Interior whizz Amy Moore converted a Gisborne plumbing workshop into a colorful furniture and homeware hub with a bohemian vibe.

Tell us about yourself.

I’m Amy Moore and my partner is Stu Watts. We’ve been together six years and live at a Wainui Beach in Gisborne. We’re both from the area and have always lived here - we honestly couldn’t see ourselves living anywhere else. I have a daughter Nina and Stu has two adult sons an a daughter Zoe. The girls live with us every second week.

How did you get into interior design?

I was a beautician for 20 years, until 2019 when I decided to hang up the waxing apron for good and pour my heart into interiors. I haven’t look bock. I started off by doing colour consultations for clients, advertising then on furnishing and layouts. It snowballed from there, and now, alongside the consulting, I have The WorkShop, a large furniture and homewares store in Carnarvon Street. We’re a little way out of the CBD in a more commercial part of Gisborne, in what was originally a plumber’s workshop. Appropriately, Stu is a plumber and gasfitter, and his workshop is at the rear of the shop.

And you appeared on The Block?

We were on season seven, 2018, and returned the next season to compete against other teams in the old firehouse building. Both were great experiences and taught me valuable lessons about spatial awareness and working on deadline.

When did you open The WorkShop?

My initial office was born during the first lockdown, so I had a lot of downtime to do research and crunch the numbers to see if it could work. It quickly became apparent that the allocated space wasn’t going to be big enough. So in 2020 I hired a builder to extend into the adjacent shed and knock down the back wall. Last year we again doubled the space, to make room for more furniture, paint, rugs and fabrics.

What does The WorkShop focus on?

We specialise in furniture and homeware from all over the world, including bohemian-style items made by local artisans and vintage finds. I hate the way the term “bohemian” is thrown around these day, but it does suit The WorkShop’s collection of homeware from a different cultures and ears. My vision in opening the shop was to do something a little different that wasn’t on offer in Gisborne. I want people to walk in and feel as though they are in another part of the world.

What’s your point of difference?

The WorkShop is definitely a bit quirky and specialises in furniture and homeware that aren’t as generic as some stores, such as large pieces of furniture and vintage rugs from Morocco. I love the idea of being able to travel and bring back ware from other parts of the world, but then travel changed with Covid so I was forced to get a bit more creative. Fortunately, I have shoppers in Morocco and Indonesia who source goods for me in local villages and I pay them directly. That way I know the money is going straight to the artisans. Times are tough, so I like the thought of supporting people who usually have to rely om tourists for their income. I also love colour, so adding furniture and homeware from Mexico, Indian and Morocco adds a wonderful sense of richness to the space. I’m currently having my own sofas and armchairs made for customers, who can choose the fabric, colour, size, and I’ll have them made in NZ.

How long have you been in your house?

I’ve lived here for about 12 years, and Stu moved in about 4 years ago, not long after I reconfigured an old family bach into more of a family home. WE added a double garage, a couple of extra bedrooms and a self-contained studio downstairs, which we sometimes list on airbnb when family and friends aren’t using it.

Given you love of interiors, are you constantly moving things around your shop and house?

Definitely! The furniture moves often, and the walls are constantly be repainted. One wall in my living room in onto its third or fourth colour - and I’ve wallpapered it twice. Currently it’s green but I am thinking about changing it to a rich plum soon. I sell Annie Sloan chalk paints at The WorkShop and am about trail her new wall paint, which I’m excited about.