After years spent in the medical and commercial worlds, Tania Hussey and Kate Symes launched Tate Design to share their love of interiors, textures, colour and styling. Their boutique Wellington-based consultancy offers everything from interior and spatial design to furnishings, sourcing and a gift registry.
How would you describe your home and style?
Tania: Scandi eclectic.
Kate: Contemporary minimalist.
What inspires you about living in your region?
We both love the Wellington harbour, easy commute to town, village atmosphere and community feel.
What’s the last thing you bought for your home?
Tania: My new fireplace.
Kate: New carpet.
What was one of the memorable first items you ever bought for your home?
Tania: The first item we bought when buying our first home was a new front door.
Kate: Two New Zealand-made leather sofas.
What’s your favourite room in your house?
Tania: My office, as it is key for me to have a creative and inspiring work space.
Kate: My formal lounge, which is light and bright and has amazing views of Wellington.
If you were renovating, where would you spend the bulk of your renovation budget?
We would both spend it on kitchens, as they are the hub of a home and you spend a lot of your time there. That being said, they are costly, so considerable thought and planning need to go into them. The exterior is definitely important, too, as first impressions count!
What’s the trend you wish would make a comeback?
Nothing. We aren’t trend-focused, as these come and go.
What’s a trend you’ll be glad to see the back of?
Three pendants hanging above a kitchen bench.
If money was no object, what would you splurge on for your home?
We would make it a ‘smart home’ (an eco-friendly home where systems can be remotely managed).
What would you go budget on?
We wouldn’t compromise quality for the sake of budget. Our advice to our clients is to wait until you can afford something.
You’ve got a day to refresh your house. What do you do?
We’d try a new spatial layout and new placement of artwork.
What should every home have?
That feeling of love and comfort when returning home after a holiday.
If you could have a ‘house tour’ of any home in the world, whose home would you choose?
It would have to be any home that intrigues us from the outside and says, ‘Come in and have a look!’
