June 19, 2020

At home with Brie Thomas

Down on the farm. 
This month we chat to architectural designer Brie Thomas about her inner city farm...the perfect escape when visiting New Zealand’s South.

Describe your interior style? 
Minimalistic but homely! I shy away from colour. I prefer neutral earthy tones and textures, a soft calm environment is important to me and bold colours don’t create this. If a space is cluttered I feel as if  my life is cluttered! 

There’s no rules when it comes to personal interior style, my advice would be don’t follow trends - if you love it then have it in your home. My old horse's saddle sits proudly over our stair handrail - it makes me smile. 

You are an architectural designer. Where do you draw your inspiration from? 
Nature  - sounds cliche but in NZ we are spoilt with natural beauty so why not take from it. I’m also a lover of timeless mid century design. 

What can’t you live without at home? 
Photographs. The easiest way to personalize a space and make it feel like home, there’s nothing quite like a printed photo in today’s techno world. Oh & great bed linen! 

Tell us about The Farm? 
Our little slice of paradise. 5 acres of rural farmland in the heart of Christchurch. It’s the biggest time waster but brings us the most joy and we feel incredibly lucky to watch our friend’s children (and ours) grow up surrounded by land! 

Currently run as a boutique farm stay we have two Airbnb properties on the land, the old restored cottage and another new small architectural cabin. It’s a work in progress but we hope one day it will be a beautiful venue for a range of events. 

Favourite fragrance? Tea tree/eucalyptus! Refreshing, calming and takes me instantly back to my childhood on the farm where we had a large row of gumtrees at the gate. My favourite Palm Beach scent is Clove & Sandalwood.