Interior designer Amanda Neill has extensive industry experience and has won international accolades for her work (she recently took the top spot at the Asia Pacific Property Awards for best Residential Interior in New Zealand). After setting up in Auckland, Amanda moved her company Designworx to Tauranga three years ago.
Amanda Neill of Designworx enjoys introducing an element of surprise to her designs, such as richly textured compilations of materials and colours.
How would you describe your home and style?
My style shifts with the era of the house and surroundings. I’ve come from a villa in Devonport, Auckland, with lots of Victorian character, to a mid-century home in Tauranga. This home has been recently renovated in an ‘industrial luxe’ style – I love introducing an element of surprise into my designs. The kitchen is black with aged brass details, and has a combination of textures and finishes. The bathrooms have strong tiling detail and black concrete baths. There are several wallpapers as focal points. As a designer, my style is based on how clients want to feel within their own homes, and the design elements are very much tailored to creating that feeling for them.
What inspires you about living in your region?
We live on the cliff overlooking the sea, back to Tauranga and beyond to the Mount. The calm energy of the water is very present. I love the accessibility to the outdoors. The beaches are stunning and every day I’m reminded how lucky we are in New Zealand.
What early memorable items did you buy for your home?
Travelling has been one of my loves – the cultures of Mongolia, Tibet, India and Nepal fascinate me. I got married in India in a crazy colourful ceremony. The colours, designs, time-honoured beauty of the old furniture is gorgeous. I bought an original Mongolian cabinet many years ago. It has been brought back to much of its original state and you can feel the age seeping through the old wood.
What’s your favourite room in your house?
My kitchen – I love that there’s a place for everything. I love the drama of the black and aged brass. It’s a space we congregate in with friends and family, and it can take three people working in it at the same time.
IF you were renovating, where would you spend the bulk of your budget?
Kitchens and bathrooms are where you can make the most difference. In most cases, you will get your money back and add a lot of value. Don’t scrimp on cheap fittings – they will come back to bite you in a short space of time. The other area is the entrance. This is where people arrive and first impressions are made in a very short space of time. I always want my clients to feel like they have arrived home to a space they love.
What’s the trend you wish would make a comeback?
Trends come and go, but what I’m aware of is a human response to world events, and from that response comes a need to be filled, and from that a product to fill that need. In response to Covid shutting most of the world down, our need to connect has become greater. Any trends that support this connection will make their way into our spaces. Words that spring to mind are warm, cosy, organic, intimate, connected– and that applies to everything.
