From Brazil to Washington Valley, Anna Ligia Cipriano Pinheiro and Gabriel Rezende Baptista Vilaca have turned their very first New Zealand home into a warm, colourful haven filled with creativity and personality. Drawn to its 1940s charm and guided by a love of slow, thoughtful decorating, they’re building a space that tells their story.
Photos: Tessa Claus
The story
I live in Washington Valley with my husband Gabriel. We bought this house a year ago (it’s our very first home) after finally getting our dream – resident visas. We arrived in New Zealand from Brazil five and a half years ago to study English, and we completely fell in love with the country.
When we finally had the money to buy, we were looking for something that didn’t need a lot of renovations since we don’t have many people here to help us with big projects. After looking at more than 10 houses, we walked into this one and immediately loved it. The 1940s style, the colours, the light. We looked at each other and just knew. We wanted to put in an offer the same day, but the brokers wanted to hold one more open home. At the second open home, we spoke with them again, and as soon as they contacted us, we made our offer.
In four words
Inviting, warm, comfortable, and love.
Inspiration
Mostly, our love of spending time at home. We want our space to feel personal, with each item carrying its own story.
Decorating style
Colourful.
Where we shop
The Saturday market, local shops (both in-store and online), The Wharf in Māpua, and secondhand stores.
Favourite piece
Our mugs. Two made by our friend Myriam Goes (@claybound_nz) and the other two by our friend Aninha (@alima.ceramics). They’re beautiful, handmade pieces, and both friends are so talented with their own wonderful style. The mugs also remind us of breakfast and afternoon tea, which are really special moments for us. But don’t tell our plants!
Save or splurge?
We do invest in good-quality furniture, a mix of new and second-hand. We don’t buy much, but when we do, we take our time to research what we want and often wait for sales or second-hand finds. For example, since we moved in, we’ve been looking for a coffee table that really suits our living room.
We’ve considered colour combinations, size, and shape, and even keep a list of ideas on Pinterest. We haven’t found the right one yet, so we wait. Creativity helps too: for example, we loved a bird wall art print by Ellen Giggenbach in the Cool Store Gallery in Māpua, but it was out of our budget. Instead, we bought just the print, picked up a frame from Spotlight, painted it red, and now it’s perfect. The same with art made by Component that we admire – we couldn’t afford originals, so we bought an art print from Fiksate (in Christchurch) and framed it ourselves.
Our home is about choosing carefully, adding personal touches, and creating a space we love with time, care, and resourcefulness.
Renovations
We haven’t done any yet, but we dream about it. The big one is fixing our retaining wall, but because it’s on road reserve, it involves a lot of consent (and money!). Next would be redoing the laundry, and eventually our bedroom. We’d love to add insulation and update the wardrobe, but that will take a little bit more time.
What’s next on your interiors list?
The laundry/bathroom, for sure.
Favourite spot?
Our kitchen. It’s where we share our meals and enjoy watching the birds, the changing weather, and the view. It’s such a warm, inviting spot for us.
If money was no object…
A new retaining wall, a fresh laundry, an updated bedroom, a beautiful garden makeover (that one is a big job!), and a beautiful and big painting to put on the wall above the fireplace.
What should every home have?
Personality.
If you had a day to refresh your home what would you do?
Add some new plants and arts (it is never too much).
Best decorating tip?
Go slow. Find your style, make a list, and buy things little by little. A home is never really finished, and that’s part of the fun.
Any debates?
Not really. We usually agree, especially if we find creative solutions within our budget.
Biggest regret?
None. Every choice has been part of making the house our home.
Favourite household chore?
Caring for the indoor plants.
Best piece of advice you’ve received?
Don’t rush – make the house yours step by step.
The neighbourhood
We love that Washington Valley feels so close to everything while still being peaceful. There are lovely walking tracks nearby that connect you with nature really quickly.
Favourite local eatery?
Nahm.
Best memory in your home?
The first night we moved in. Looking around and realising this was really ours. We could not believe it.
