OneRoof’s Ask the Expert is a new weekly series aimed at helping consumers cut through the noise when buying goods and products for their home. It’s hard to make a decision when there’s so much out there, and the sheer volume of online recommendations is overwhelming. We live in an age of fake reviews, so who better to trust than the people who have the expertise and use these items for a living.
Award-winning interior designer Janine King has a simple philosophy: a beautiful home doesn’t have to cost a fortune. The Auckland-based interior designer took out a multitude of awards at this year’s RESA Home Staging Awards, including the Occupied Staging Project of the Year, International award – a first for New Zealand’s staging industry.
She says her approach blends high end with accessible style from stores like Farmers and Spotlight, because “everyone loves finding a bargain”.
“It’s like your wardrobe, you put your money into your shoes and handbags, and it’s the same at home,” she says. “You invest in your couches and dining suite, then everything else you can change out.”
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Home stager Janine King: “Everyone loves finding a bargain." Photo / Supplied
King’s advice for anyone refreshing their home is to start with good foundations, then layer on character through cushions, rugs and colour.
She says that after years of minimalism, homes have become warmer and more layered. Earthy jewel tones are leading the way this season with colours of rust, olive, mustard and brown, alongside natural linens and boucle.
“Rusty, earthy tones, nice olive greens and browns are coming back,” King says. “They bring depth and warmth to a home.”
Her top pick for the season is sage green. “It’s delicate on the eye and goes so nicely with crisp black and white or that lovely mustard colour. It helps bring the outdoors in.”
Cushions and throws are the easiest way to transform a room, King tells OneRoof. She mixes high-end pieces from Weave and Le Monde with what she jokingly calls “Maison de Farmers” and “Maison de Spotlight” finds.
Her go-to sources include:
- Weave for velvet cushions that look high end but include budget-friendly options,
- Baya Living for natural fabrics and stunning accent cushions,
- French Country, where she says their Pollen Street outlet is a treasure trove for reduced cushions and throws, and
- Farmers, where she recommends the Canyon and Chico ranges.
King recommends using at least 50x50cm size cushions and filling them with feather inners the next size up to get a full fluff. Also, mix up textures and pull in the colour tones of your rug or flooring to bring the look together.
“We were doing minimalist before, really clean. Now maximalist is [back], which looks like lots, but it’s very coordinated.”
That means more layers and objects, but within a tonal palette. “You can have a lot in the room, but make it tonal, so tones of one colour, but more of them.”
A velvet cushion from Weave and a plump number from French Country. Artwork / Beth Walsh
King says rugs can also help update a room and pull it together. “A rug can anchor an entire space,” she says, noting that she often uses Weave’s Andes Rug, which is a lovely woven rug that works well on both light and dark floors.
For cheaper options, she recommends ferreting around at Spotlight where you can pick up a good pile rug for about $240 on sale.
For bedrooms, she swears by Baksana’s stonewash waffle blankets.
“They’re well worth the investment, and they do matching Euros. I sell these to homeowners all the time once they see how good they look.”
The key, she says, is to create a home that feels beautiful and personal, not perfect.
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