Grant Furniss and Paul Tanner, owners of Contemporary Classics in Mount Maunganui, own a "kitset Canadian" home in a quiet cul-de-sac near the beach at Papamoa.
The house itself could do with renovating, says Grant, but with three stores to run and regular buying trips overseas not leaving a lot of time for DIY, the couple have instead made their home stand out with unique designer furniture, both indoors and out.
Home is definitely where the heart is for Grant and Paul who like to entertain in their large, private garden.
"Outdoor living is a priority when you live in the sort of climate we do. We encourage the use of our outdoor space by offering comfort and furniture with the ’wow’ factor," says Grant.
The 12-seater Sparta lounge is a focal point of their outdoor space, allowing for both outdoor dining and relaxation.
The dome-shaped structure with matching glass-topped coffee table features a polyethylene open weave fibre over an aluminium frame, large acrylic cushions and bright scatter pillows for added style and accents.
A large Buddha water feature adds a tropical feel to the paved courtyard outside their living room and relaxes with its soothing trickle.
Indonesian-made, it is mounted on a bamboo fence and complemented with a small Chinese wagon wheel table and two chairs in the same weave as the lounge in the back yard.
The cushions, like those in the outdoor lounge, are made from quick-dry foam so they can stay outdoors in all weather.
Inside, Grant and Paul’s furniture is an eclectic mix of pieces they have collected from their travels over the years and what they sell in their stores.
An oval-shaped, reclaimed elm coffee table is a stand-out piece in the living room and is practical as well as stylish, says Grant.
"It’s wonderfully textured wood and is very forgiving. It’s good for putting feet up on and dancing on."
And with no corners to it, it’s great for eating dinner on in front of the 75 inch television.
A matching side table sits in the corner of the room with a Moroccan hand-cut fretted brass floor lamp.
"Most of my buying is about what the hand can do, not what a machine can pop out. To me there will never be more artisan hands in the world. At the end of the day these items will become far more valuable than a disposable machine-made item," says Grant.
The Deville chaise lounge features removable, washable natural linen covers and because it is natural you don’t have to worry about colour fade.
"Because you can take the covers off and wash them, grubby kids, cats, and dirty husbands can get on there and enjoy it and then you can make it look new again," says Grant.
The living room also features a Berger sheepskin chair with oak legs (Grant calls it his "lambikins" chair) which is light enough to be moved around the house when an extra chair is needed.
Grant and Paul have been importing furniture from Asia for 27 years. They choose the furniture for its classic styling that will stand the ravages of fashion and time.
An example of this is their Italian-designed dining table, which is one of the first pieces Grant imported 27 years ago.
Made in Indonesia from hand-carved mahogany, it features a grapevine with bunches of purple grapes hanging from it.
"This is a one-off. I lived in my warehouse for many years so having it in this house has been the first time I’ve been able to use it," says Grant.
The table is teamed with wicker outdoor chairs, which as well as being easy to clean and able to be used both indoors and out, don’t detract from the detail of the table.
Grant is a firm believer in buying furniture that is suitable to be used both indoors and out.
"If it’s only good enough for inside it’s a bit of a waste. Why not get double purpose and get double the value?"
He also believes in the value of a quality rug, of which there are several in bright colours in his home.
"Carpet isn’t made to last but if you put down a rug made to last 100 years in an area you walk on often, your carpet will still look good when you take the rug up."
In the living room they’ve used a rich, classic red rug to offset the cool colours of the walls and give it a cosy, warm feel. It also meets Grant’s design philosophy that every room needs a splash of red.
Grant and Paul have a number of hand-carved artisan timber mirrors in a variety of shapes and styles to create a feeling of space, catch the light and reflect their vibrant personalities.
"They’re wonderful pieces of art rather than square machine-made shapes," says Grant.
Sadly, Grant and Paul will be saying farewell to the house soon as they move back to a warehouse.
"But the furniture is going with us, so when we move, the house actually goes with us rather than the walls. It’s not going to be too difficult to set up a new home where our hearts will be," says Grant.