a trip she took with her family to Vietnam, a country with a rich variety of handicrafts. “We explored all over, and I brought a lot of ceramics and figurines back.” Although the decor in her home is exotic, aside from Vietnam and Australia (where her eldest daughter lives), Judy doesn’t like to travel abroad. “The airports get me down,” she says. “They seem to get worse and worse.” Instead, she buys most of her pieces locally in New Plymouth. “I lived next door to a lady who had a studio and she imported a lot of things. It was dangerous for my bank balance being her neighbour!”

Judy gravitates towards the unusual. A pair of lamps standing sentry on her entertainment unit resemble the headlights of a 1950s American muscle car, although they are not nearly so bright. A mirror repurposed from a door lives on the wall, she uses a drum as a side table, and three gigantic fir cones sit on her dining table. “I only had two to start with,” she says, “but a gentleman who lives in the village said he had one that was just sitting in a cupboard and he gave it to me. Things always look better grouped in threes, so I was delighted.”

Judy has lived in the village for three years. “I had built a house next door to my daughter in Waiwhakaiho, but I got ill so I started thinking about retirement villages. When this was being built I met a lady who lives here. She was so enthusiastic. It wasn’t a hard decision at all, and it’s been great. I have met so many wonderful people.”

This is an article from the Winter 2024 edition of Summerset Scene magazine

Click here to read the full issue