Coming in August last year from sunny South of England to a rainy and windy Dunedin was let’s say, quite a shock. Not lying, it took quite some time and lots of tears to open our hearts to what life in New Zealand actually has on offer. This has been a complete change in all aspects of life.
Getting to know the South Island was the most pleasant part of the change. We discovered that nature is at its best here – wild and absolutely fascinating. From local penguins, seals, sea lions in our favourite Otago Peninsula, stunning Dunedin beaches and massive waves to breath taking mountains views of Queenstown and Wanaka. We are particularly fond of modern and completely transformed Christchurch which we remember very differently as when we visited it during our honeymoon before the tragedy of the Earth quake that destroyed the city. There are so many more places I would wish to talk about but let’s get to what else has happened in that last year…
Some people ask me how did I keep myself busy before becoming officially a Kiwi resident. The first six months I was still managing my English business – New Forest Designs but it came to a point that this was quite hard to do due to the time difference and that simply I couldn’t have face to face interaction with my clients. I closed New Forest Designs after half a year and decided to bring my entire focus on recreating my business here in Otago which I call Catherine Brennan Design.
Back in August 2022, we lived on the other side of the bay in Belleknowes but the move shortly after to Vauxhall in Otago Peninsula really lifted our spirits. More sun light, more space, more nature…. It just feels right. We have made a few improvements to the house we currently call home to ensure each space works well for us and our needs and reflects who we are.
A very rewarding experience was volunteering for Dunedin Curtain Bank in that first few months of coming to Dunedin. Fantastic charity run by Belinda with great volunteers and a great cause – adjusting donated curtains for the people in need whose homes are often so poorly insulated where a new set of curtains really helps to make a difference, reduce the chill and save on the energy bills. Photo enclosed below shows the handmade and thermal roman blinds that I have created for the Dunedin Curtain Bank.
Another mile stone was us as a family joining Balmacewen tennis club. I have never had tennis racquet in my hand but a year later and I can hit the ball! I have developed hunger to get good at it. There were many people who joined at the same time as we did. We have a fantastic group of lovely members and we are definitely a tennis family.
Back in England I used to teach on regular basis group fitness classes in the Evenings and weekend. Coming to the land of the best known in the World of fitness – Les Mills, I had an amazing opportunity to join as the instructor of Body Balance in Dunedin Club. We have a great team of many passionate instructors and very welcome and friendly members.
Now let’s get to setting up Catherine Brennan Design… How many interior designers do you know who not only design but also create? I expect the answer is none except that now you know one – me.
As a home interior designer, I do not only have skills and qualifications to design spaces but also to manage projects and to even create the products themselves: handmade and bespoke curtains, roman blinds, pelmets, headboards, cushions, lampshades and basic upholstery. This is what makes me different from other interior designers.
To set up my business here, I wanted to support local small businesses and so the website was delivered by Alyssa Harrington with our joint design, and car advert by Bruce – Creative Addiction. It was imperative to also support business that is located in the country that is at war – Ukraine. When you meet me and I hand in my real oak business card to you then you may remember reading about this here. The high-quality product is produced by a talented Yuri from UseitAccessories based in Kiev.
Some of the local Facebook groups who I would like to mention as they help and support me with the likes and comments and the ones who welcomed me are: What’s News Dunedin, Otago Peninsula Bulletin Board, 100% Dunedin Business and Mums of Dunedin.
If you call me for a free consultation then expect to see the fabrics from the best English designers – Sanderson: Clarke & Clarke, Studio G to a fantastic New Zealand ones that suit all budgets James Dunlop Textiles, Villa Textiles and Charles Parsons. I also established a great business relationship with suppliers of tracks and poles Martec and Kingtrack.
My services have also expanded to a supply and fit of bespoke roller blinds and venetians thanks to James Dunlop Blinds.
The most exciting news is that in the last month the very first orders have been confirmed and I’m excited to be in the process of working on three projects. Big thanks to a lovely English couple – Jude and Alan, German and Swiss couple – Dieter and Sandra plus the latest confirmed project for Renee and Marcus. I’m truly grateful for them trusting in me and promise to deliver and exceed their expectations.
My vision – is to expand and collaborate with local businesses where I can transform and create beautiful homes for people of Dunedin with the help of local skilled tradesman – carpenters, decorators, plumbers and more. I also hope to pass my knowledge and experience by running a variety of courses from handmade roman blind making course to home interior design in the near future.
