The Foxx & Filly Story – From Renovations to National Recognition

Every business has a beginning. For Foxx & Filly, it all started on the Kāpiti Coast, with Jaki and Nat’s love of renovating homes and their sharp eye for what buyers really needed.

After years of flipping houses, they noticed something that kept happening. Buyers would walk through empty properties and struggle to imagine how the space could feel as a home. Without furniture or warmth, rooms felt cold and lifeless. The potential was there, but people couldn’t see it.

That gap was the spark. Instead of focusing only on renovations, Greg, Jaki and Nat turned their attention to home staging – helping buyers fall in love with a property by showing them the lifestyle it could offer. And just like that, Foxx & Filly was born.

Building a Brand

From day one, Foxx & Filly looked and felt different. Their staging style was bold, modern, and creative. They weren’t afraid to mix textures, play with colour, or bring in statement pieces that turned a house into a dream home.

The name itself came from another part of their life. As breeders of purebred Arabian horses and Border Collies, they wanted a brand that reflected both elegance and playfulness. Foxx & Filly became the perfect fit.

Real estate agents quickly saw the results. Homes staged by Foxx & Filly didn’t just look better – they sold faster and often above asking price. Word of mouth spread, loyal agents kept coming back, and before long, the business had grown far beyond Greg and Jaki’s expectations.

Recognition Along the Way

With growth came recognition. Foxx & Filly was proud to win the Electra Award for Small Business of the Year, a milestone that confirmed what clients already knew – this was a brand that delivered.

And in 2018, their daughter Nat achieved something extraordinary on the global stage. She was named International Home Stager of the Year by the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA). It was proof that a small, family-run business from New Zealand could set the standard internationally, and it remains one of the highlights of the Foxx & Filly journey so far. 

The Heart of What We Do

For Greg, Jaki, and the team, success has always been about more than awards. The real joy comes from the reactions of homeowners who see their staged property for the first time. Comments like “I wish my house looked like this before – now I don’t want to sell it” have become part of the Foxx & Filly story.

Homeowners rediscover their own spaces, buyers get the inspiration they need, and homes sell with less stress. It’s this emotional connection – the way a staged home makes people feel – that has set Foxx & Filly apart.

What’s Next

That story is still being written. After years of growth and recognition, Foxx & Filly is now expanding nationwide through franchising. The same passion, creativity, and proven systems that built the business are now being shared with others who want to create their own lifestyle business.

In our next blog, we’ll give you a peek behind the scenes into what a day in the life of a Foxx & Filly franchise owner really looks like. But for now, we hope this glimpse into our journey shows how far a simple idea – helping buyers imagine a home – can really go.

Learn more about Foxx & Filly franchises here: foxxandfilly.co.nz/own-your-own-franchise-home-staging-nz