A plan to build in Tolaga Bay changed when this homeowner chanced upon an unpolished gem

Opening up the rear of this bungalow with a cool new extension resulted in a seamless blend of old and new

A family has created an absolute gem out of a rundown bungalow that needed a whole lot of love.

An Auckland architect’s home is all about sun, family life and views of the zoo.

Rather than a heavy-handed ‘gut and redo’, an Auckland couple built on existing decor to make this bungalow their own Meet & greet Mary-Liz (marketing manager) and Richard Amor (business consultant), Johnny, four, and Harry the miniature schnauzer. A homeowner’s love story usually follows the same formula: meet an almost perfect home, fall in love, […]

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 […]

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 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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

The character features in this classic bungalow have been given the most elegant update. We talk to the homeowner and interior designer to get all the details Meet + greet Emily White, 44 (sales manager at Les Mills), David McKellar, 48 (general manager, corporate travel), and Molly, 9, plus cats Colin and Malcolm. Problems & […]

A tired-looking bungalow is given a fun-loving touch, resulting in a home that boasts creative colour and easy flow for a young family If there’s one thing about renovating, it’s that – if done right – a little can go a long way to creating a functional home that is pleasing to the eye. When […]

This 1950s bungalow was run down with a cramped layout, no privacy and no outdoor living. Here’s how these homeowners completely transformed it Meet + greet Renay Robertson, 44 (founder and owner of Haven Skin Spa), and Stuart Robertson, 41 (owner of Mean Business). Problems & solutions Problem: Cramped layout Solution: Rooms opened up and […]

This couple made it their mission to rescue their home from dated ‘improvements’ and connect it to the world outside Renay and Stuart Robertson had been living in Wellington for almost five years when, in 2012, they decided to return to their home city of Auckland. The couple owned an investment property in Remuera, and […]

Vintage ceramics and heritage prints mingle with colourful accessories and contemporary furniture for a fun and eclectic vibe in this renovated bungalow Meet + Greet Mary-Ellen Hinton, 43 (interior designer at Hello Saturday Design), Matthew Hinton, 45 (technical director), Sybella, 10, Jasper, 8, and Evie, 7, plus Harry the cat. Honesty box Best lesson learned? […]

Christmas is a colourful affair in this 1920s Auckland bungalow where little family traditions make the season extra special A snowy white Christmas is something most Kiwis find difficult to envisage; after all, we’re busy enjoying backyard barbecues, camping trips and walks on the beach come December 25. So when New Zealander Mary-Ellen Hinton stayed […]

Known for their charm and character features, bungalows make very special homes. Here’s our pick of ones for sale right now From the 1920s on, bungalows became the predominant style of home built in New Zealand. Originally inspired by houses in India with deep verandahs and pillars, the design was refined in America to become […]

This heritage bungalow for sale in Devonport is perfect for those who have always wanted the sandy shores as their backyard Details Address: 14 Arawa Avenue, Cheltenham Beach, Devonport Land Size: sqm Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 1 Living rooms: 1 Parking: 2 Garage Contact details Contact: Victoria Bidwell, 021 947 080 Price: By negotiation Further listing details here Bayleys Real […]

When it came to turning a 1920s bungalow into a stylish first home, skills acquired aboard a superyacht came in very handy for this New Plymouth couple This couple’s DIY skills turned their boxy bungalow into a fresh first home Chris Pye, health and safety manager, Sera Gibson, environmental policy adviser, Parker, just turning 1, […]

After leaving their busy Auckland life behind, this family found a special art deco bungalow to call their own. See how a $20,000 makeover made the house feel like home Meet and greet Candice Pardy, business manager, David Pardy, business owner, Noah, 6, Oscar, 2, and Michelle-Bianca, 3 months, plus Butch the dog. An art […]

This interior designer restored and refreshed her New Plymouth bungalow by adding a pared-down colour palette and extra heritage touches A stucco bungalow in New Plymouth is lovingly restored with heritage style Who lives here? Sandra Simpson, interior designer, daughter Breia Paige, works in hospitality, plus cats Milo and Cloudy. When did you move in […]

It took a team effort for this family to relocate a seriously neglected bungalow from Taranaki to New Plymouth and make it their own. Discover how they managed to breathe life back into the home on a tight budget This family rescued a crumbling bungalow and made it their dream home Phil Gard, project manager, […]

Rescued from neglect on a farm in Taranaki, this 1920s bungalow was transported to the outskirts of New Plymouth and transformed into a beloved family homestead Meet and greet Phil Gard, project manager, Shelley Gard, sales merchandiser and student, Chelsea, 18 (design student), Jordan, 15, and Joshua, 11, plus puss Molly. A dilapidated 1920s bungalow […]

The whole family pitched in with this Dunedin do-up to help a young couple onto the property ladder Damon McLeod and his parents, Heather and Craig, had been looking for the perfect property to renovate together in St Clair or St Kilda, two beautiful beachside suburbs in Dunedin. The family were keen to help Damon […]

A small, dark cottage received the full treatment from an interior designer with a knack for creating harmony between neutrals and colour In a nutshell Thandi Tipene (interior designer and owner of Thandi Jazmine Design), Bachelor Tipene (works in the oil and gas industry), Miakoda, 1, and Mika the dog. The beginning Interior designer Thandi […]

Interior designer Ann King has turned a California-style bungalow into a sophisticated abode suited for both work and play An interior designer’s sophisticated Californian bungalow Ann King works from home and shares the house with husband Jason and their children Xavier, 10, Tabitha, seven, and Isaiah, five, as well as cavoodle puppy Leo and moodle Ash. […]

The whole family pitched in with this Dunedin do-up to help a young couple onto the property ladder In a nutshell Who lives here? Damon McLeod (owner of D Tiling, Dunedin), Makenzi Taylor (barista/retail assistant at Moi Design) and Poco-Yo the bunny. Favourite item in your home? Damon: We love the big piece of art […]

A boutique owner brings her assured sense of style to home and work – a trait, she says, that runs in the family

Sea, sun and surf drew Sarah Ingram and Roger Mutagh to Mount Maunganui from Auckland, both of them keen for a lifestyle change In a nutshell Who lives here? Sarah Ingram (business analyst), partner Roger Murtagh (self-employed) and daughter Stella, 3. What’s your favourite room in the house? Sarah: I adore our bright and sunny […]

Despite being a new-build, this home is a nod to tradition with timeless Californian bungalow features Who lives here? Victoria Richardson (mother and interior designer), Craig Richardson (CEO), Will, 11, Charlotte, 9, and Reilly, 7. Victoria, what was your favourite room to decorate and why? The master bedroom. We’ve created a cosy sanctuary with a […]

Here is a home that blends so seamlessly into its tree-lined suburban surroundings it’s as if it has always been here.

An interior designer who cleverly combines colour in creative and contrasting ways is transforming the world around her An interior designer and stylist, Alex Weston often buys pieces for customers but concedes she is her own best client. Prior to moving into their 1940s brick bungalow, Alex and Connell chose to paint the interior white, […]