Original Intentions: Eclectic, personal and never samey samey, interiors by Janice Kumar-Ward have something different to say.
Two standard wall tiles combine with yellow wallpaper in the renovation of this Gisborne farmhouse.
Today if you were tasked with naming a fabric, you’d probably have AI on the case tout de suite. But interior designer Janice Kumar-Ward can remember a time before the internet when she was armed only with an atlas and an encyclopaedia from her local library. “I took inspiration from the location of the fabric house and the cultural significance of the prints,” she says.
Janice Kumar-Ward of JK-W Interior Architecture & Design
After studying architecture in Sydney and then completing a Bachelor of Design at Unitec, Janice juggled two part-time roles: one at fabric house Textilia where, on Saturdays, she ran the showroom; the other at Mantells, Mt Eden where, as a waitress and maître d’, she learnt to manage a team and how thoughtful design interventions could make events such as weddings feel super special. Her major in interior architecture and hands-on experience with products and people stood her in good stead. After finding her feet at renowned design firms Martin Hughes and Macintosh Harris, she launched JK-W Interior Architecture & Design 16 years ago. One glance at the studio’s work is enough to tell you that Janice is a chameleon character, adapting to context with spatial acuity, inventiveness and, always, a bit of fun. “It’s not about me and my taste,” she insists, although she’s not averse to delivering her considered opinion if a client needs direction.
Unexpected elements, such as bespoke purple carpet, inject personality
She is quick to point out that interior design isn’t just about decorative details: it’s having an overview of the project and its aims. That means working with trusted trades from the get-go. “We communicate clearly and cleverly around design early on. This way our clients get a realistic pricing structure and a result that is incredible,” she says. If Janice has a tendency to talk in superlatives, she also takes a pragmatic approach and abhors waste. She’s a firm believer in buying something inexpensive, if it’s well made, then mixing it with high-end or designer pieces. “A fun Saturday night for me is scouring the Webbs auctions for clients.” Janice also regularly works existing features and treasured items into a scheme. In a home on a Gisborne sheep station, a fancy hall table was repurposed into the breakfast nook, while old station maps became artworks. In the family bathroom, two off-the-shelf tiles were teamed to create a striking stripe effect.
Off-the-shelf tiles emulate classic black-and-white marble floors in this historic Dunedin home
In another Dunedin project, black-and-white marble flooring was emulated by combining inexpensive floor tiles bought locally. Purple carpet in the living room is similarly surprising – but it works. Her layered interiors pay no heed to what is fashionable. Although the recent interest in local, artisan-made items is one trend she can support. “That’s a welcome resurgence. I love it when you can meet the maker and respect the process.” Decades later, the young girl who was left eyes wide open when an interior designer came to visit her girlfriend’s house and she suddenly realised this was a profession, can’t imagine doing anything else. “It’s a very emotional job,” Janice says. “You are working on the clients’ largest asset, so you need to make sure the homeowners come out of it feeling supported — and that their interiors reflect how they want to live.”
