A family exchanges cramped apartment life in Southeast Asia for a large, cedar-clad coastal home in Raglan Going from living in a small apartment in Singapore to a 400sqm home on a lifestyle block in Raglan is extreme. But, for one couple and their daughters that’s exactly what they did. “They were after a lifestyle […]

A heritage home’s contemporary update was shows how to perfectly juxtapose classic black and white Meet & greet Jess and Sam Hunter, and their daughters ranging from six to 13: Bea, Lily, Olive and Ellie, plus Willow the Labrador. After living in a 1950s weatherboard cottage for some time, interior designer Jess Hunter and her […]

From the outside, new meets old at this ’60s state house in Auckland, but it’s an entirely different matter on the inside Meet & greet Matt (brand and creative consultant and co-founder of RAAD) and Rebecca Saunders (marketing contractor and co-founder of RAAD), Zoe, seven, and Issy, three. When Rebecca and Matt Saunders found their […]

A passion for the beautiful and eclectic reflects the occupants of this historic Wellington apartment Meet & greet Andre Afamasaga (human rights advocate) and flatmate Paul Whiting (Ministry of Education lead). The old Aulsebrooks factory in the middle of Wellington hasn’t been making iced animal biscuits in years. Instead, the historic building is now an […]

An artist plus a builder equals a perfect creative partnership to construct this cosmopolitan-meets-rural retreat from scratch Meet & greet Rae (artist) and Nick Prentis (builder) and their dogs, Dougal, Huckleberry and Beauregard. When people wax lyrical about their dream home, what they usually mean is a house that ticks all the practical boxes for […]

An architecturally significant post-war home was the design inspiration and sentimental impetus behind this coastal abode Meet & greet Sally (town planner and project manager) and Matt McGarry (electrician and solar power installation company director), Jasper, 11, Duke, nine, Sonny, five, and samoyed retriever cross Shelby. The options are endless when you build from scratch, […]

A couple finds the joy in indoor-outdoor living with a new build framed amongst rolling farm hills Meet & greet: Greta Martin and Andrew Morgan (co-owners of Cafe Coffee & Bakery Systems) and their four cats and dogs. The Design With the kids all grown up, it was time for a change of scene for […]

Life is looking rosy for an apartment-dwelling couple who have an eye for colour and design Meet & greet Chantal Assinck (location agency owner) and Tom Klomberg (HR consultancy owner). Chantal Assinck and her partner Tom Klomberg live on the third floor of an apartment building located in the heart of a busy city situated […]

The home no longer looks as it once did, thanks to a light and airy renovation Meet & greet: Alex (film editor) and Melissa O’Shaughnessy (stay-at-home mum), Emma, Jordan, Nathan, Bailey the Labrador retriever and Coco the Shih Tzu. We’ve all had one of those awkward first meetings. For Melissa (Mel) O’Shaughnessy, it took a […]

Relocating to the country allowed an interiors stylist to create her dream maximalist home Meet & Greet: Emily (interiors stylist) and Charlie Mellor (bike company general manager). When Emily Mellor and her husband Charlie found their dream home in the countryside, it was clearly meant to be.  At the time, in summer 2015, it was […]

When a couple of empty nesters decided to downsize, it was a chance to design and build exactly what they wanted Meet & greet Kim (database administrator) and Neil Ford (programme manager for a large engineering company) and cavoodle Otten Ford. 1 The Design After Kim and Neil Ford’s three children left home – one […]

Separated by distance and a pandemic, a woman’s dream of relocating a historic home to the countryside of her youth was a passion project Meet & greet Julie (barrister) and Sean Granger (environmental operations manager), Laird, 11, and Tilly, eight. Standing on a narrow, dusty road in a picturesque hinterland, Julie Granger’s heart was in […]

Interior designer Annabel Berry has a pool of talent to draw from at her coastal chic home in Oamaru Meet & greet Annabel (creative director of Design Federation) and Simon Berry (managing director of Whitestone Cheese), Mia, 10, Jackson, nine, and Boe, seven, plus dogs Tessa and Wicket. It’s actually impossible to believe Annabel Berry’s […]

Sustainability and a love of nature are some of the design elements that inspired this countryside-loving family’s new-build Meet & greet Kate Crooks (interior designer at Kate Crooks Design), Jesse Crooks (builder and co-owner of Astute Build), Willow, six, and Siena, four. An interior designer and a builder make a handy combination. Throw in an […]

No strangers to renos and hard work, a Manawatū couple pooled their formidable talents to build the perfect Bali-inspired retreat Meet & greet Blair and Rebecca McDonald (residential building company owners), Ryder, 11, Indy, eight, Tilly, six, and French bulldog Zinzan. If lockdowns have taught us anything, it’s that a home you love being in […]

A bungalow near the beach is an interior designer’s ever-evolving sanctuary Meet & greet Megan Ekdahl (interior designer) and Mike Ekdahl (commercial property developer) and Marlow the cavoodle. When interior designer Megan Ekdahl and her husband Mike bought their Strandon property 16 years ago, they had no intention of living in it. Despite its location […]

A property developer and his family find magic at Moonlight on a steep section overlooking the Tasman.

A couple on a mission for more space found just what they needed – and it was practically on their doorstep Serendipity was surely at play when Melissa and Marc Gibson embarked on their most recent house-hunting exercise. “With the arrival of our son Hugh four years ago, we quickly realised we had outgrown our […]

Sandra Barrio von Hurter’s colourful jewellery is adored for the way it brightens up Zoom calls – and she has a home to match Meet & greet Sandra Barrio von Hurter (jewellery maker), Felix von Hurter (businessman), and Frida, one. Sandra Barrio von Hurter lives and breathes colour, from the cheeky cherries that dangle from […]

A serious health crisis led to career changes for an enterprising couple who share their demo-to-reno secrets Meet & greet Tyge (project manager/ house flipper) and Christina Dellar (interior designer/house flipper), Valor, six, and Zeph, three. There are certain times in married life when you question your partner’s thinking. A very dated old bach in […]

Leaving the city and heading north to embark on a new build was a happy leap of faith for a savvy young family Meet & greet Joel Mowat (director of Movewell Physio), Jess Mowat (mum/teacher), Sailor, four, Xanthe, three, and Sullivan, one. For the former Auckland couple Jess and Joel Mowat, trading the big smoke […]

Designer Hannah Whitehead finds balance in a newly built home that prioritises simplicity Meet & greet Hannah (creative) and Dylan Whitehead (mechanic), Frankie, seven, Leo, four, and Riley the retrodoodle. If there was one word Hannah Whitehead kept returning to when picturing life in her family’s new build, it was ‘calm’. The creative lead at […]

In Greek mythology, Iris was the goddess of rainbows and like its romantic namesake, these tall, elegant blooms come in a multitude of colours I would like to say that all irises are beautiful, but they are not. Given the genus contains up to 300 species, that is hardly surprising. Despite often being called the […]

How a couple with vision tackled a run-down house on a steep, overgrown site and transformed it into a charming stylish home Meet & greet: Tomislav Ciganek (builder), Allanah Harrington (cardiac sonographer) and Harvey the cat. When Allanah Harrington and Tom Ciganek laid eyes on the 1940s three-bedroom art deco house on a steep bush […]

A couple’s renovation of their neglected home in Papamoa has incorporated design features from the ’60s and the ’70s Meet & greet: Andrew Inman (global sales manager for mountain biking company Kids Ride Shotgun), Marnie Carter (policy researcher), Koia, six, Reenie, three, and Hatupatu the cat. The renovation nearly didn’t happen. First there were eight […]

Imagination and professional expertise were required to completely transform this coastal house into a beachy-cool family home Meet & greet Amy Fowler (registered nurse), Ash Donkersley (construction business owner), Millie, seven, Bobby, three, Jack, 10 months, Luna, the English Staffordshire dog and Rosie the Tonkinese cat. For Mount Maunganui born and raised Amy Fowler, the […]

In Brianza, in the north of Italy, a fabric designer gives new life and colour to a 14th-century nobleman’s home Meet & greet Clio De Maria (fabric designer), husband Gabriel (IT consultant), Pietro Leon, five, and Galizia Lea, two. I like a place if I trust its light,” says Clio De Maria, a fabric designer […]

A Bay of Plenty couple spurned big and flashy in favour of stripped back and simple for their charming beachfront house Meet & greet: Mike and Laura Bryant (co-owners of Barrett Homes), Maddie, seven, Beaudie, five, and cats Blue and Little. Mike and Laura Bryant didn’t have to look far for builders to construct their […]

An intimate project that’s a tribute to slowness You can only get there on foot by taking an ancient Napoleonic trail through a forest that’s a tangle of chestnut trees and dense vegetation. The small house is made from stone, lime and wood, and clings to the mountain, overlooking the breathtaking panorama of sky and […]

PR executive-turned-ceramacist Lauren Young and her current affairs reporter and keen gardener husband John Hudson left city life for a lush paradise by the sea. Meet & Greet Lauren Young (PR executive and ceramacist) and John Hudson (TVNZ current affairs reporter), Yorkshire terriers Molly and Harry, and Cornish Rex Nico If you’re looking for Lauren […]

Having access to some of the best global homewares meant the owners of a Mediterranean-inspired beach home were spoilt for choice. Meet & greet:  Jill & Perry Coleman (furniture and accessory retailers). Everything has meaning in Jill and Perry Coleman’s beautiful and beguiling home by the sea. Jill is a passionate collector who founded a […]

The classic versatility of black and white was the starting point for the Sutherland-Tolley villa renovation

A New Plymouth home that could be in Bali Meet & greet Ginny Niwa (former nurse, now stay-at-home mum and interior design student) and Chad Niwa (builder, Chad Niwa Building), Indi, two, and Billy the English bulldog. Ginny and Chad Niwa have always been on the same page, and things were no different when the […]

Meet & greet Jonathan Kennedy (architect), Fiona McIlraith (commercial manager), Jackson, eight, and Archer, one. Jonathan Kennedy has come home. He grew up on a 1600sqm Merivale site, studded with mature trees a hop, skip and jump from Christchurch’s verdant Hagley Park after his father bought the section when Jonathan was 10 and built a […]

A home in the hills above Muriwai provides the ideal rural retreat for a couple in need of an escape from city living In the quest to find balance between city and country life, Hannah Gordon and her husband Brooke found it was possible to combine the best of both worlds. Together, they have created […]

A young family built a home in Christchurch that is a red-hot favourite with them Meet & Greet Myles Laing (managing director, Laing Properties), Lucinda Laing (dental assistant), and Mackenzie, eight months. The Design Myles Laing is no stranger to building houses. As the managing director of construction company Laing Properties it is his job. […]

An Auckland restored villa has blossomed over the past three years and is now the merriest of places to be for the Goddard family. For Josh and Fiona Goddard, Christmas this year will be their most exciting yet. For the first time, they get to celebrate as a family of four, including adorable toddler Billie […]

The decorations are up and the kids excited to spend Christmas in their mid-century inspired home To say the least, this was an ambitious project – a couple with three young children deciding to tackle their vision of designing and building every corner of their home. And so it was that Megan and Mike Fishwick […]

In artist Maiko Nagao Irvine’s newly renovated home DIY comes naturally – as do the Christmas decorations In 2018 Maiko Nagao Irvine and Mike Irvine’s Birkdale home in Auckland graced the cover of Your Home and Garden magazine. Small, cosy and filled with Maiko’s ingenious DIY projects and interior hacks, it was perfect for their […]

A dark and unwelcoming Despicable Me-type villa was reanimated into an Auckland family’s dream home The calm feeling that envelops you as you walk into Chloe and Shaun Lincoln’s home belies the hard work that went into making it the serene space it is today. The 1910s villa wasn’t always this polished – in fact, […]

It must have been fate that led two globe-trotting Royal New Zealand Ballet leading lights to a neglected, historical Cuba Street penthouse apartment in Wellington Before settling in Wellington as the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s artistic director, Patricia Barker and her husband Michael Auer had only spent three days on a whistle-stop tour of the […]

An ’80s suburban bungalow in Cape Town was given a charming makeover by its owner Kirsten Goss with the use of colour, quirk and a disco ball Rows of cacti, china dogs, a wacky cluster of retro flush-mounted lights on the wall, and a glass cabinet brimming with vintage cameras – all before you have […]

A white bathroom with dated vinyl and a small showerbox simply didn’t cut it for colour-loving Nikki Kettle, who’s transformed the ensuite into an engaging new space     Nikki Kettle doesn’t mind a challenge. The builder, and DIY expert for Your Home and Garden, has already painted and then repainted a giant mural in […]

Moving from a studio in a caravan to a heritage-listed central city building has given a Whanganui artist Fleur Wickes room to breathe and create Whanganui-based artist Fleur Wickes has always been a great believer in writing down what you want. So, when she found herself outgrowing a tiny 1950s caravan that she used as […]

Take a tour of style aficionado and TV personality Neale Whitaker’s freshly renovated home After 10 years of holidaying in rental properties, Love It or List It Australia host Neale Whitaker and his partner David Novak-Piper decided to take the plunge and relocate from their home in Sydney. It was here in this blessed location […]

As the weather warms in the Antipodes, a nature-loving interior designer and her family in Sussex celebrate the cosy pleasures of an English Christmas When searching for zero cost, sophisticated festive styling ideas, interior designer Maria Le Mesurier, the creative force behind WoodEdit, likes to make her home Christmas ready using nature’s best. “Dressing our […]

A New Plymouth couple’s arts and crafts home is the result of time, patience and meticulous attention to detail Ros McKenzie hadn’t even driven all the way up the driveway when she realised she’d fallen in love. She and husband Craig had been alerted to the New Plymouth arts and crafts home where their good […]

An architect designed this sun-drenched home to perfectly suit a couple with plans of retiring When architect Richard Furze was approached by a design-conscious husband and wife for his professional opinion on a site in Ōmokoroa in the Bay of Plenty, his immediate response was, “Yeah, this is great.” Although it was a reasonably compact […]

A dark and dreary home is polished until sparkling light and bright. Take a tour of this inspiring renovation below When Brydhi Williamson first spotted this Alexandra home online, she was sure it was a diamond in the rough. Beneath the burgundy walls, crazy cottage wallpaper, dark wooden panelling and cluttered interior was her and […]

Driven by a highly refined taste and a love for plants and flowers, a TV producer has radically refurbished a basement apartment “I really wanted to create a space that felt completely separate from the bustling city outside,” says Rosie Rockel, who works in the entertainment industry as a television producer, when asked about her […]

Co-founder of The Hello Cup, Robyn Mclean’s modern Hawke’s Bay townhouse is filled with wit and whimsy, and a reflection of its fun and colourful inhabitants  ‘Impulsive’ is one adjective that might be used to describe Robyn McLean and Jol Bates. They’ve heard a few others too – reckless and radical, as well as instinctive, […]

This opulent family home was also designed to be luxury accommodation for guests to completely relax in a resort-style setting When expats Stuart and Rochelle Wilson were living in Hong Kong for 15 years, they dreamed of returning to New Zealand to build their dream home as “a place where people came to just exhale”. […]

A well-travelled Auckland family’s light and airy home, which overlooks a valley, features beautiful reminders of their overseas trips Far-flung destinations might be off the table for now but for freelance writer Helene Ravlich and her family, every day at home reminds them of their travels. She and husband Jooles Clements bought their early 1900s […]

Designer Lynda Gardener mixes old and new with the found and the collected to create a warm sense of whimsy in her inner-city home Lynda Gardener, an interior decorator and owner of boutique accommodation, is an avid collector. Her warehouse home is filled with countless treasures she has slowly collected throughout the years. What is […]

Jo Lavender and Rob Newland’s coastal cottage blends sorbet shades and vintage fabrics, for a home that’s cosy and chic After visiting a pretty coastal town a few years ago, Jo Lavender and Rob Newland fell in love with the idea of a home by the sea. They’d stayed at a local hotel recently renovated […]

There’s no place like home for this young family, who have breathed glorious new life into their cottage home What began as the chance to transform a dilapidated cottage into a dream home to be sold to another family, soon became so much more for builder Dale Cheesman and his wife Gemma Sampson. To the […]

A Wellington two-bedroom cottage has expanded over the years to become a restful, warm and beautiful home to a family of seven filled with vintage treasures collected over the years Everywhere you look in Sarah and Mark Vivian’s Wellington house there’s vintage rubbing up against new. Green velvet Trade Me chairs book-end a contemporary black […]

Building their dream home ensured this couple got everything they wanted, from Passive House certification to an enviable view across Dunedin The design As intrepid DIYers with plenty of renovations under their belt, Ilona and Mark Weekley wanted to start with a blank slate that wasn’t constrained by existing structures when they built their Dunedin […]

How to make our new favourite room – the laundry – a functional and practical space that’s full of style Unlike the kitchen, we don’t really expect to be enamoured by a laundry. That’s because this hard-working room is normally all function and no frills. But when a laundry delivers the unexpected – beautiful design […]

Childhood memories of the bush and nature inspired the design of this cool home Jane Power grew up on large farm and, as an adult, had visions of waking up and looking out her bedrooom window at lots of trees, something she’s finally managed to do in her new home by award-winning architect David Boyle. […]

When it comes to your making a kitchen benchtop material comparison, do the research first. It’s one of the most hard-working surfaces in your home. Here’s help to choose your material wisely and get the best kitchen benchtop material for your needs. No longer shut away behind closed doors, modern kitchens not only where meals […]

After many years living abroad, a small but perfect Auckland cottage caught the homeowner’s eye After years of working abroad, Gretchen Young knew exactly the kind of home she wanted to live in when she returned home to New Zealand: sun-drenched, character-filled and close to all the action in central Auckland. It didn’t take long […]

A husband-and-wife design team dramatically transformed their cramped and dated bungalow To look at the sleek timber lines of this home in a small seaside town, you’d never know that a few years ago it was a pokey 1970s bungalow with a cramped, complicated layout. “People who knew the house from before we bought it […]

Industrial style, a little French country and grunge luxe is mixed to perfection in this spacious family home in Masterton Building a house from scratch isn’t an easy endeavour, but after working on their first home and loving the process, Masterton locals Danielle (Dani) and Johnny Burkhart took a gamble the hot property market would […]

A would-be holiday house became a cosy home when this family decided to swap busy city life for adventures in Wanaka For a family that loves getting outdoors and having adventures, suffering through Auckland’s busy commute every working day can only be endured with a ‘grin and bear it’ attitude for so long. The remedy […]

A Wellington couple transformed their little bungalow into a bright new home – but not without plenty of hard graft                   When Ryan and Hannah Frost first clapped eyes on the 1925 Island Bay bungalow they now call home, it wasn’t exactly love at first sight. “It […]

Intent on creating a luxe holiday at home vibe, an Auckland couple took inspiration from coastal Hamptons sophistication and Hawke’s Bay landmark Black Barn Vineyards While most of us look forward to escaping everyday life with long weekends in the holiday hotspots of Hawke’s Bay or Queenstown, Sarah and Matt Cotterall took it one step […]

A husband-and-wife team, who can’t seem to stop building houses, have finally built a home in Kumeu that’s just right Back when Terena and Tony Anderson had three young sons and Tony was a fireman, the couple were constantly building homes. “We moved every nine months for six years when the kids were little. During […]

Renovating a home with hubby who likes to tear things apart and two tiny ‘helpers’ has its own challenges and blessings. See the before and afters of their reno below When teacher Hayley and firefighter Isaac first met they were living on opposite coasts. Hayley was based at Mt Maunganui, while Isaac was in Taranaki […]

Undaunted by restrictive property caveats and two earthquakes, a Christchurch family couldn’t be happier with their self-built and designed dream home With its wide eaves, low-pitched roof and walls of timber-framed glass, there is little mistaking one of the primary influences on the design of the distinctive Kennett/Maher house on the coastal hills of Christchurch. […]

An Auckland family’s contemporary home, with its judicious use of doors, features a number of ultra-cool design features The saying goes, “A builder’s home is never finished”. Well, tell that to Martin and Jodi Wiltshire, owners of a David Reid franchise, whose new home is not only finished but spectacular to boot. It helped that […]

When dreaming up their new family home this couple wanted open spaces, a timeless look and to bring the outdoors in. Here’s how they achieved it When Bay of Plenty couple, Geoff and Cris Seavill, set out to build a new home that was uniquely their own, they were clear about what they hoped to […]

   A young couple left life on deck in the Med and got on board with building their future in Kerikeri Meet & greet Amanda Cooper, (photographer), Ben Gavin-Young (landscaper), and Isabella, two. Ben Gavin-Young and Amanda Cooper say their Scandinavian-inspired house in Kerikeri is “the house that Pinterest and YouTube built”. When the couple […]

After leaving their large family home, this Auckland couple found their new forever place in a smaller character home where their art could take the stage Make-up artist Lisette Cross is used to translating the wants and needs of clients, using her flair for colour and composition. Her creative background and years of experience came […]

Moving to a property with four glasshouses prior to last year’s lockdown turned out to be a blessing for Michael Mansvelt If you’re looking for Michael Mansvelt, you might find him under a palm tree surrounded by tropical and sub-tropical foliage and vibrant-coloured blooms. And no, he won’t be in some Far North hotspot or […]

Statement pieces, a touch of whimsy and a tactful approach to colour ensure personality reigns in this two-storey, city-fringe apartment Crafting a comfortable, stylish home out of an apartment isn’t always easy. Even if you’re the owner, you can be restricted with what you can change in terms of the structure, and space is often […]

This barn-style house in Wanaka is designed to foster golden childhood memories with its cosy nooks, easy flow and semi-rural vibe. A site close to town with a rural aspect was too good to pass up for Anna Findlay, a Wanaka real estate agent for Ray White and mum of Estelle and Jake. “I had […]

A ’50s home, complete with garish Axminster carpet and lino, receives a family-pleasing modern update with help from a beautiful beige and blush palette When Amie Brodie first moved into her new family home in Otūmoetai, Tauranga, she didn’t feel confident they could make it work – despite husband Anthony assuring her of its potential. […]

Decorative paint guru Annie Sloan takes us through her Normandy home which, as you’d expect, is a rainbow of colours You may recognise Annie Sloan’s name from the side of a paint tin of her eponymously named paint. As a fine artist-turned-decorative artist she wanted to create deliberately undetectable restorations and head-turning murals in houses […]

Visitors are quick to notice the resort-style feeling to this home. The site of Cathi and Jono Staines’ home on the clifftop above Murray’s Bay, with its sweeping sea views across to Rangitoto and beyond, is so prized by the couple that, rather than move, they simply rebuild. The 361sqm modern home of precast concrete […]

The renovation project was incredibly complex, but perseverance has reaped beautiful rewards for the owners of this semi-detached heritage cottage by the sea There’s no such thing as the too-hard basket for Jo Gillies, director of Archisoul Architects. If there was, this renovation would surely be in it. The owners of this early 1900s semi-detached […]

A family’s space mission led to a simply spectacular renovation Not everyone gets a second bite of the cherry when it comes to renovating, but Terri Shannon did: she’s had the good fortune to have renovated her bayside home twice now, with the most recent project seeing an open-plan extension added. “Our house is a […]

A century-old Californian-style bungalow in New Brighton, which fell into disrepair after the quakes, is restored to perfection Damaged by the earthquakes, boarded up for three years and stripped by vandals, the century-old, two-and-a-half storey California bungalow in New Brighton was rather down at heel when Matthew Ayton and Tanya Boe bought it as-is at […]

Hard work and a savvy budget has helped this first-time homeowner transform her ’70s brick unit one room at a time. See the before and afters below When Rebecca Hall clapped eyes on the 53sqm 1970s Huntly brick unit in New Plymouth, she saw the opportunity to star in her very own The Block NZ, […]

Building their new home in a laid-back setting was important for this family, and the arrival of a baby and puppy made it a priority Ellen Wilburn and her now husband Adam realised they shared many things in common when they first met, but the one similarity that genuinely resonated was Titirangi, where they grew […]

A love of old homes and all things curvy has seen this determined couple design a new-build that’s full of character. Take a tour below If it were to be given a title, Olivia Sullivan and Sam Kennedy’s new build would be “The Great Balancing Act of 2020”. It begins with the design, which called […]

Author Alice Nelson and her husband Danny saw great potential in this home. Their recent renovation is the latest update in a century-long tale of transformation. Author Alice Nelson used to write in cramped studios and at noisy public libraries, always dreaming of having a library in her own home. It would be a peaceful […]

With a splash of colour and bucketloads of charm, two small kid’s rooms are beautifully transformed If you’re familiar with Julie Stuart’s business alter-ego, Clever Poppy, you’ll know that her style is pretty, whimsical and packed with DIY goodness. Her most recent project, creating two unique rooms for her children Piper and Harvey, delivers her […]

Interior designer Kim Stephen’s home combines her signature flair for colour with a clever use of its relatively compact spaces As it is situated in a row of brick homes, the facade of this house is almost identical to those on either side of it. Step inside the front door, however, and the uniquely colourful […]

A creative couple designed and built their forever home in Gibbston Valley, with space for all the family including the horses For Laura Shallcrass, having a house in the hills with space for horses was always a dream. Settled in Queenstown for the past 12 years with her husband, architectural designer Robbie Dick, Laura, who […]

A carefully considered extension to a compact bungalow has given an Auckland family some much-needed breathing room – and extra display space Michelle Hall Collins and Michael Collins are “serial renovators”, but they may have done themselves out of jobs. The Aucklanders have spent almost 20 years having their 1930 bungalow in the city’s seaside […]

Influenced by holidays abroad, this family’s transitional villa embraces the colour and vibrancy of exotic Turkey and Morocco Clarissa and Doug Thompson’s brief for revamping the transitional villa they’d just bought was simple and unambiguous: “Anything but white.” They wanted the interior of their house to be colourful and to work with some of the […]

It was love at first when a British interior stylist first clapped eyes on this inner-city apartment The first time Shelby George saw the Auckland downtown apartment she now calls home was through her work. Her cousin Kate Alexander, founder of styling and interior design company Places & Graces, had been asked to stage it […]

After saying au revoir to France, a Kiwi family are enjoying la belle vie in their chic Christchurch apartment When Kiwi singer-songwriter-turned-business owner Flip Grater and French husband and fellow business owner Youssef Iskrane moved from Paris to Flip’s hometown Christchurch five years ago, finding a rental was a bit of a culture shock. “We […]

When it comes to small apartment living, this Auckland couple know how to use space to their advantage A quick commute, handy location and even a spare bedroom – Marissa Kirkham and fiance Will Parr’s first apartment ticks all the boxes. The couple, aged 30, had been flatting with friends in Auckland’s Mt Eden when […]

Painted breeze blocks and wooden battens have transformed this retro family home.

Completely private from the front, this home opens out to the private garden through sliding doors and raked windows. With no windows you can casually peer into from the road, Tim and Polly Dagg’s home is a mystery by day. “One of my pet hates is having big windows facing the street and looking into […]

Opening out to outdoor entertaining areas, you won’t want to leave. There’s something about the little pool house in Hannah Williams’ backyard that’s instantly relaxing. As soon as guests walk past the palm trees and the pool, they feel like the best vacation version of themselves. This tiny house, which Hannah created for guests and as […]

A serene home in Taupō unites breezy neutrals, soft textures and furniture with relaxation in mind. Meet & greet Selena McWilliam, business owner and interior designer, with daughter Jordyn, 11, and Burmese cats Polar and Egypt. When Selena McWilliam and Mike Austin first visited the empty 942sqm section at Botanical Heights in Taupō, they were […]

With a couple of kids under two, this hard-working tradie has transformed her home one colourful room at a time. After a massive villa renovation in Island Bay in 2018, builders Nikki Kettle and Tom Taylor were determined to find a home that didn’t need any work done. “We said to each other, we can’t […]