This cabin might be pared back in style but every piece in its minimalist interior has special meaning for its occasional occupants. Kim Dungey reports.
It took just days for an old railways cabin on a farm near Dunedin to go from dusty storage shed to restful holiday retreat.
Andrew Meehan and Gemma Cagnacci planned the makeover from their home in Sydney, took inspiration from the interiors of Scandinavia and furnished the space with treasures from around the world.
It now serves as a relaxing getaway for the couple - one an architect and a former pupil of Dunedin's King's High School, the other a textile designer who grew up on Sydney's northern beaches.
The hut was one of two that Mr Meehan's father, a former track inspector, bought from New Zealand Rail as bedrooms for his sons in their teenage years.
Measuring just 6m by 2.5m, they were once positioned next to railway tracks and used for tea breaks, Ms Cagnacci says.
After Mr Meehan moved to Australia in 1999, the cabin he had slept in was used for storage but they would occasionally stay in it when they returned to his family's coastal property at Brighton.
The makeover was a chance to make it more functional and to "play around'' with some design ideas she had seen online and in magazines.
Deciding only weeks before visiting that they would do up the cabin, then having only three to four days to complete it, was a "little crazy''.
But family members helped by having the cabin prepped before they arrived and the couple organised as much as they could before leaving.
They also brought some furnishings with them.
These included wooden shelves, which they packed with Mr Meehan's surfboards, an Afghan rug and a bark tapa cloth from Papua New Guinea.
Structurally, the cabin was in good condition, needing only a few minor repairs and a rotting window replaced: "I liked that it had character and potential to be updated without there being too much work.''
Inside, they planned to open up the small space by painting all the surfaces white: "We wanted [it] to have a light, airy feel, which was relaxing and simple.''
Ms Cagnacci took inspiration from the minimalist interiors of Scandinavian summer houses but also wanted to reference the cabin's location by including pieces from New Zealand and the Pacific region.
These included rocks, crystals, vintage postcards and photos taken on their travels around New Zealand.
The pair made small artworks using sticks they found on the farm, and also made use of some large logs and some farming tools that had been in storage in the barn.
A bed was found on Trade Me and delivered before they arrived.
The old suitcase belonged to Mr Meehan's grandfather.
Small pieces from China and Vietnam were reminders of their travels.
In contrast to the pale interior, the exterior of the cabin was painted Resene double cod grey.
"I've always loved dark cabins,'' Ms Cagnacci explains, "and due to the climate, felt we could pull this off''.
The result is quite different from their Surry Hills terrace house, which is more colourful and more diverse in its design, but she likes any style "that has personality and that reflects who inhabits the space''.
"I love both minimalism and eclectic interiors, and love when the two have been combined successfully.''
While both are happy with the outcome, they will probably add more storage inside and a hammock outside when they next visit.
The pair try to holiday in Dunedin at least once a year, usually around Christmas.
"We love going into town and checking out any new shops or cafes, walking along St Clair beach, taking day trips and doing walks around the Catlins. Andrew will also go surfing at a few different breaks, depending on the conditions.''
Ms Cagnacci, who designs home textiles for most of Australia's major retailers, is also a talented photographer.
Her blog, lineshapecolour.blogspot.com, visually documents her creative projects and travels, and began in 2011 when the couple set out on a four-month journey through the Middle East and central Asia.
Last summer, they travelled to Ethiopia, and in September they were in Europe.
Logistically, organising a makeover in another country was not a problem for a woman who "can't get enough'' of textiles, from carpets and wall hangings to small embroideries, and who is used to hauling those and other purchases about on her travels.
"Depending on how big the piece is, I might post it home,'' she says.
"Otherwise I make sure there is plenty of room in my suitcase. I also love old paintings found in flea markets and am more than happy to lug a framed artwork around if I love it enough.
"It's so worth it when you have it in your home and it has a story behind it.''
