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Down an unassuming driveway in an unassuming street in Auckland’s suburban Mt Albert, sits a collection of eight stylish townhouses. In the garage of one is a sleek, 1964 Volvo PS1800, as though James Bond has just popped home for a sandwich. It’s the first sign that the inside of Guy Hilson’s home is special.
When Guy moved into the home shortly after it was built four years ago, it was the archetypal blank canvas with a neutral colour palette. Those classic shades now form a backdrop to a collection of art, artefacts and vintage memorabilia that cover almost every surface, vertical and horizontal.
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“I just really like having lots of colour around,” says Guy who considered swapping the neutral paint for something more vivid, but ultimately kept it so that the art and ornaments could shine. “Growing up, our family home was filled with beautiful antiques in perfect condition, but there wasn’t a lot of colour. I think that’s partly where my love of colour, and second-hand things has come from,” he says.
In the wrong hands Guy’s eclectic approach could become a chaotic mish-mash of styles, but this is a guy with an eye for good design, as evidenced by that stylish Volvo he found on Trade Me in practically mint condition. “I’m not really a car fanatic, but that car is good example of very classic, simple design. And it’s fun,” says Guy.
That blend of classic and fun epitomises Guy’s interior style. He’s driven by the thrill of the hunt, and finding pieces that are unexpected and unique.
After living in Muriwai for many years while their children (Hana, now 19, and Baxter, 17) were young, Guy and his then wife Bridget moved to Mt Albert to be nearer to Mt Albert Grammar School. When the couple later separated, Guy wanted to stay in the area to be close to his kids.
He then bought the townhouse as a “lock up and leave” that would have space for his kids, while allowing Guy to divide his time between Mt Albert, Muriwai and his office in Huapai, where he is co-owner and managing director of Harvest Fresh, which exports onions, carrots and apples.
Jane Ussher/NZ House & Garden
Large sliding doors open up the rear of the house to the lush enclosed garden so it essentially becomes an extra room.
Guy sought help from interior designers including Kathryn Enchmarch and a village of friends and family such as his sister Juliana to make the initial transformation from blank canvas to inviting family home. They helped source stand-out pieces like the blue velvet sofas, but his main goal was to gradually fill the house with unique treasures that had an interesting provenance.
“I like finding those pieces that have already had a life. They have a few scrapes and dents here and there, but they’re interesting and different,” he says.
There’s the outdoor mirror found on a roadside in the Czech mountains, now sitting in Guy’s back garden, sourced from Vitrine. A beautiful sculpture of Dame Whina Cooper and her granddaughter is by Waikato artist Robin Ranga, who Guy tracked down after missing out on a similar piece at auction.
He has a concrete garden sculpture by artist Levi Hawken, known to many for the “nek minnit” video that’s become embedded in Kiwi culture. And there’s a prized work by New Zealand artist Reuben Paterson, for which Guy waited patiently to become available.
Guy is just as excited about finding a classic Simon Says game in its original box or a vintage View-Master as he is about discovering a new artist or a colourful poster bought for $20 in Berlin.
“It’s not about the dollar value of something for me. It’s just about what I like. I do have some things I bought from galleries, but often it’s second-hand shops or auctions,” he says.
Guy’s other driving force is to support the work of friends and family. The Muriwai arts community is well represented in his collection with work from the likes of Anna Hanson, Amanda Jakich and Steven Adams, as well as pieces by Guy’s cousin, Angus Walker.
One of Guy’s favourite spots in the house is the cosy television room, lined with vintage hand-coloured Whites Aviation photographs, which are a particular passion. The other is the surprisingly secluded, good-sized garden, a feature not often found in new townhouses.
Jane Ussher/NZ House & Garden
French bulldogs Archie, left, and Otis make themselves comfortable on one of the living roomâs velvet sofas.
Guy bought in the experts at Kiwi Girls Gardens to make the most of the outdoor space. The result is a lush green area that’s also low-maintenance. At night the garden is filled with lights, and in summer the house opens up for that essential seamless flow.
Guy’s job has a unexpected influence on his interiors – he travels widely for the company and tries to bring home interesting finds. “I’ll either keep it or if it doesn’t work I’ll gift it to someone else.”
Guy’s a familiar face around certain local second-hand shops, auction houses and galleries, though he tends not to visit with a big plan in mind. “I don’t tend to buy to fill a specific space. I’ll just find something I like and then find a place to put it. I am probably getting a bit more particular these days, with what I buy… partly because I’m starting to run out of places to put things.”
His current passion is outdoor sculptural pieces which he also buys for his larger Muriwai property. “I love Gibbs Farm [sculpture park] at Kaukapakapa. Obviously not everybody can do it at that scale, but it’s very inspiring and I’d like to create that kind of outdoor space where people can have a bit of fun.”
And while he might be running out of wall space in Mt Albert, Guy is eyeing up the Muriwai interior for a facelift. “I don’t want to just replicate what I have here. It will still be mostly second-hand but probably more 70s-style Scandinavian which will suit that place.”
Over the lockdowns Guy bought land on Rote Island in Indonesia and has had a holiday home built right on the beach – perfect for relaxing getaways with new partner Kate de Lautour, friends and teenage offspring. It’s another blank canvas: “It’s definitely going to need furniture, and art!”
Jane Ussher/NZ House & Garden
A portrait of Guyâs daughter Hana in her full regalia as head prefect of Mt Albert Grammar School is by Henry Mackenzie. One of Guyâs favourite pieces is this wall sculpture Dame Whina Cooper And Her Granddaughter Irenee by Waikato artist Robin Ranga, inspired by an iconic 1970s photograph.
Q&A with Guy Hilson
My decorating style is: Eclectic mix and match.
One tip for others: Find a specialist to hang your art like my great friends Doug and Kim Gow.
Best budget tip: Find a print or poster you like at an op shop and spend money on a funky frame.
Best money I ever spent: Outdoor coloured solar lamps which also double as speakers.
This weekend I will be: Heading out to Muriwai.
Favourite new find: A Simon Says game from the 1970s and a black and white Yuki Kihara piece.
Favourite family treasure: My daughter’s portrait by the talented Henry Mackenzie.
Best seat in the house: On a barstool at the kitchen bench.
The first thing I do when I get home from work is: Feed the dogs.
Best local Walk: Ōwairaka Park.
A well-kept secret about this area: The wonderful team at Baankaew Thai Sport Massage.
One thing you must see when you visit: Alberton, an historic local colonial property.
Favourite local eatery: Sake Bar Icco.
Jane Ussher/NZ House & Garden
Guy spent a lot of time researching outdoor furniture to find something a bit different and settled on this black set from Design Concepts, which contrasts nicely with less formal pieces like the Coca Cola table bought at auction and a cheeky gnome from Junk & Disorderly.
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