During the toughest time in Arielle Mermin’s life, she found that transforming a run-down ex-rental into a fresh Californian-style home also transformed her.

The fashion designer and keen surfer started the lengthy renovation of her Ōakura home in Taranaki at a time when her father died, her husband asked for a divorce and she was forced to close her beloved bohemian clothing business at its peak.

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“Throwing myself into a dilapidated 91-year-old shack [and] gaining new skills not only built a home over my head, but it built my life back by rediscovering my creative heartbeat again during an incredibly mentally challenging time,” says Arielle, who grew up in San Quentin in northern California.

The result is an airy home, with walls painted in Resene Half Alabaster, rimu floors revealed and redwood shelving and benches in the kitchen. It’s rich with earthy textiles, and ornate mirrors and cabinetry.

The house is surrounded by a garden that’s studded with cacti and New Zealand native plants – and no lawns. Behind a hedge of pink, white and red camellias, a cottage-like sleepout doubles as Arielle’s sewing studio. “This was an old garage, which I had to completely gut.”

The house and garden were a disaster of disorder when Arielle bought the property in 2016. “There was a 20cm droop in the ceiling as there was no supporting beam, the windows were all rotted out and an insane amount of detritus was left on the property.”

Arielle filled 30 garbage bags with rubbish from the yard and under the house. “It was a dump site – we even found a buried sofa.”

People told her she was nuts to take on the dilapidated house, but she saw a “Californian gem” in the rough.

The house was built at Fitzroy, New Plymouth, in 1931 and moved to the coastal village of Ōakura in 1989. “Every time I talk to someone about this house, they have partied here.” She was told that bootleg alcohol used to be sold from the property.

As Arielle began reviving the house, she sought help from skilled friends, who she calls “the good uncles”, from her surfing circle and from her job in health and safety. “The only commodity that truly is important is time. And the best time I spent is working side by side with my good uncles, who patiently taught me skills.” Arielle felt like an apprentice – learning how to insulate, line walls, build decks, landscape the garden, create redwood benchtops and add shingles to the walls of the outdoor shower to create a piece of art. She even re-enamelled a cast-iron bath by herself.

She started in the hallway, ripping out the scrim and sarking that covered the walls. As she worked, Arielle discovered she wasn’t alone. “I really love the wood, but it had borer. The house was like swiss cheese.” Every hole was treated and filled, thanks to information found on the internet: “Google is a beautiful thing.”

The renovation took seven years, and, at times, she worked on it for up to 12 hours a day, seven days a week. “Every inch of this place has had my hands in it,” she says. “I am extremely proud of this whole endeavour.”

The hard work was punctuated with trips to California to visit her mother Marie, who is French-born. Arielle’s background is steeped in creativity. Marie is a weaver and stained glass artist and her American dad, Richard, ran a mechanic’s business and played the clarinet in a Jewish klezmer band.

“My late father always believed it’s important to push yourself, to learn as much as you can while leaning into yourself to achieve what seem like impossible goals. There’s a great possibility to fail, but an even greater possibility to learn.”

Arielle studied performing arts and evolutionary biology, and ended up working in art and wardrobe departments for the film and television industries in Los Angeles. She once made pinatas shaped like musician Beck for his Summer Girl video. “He loved them so much he kept them,” she says. “He was my first crush when I was 12.” That was also the age she learned to sew and began collecting vintage clothing and fabric.

In 2012, after making a wedding dress out of 15 Battenberg lace table runners, she was invited to show her Californian-inspired hippie-chic collection, under the label Arielle Mermin, at New Zealand Fashion Week.

The business may have closed in 2017 but now she’s back imagining, designing and sewing. “By renovating this house I was able to retrace my creative roots and my life’s purpose... after many years of mental and creative hibernation.”

Her latest enterprise, Mr. and Ms. Weekend, again uses collected vintage fabrics, this time to make hats, jackets and coats.

Not only does her brand celebrate beauty from the past, so does her home, which is filled with found, upcycled and repurposed treasures. “I’m always extending the life of old things and honouring their history as much as I possibly can,” says Arielle.

“Apparel should have the same regard. I really want my brand to encourage consumers to evaluate their relationship with what they buy, where it comes from, how it’s disposed of and to value one-of-a-kind items. Not mass-produced garments or furniture that has insane markups, made completely unsustainably.”

She nominates the bathroom as the best room in the house. Previously two rooms, it features the original claw-foot bath as well as carved Indian pieces, including a huge mirror, the architrave above the door and a table that holds a waka-shaped sink. At the shower end of the bathroom, a wooden Thai mandala-patterned screen provides privacy.

“So many folks come into my home and they love it because it’s like nothing else they’ve seen. It’s not perfect but I love it,” says Arielle.

“This house helped me heal the loss of my parent, my marriage and business, and gave me the confidence to move ahead with a new business.”

Q&A with Arielle Mermin

My decorating style is: Eclectic Californian surfer on a budget.

Best decorating tip: Decorating is an absolute joy so have fun with it and be yourself. At the end of the day, you’re creating a space for you. Even if you plan to sell down the line, give your home a vibe you enjoy, so if you see something that catches your eye, go for it – the room and home will evolve around those pieces.

Favourite power tool: My multi-tool – it is the tool to have for any decorating need.

If there was one thing I would do differently: Initially, I had removed two trees that were at the back of the house which took all the light from the bedrooms. I just feel if you can keep trees – though I’m growing a crazy amount with the natives right now – then keep trees.

The first thing I do when I get home: Since I work from home, it would be washing my wet suit as that’s the only reason I typically leave the property.