Chris and Liz's two-storey bungalow in Lower Hutt had been largely restored when they bought it five years ago, but they wanted to put their own stamp on it. Enlisting the help of architect Bruce Sedcole and Resene colour consultant Helen Bradshaw, they have retained the character homestead's bones, but given it a modern sensibility with a new extension, an open-plan living area, contemporary colours and boldly patterned wallpapers.

How would you describe your style? We like a look that is clean-lined and modern/contemporary.

Where did your inspiration come from? Magazines, hotels we'd stayed in while travelling, friends and business colleagues' homes.

What was the biggest challenge? There weren't too many challenges - we tried to "work with" the building as much as possible. We started with a nice house that had very good character, and we tried to make the most of the potential that was already there - and with the new addition, to make it seamless from the original parts of the home.

What was the greatest success? Achieving the degree of open-plan feel that we wanted, while keeping a lot of the original character. We're happy with the complete package.

What is your advice for someone trying to achieve a similar look? Plan it well, take time to get the details right, don't cut corners or compromise quality for price. We also kept a strong client-architect-builder relationship right through the entire project - everybody was working hard and doing their best to get the best result.

Which space do you get your greatest satisfaction from? The kitchen, because it's the hub - the connection between inside and out. It's where so much of the family life is, and also our entertainment so often starts there before it spreads through to other parts of the house.

What colours did you use? We used colours that were light and modern, to fit the contemporary look that we wanted. We got great help from colour consultant Helen Bradshaw at Resene Lower Hutt. She helped us to choose Resene Half White Pointer for the walls throughout the house, and Resene Double Alabaster for the architraves, etc. The feature wall in the living area, and the stair balustrade, are both Resene Nero. The kitchen is Resene Half Wan White. Outside, we used Resene Half Ash and Resene Double Ash. The wallpapers in the bedrooms were also from Resene.

A black Resene Nero wall and a bright red armchair give the living area a bold, contemporary look.

Plush charcoal carpet and a black Resene Nero balustrade give the old stairs a modern look. The space under the stairs has been utilised as a wine cupboard.

Black and white linen and a black headboard are paired with black and white patterned wallpaper by Vision Wallcoverings, available from Resene.

With black outdoor furniture and a glass fence, the swimming pool area continues the contemporary look.

The exterior of the house is painted in Resene Half Ash and Resene Double Ash.