Penny Hay isn't just another name in the glossy pages of architectural digests. If you’ve ever walked through a space that felt strangely quiet yet profoundly heavy with character, you might have been standing in one of her designs. She’s a bit of an enigma in the New Zealand design scene. Most people see the sleek concrete and the floor-to-ceiling glass and think "minimalism."
They’re wrong.
Basically, Penny Hay is an interior architect who treats space like a living, breathing creature. Based in Auckland but with a reach that hits Sydney, New York, and the Middle East, she has spent over two decades redefining what luxury actually looks like for New Zealanders. It isn't about gold taps or marble that screams for attention. Honestly, it’s about how the light hits a piece of hand-loomed wool at 4:00 PM on a Tuesday.
The Fearon Hay Connection
You can’t really talk about Penny Hay New Zealand without mentioning the family business. She frequently collaborates with her brother, Tim Hay, of the world-renowned firm Fearon Hay. This isn't just a sibling "helping out." It’s a deep, creative synergy. They’ve built some of the most iconic "baches" (that’s a Kiwi holiday home, for the uninitiated) and residences in the country.
Take the Island Retreat on Waiheke Island. It’s essentially a cluster of glass and concrete boxes sitting on a saddle above Matiatia Bay. While Tim and his partner Jeff Fearon handle the structural "bones," Penny breathes the soul into the interior. She doesn't just "decorate." She selects "artisan finishes" and "bespoke fittings" that make a massive concrete pillar feel intimate.
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She often says there is no division between inside and out. To her, a sofa is as much a part of the landscape as the Manuka trees outside the window.
Defying the "White Box" Trend
There’s a common misconception that high-end Kiwi design is just white walls and a marble kitchen island. Penny Hay hates that. Well, maybe "hate" is a strong word, but she definitely finds it unappealing.
Back in 2018, she spoke about how New Zealanders were obsessed with "clean white space." She wanted more dimension. More grit. She uses:
- Raw concrete that shows the imperfections of the formwork.
- Aged brass that patinas over time.
- Heavy wool curtains (sometimes hundreds of meters of them) to soften acoustics.
In her own home—a transformed Edwardian villa in Devonport—she and Tim ripped out every single interior wall. They kept the original kauri floors but turned the traditional "bedrooms at the front" layout on its head. It’s risky. Most people want the "safe" resale value of a standard three-bedroom home. Penny wanted a pavilion.
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The Magic of Great Barrier Island
If you want to see Penny Hay New Zealand at its most raw, look at the projects on Great Barrier Island. This is off-the-grid territory. No mains power. No city water.
The Storm Cottage is a prime example. It’s a 100-square-meter black timber box. Inside, it’s all oiled oak. Penny’s touch here is about "nurturing." When you’re in a wild, isolated environment, the interior needs to feel like a hug. She designed the solid oak dining tables and custom sofas specifically for these spaces.
It’s about "slow" design. It doesn't happen overnight.
Why Her Work Matters Now
In 2026, the world is louder than ever. We’re constantly bombarded by digital noise. The "Penny Hay style" is the literal opposite of that. It’s quiet. It’s tactile. You want to touch the walls. You want to feel the weight of the metal doors.
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Her work on the Rose Bay house in Sydney recently showed this off perfectly. They used translucent onyx rain screens. Imagine that. Stone that lets light through. It casts a golden glow over the interior that changes every hour. It’s an "innovative climate solution," sure, but it’s also just incredibly beautiful.
How to Get the Penny Hay Look (Without the Architect Fee)
You probably can't afford to hire a world-class interior architect tomorrow. Most of us can't. But you can learn from how she thinks.
- Stop buying "sets." Penny mixes high-end international furniture with custom pieces and "found" textures.
- Focus on the tactile. Swap your synthetic rug for something heavy and woollen. Touch is as important as sight.
- Embrace the "recessive." Your house doesn't need to shout. Use colors that blend into the shadows or the trees outside.
- Invert the layout. If your living room has the best view but you spend all your time in the kitchen, move the kitchen. Don't be a slave to the original floor plan.
Penny Hay has spent years proving that New Zealand design can be world-class without being flashy. It’s about the "perfect amalgamation of art and commerce." It’s about heart.
If you're looking to elevate your own space, start by looking at your windows. Are they just holes in the wall, or are they frames for the world? Penny would say they're frames.
Next Steps for Your Design Journey:
- Audit your textures: Walk through your home and touch five surfaces. If they all feel the same (smooth, cold, plastic), you need to introduce "dimension." Look for linen, raw wood, or stone.
- Study the light: Spend a Saturday watching how the sun moves through your main living space. Don't buy a lamp or a curtain until you know exactly where the "dead spots" are.
- Research "Recessive Architecture": Look into the works of Fearon Hay to understand how a building can disappear into a landscape rather than dominating it.