HOME FEATURE: Meet the Akitō

Akitō in Māori is ‘to be slow’. This is a place to take time out for yourself and enjoy the surroundings.

Sleek and stylish with lush gardens, it is the perfect place for a quiet getaway. It has been cleverly designed with polished concrete floors, clean lines, careful placement of custom furnishings and is taking Airbnb by storm.

Erena, the brains behind akitō studio, is a married Mum of two and a stylist by trade. Rearranging spaces and making a house a home is a true gift of Erenas. She is a self-described “upcycler by nature” and has a real knack for finding second-hand pieces and reworking them – a trait she picked up from her grandmother, who used to volunteer at the local Op-Shop.

Erena is known for her earthy, elegant, minimal style. “I tried to stick to light colours and furniture that wasn’t too bulky to help give it a sense of light and space,” she says and describes the studio as “a little bit Trade Me, a little bit custom, a little bit treat yo'self and a lot ME”.

The project came about after a classic case of “buying a house that needed more work than we imagined and more money than we could afford” and so the idea of transforming the least-used space into something that was beautiful yet could offer some form of return on investment was born.

The brief to the Signature Homes team was "concrete floors, bare white walls...think art gallery". It was the best way to describe a blank canvas and that was what Erena was going for; a large open-plan space that could suit many styles but most of all would provide flexibility down the line and when it came to picking the furnishings she wanted the overall feel to be clean and modern with a resort-feel.

Imagine soaking in a large outdoor tub with views across the gully, a sweeping bed and a beautiful, relaxing vibe, that’s exactly what you get. Clean lines and contemporary furniture create a calming aesthetic while large windows, lush gardens, and that alfresco bathtub make the most of indoor-outdoor living.

“I think there is always someone out there looking for something a bit special” said Erena.

Design & Styling by Erena Te Paa / Photography by Kirsty Dawn

If you have been thinking of designing your dream home or your dream getaway then contact your local Signature Homes team, they are experts in design and build plus your home will be backed by the best guarantees in New Zealand.

To see more of Erena's home and styling visit her website erenatepaa.com.