Cottage

Sweet florals, pastel pops and a quaint kitchen garden belie this cottage’s ties to an industrial past

In an edited extract from her new book, Aussie interior designer and photographer Ingrid Weir visits designer blogger Victoria Smith’s California coastal cottage Home profile Meet & greet: Victoria Smith (San Francisco Girl By Bay blogger) and rescue dog Frances. The property: Rented 1929 Spanish revival cottage, Laguna Beach, California. Ingrid Weir’s New Coastal: Inspiration […]

For their sixth house, this family opted for a farmhouse build that combines dramatic architectural details with practical, family-friendly living

An abandoned Dunedin cottage turned out to be this family’s dream come true

A 1950s caretaker’s cottage renovated in a minimal, contemporary style was designed to enjoy the stunning views from the windows Meet & greet Susie Whyte (architect and interior designer) and John Burke (pharmaceutical services director). The property A renovated 1950s four-bedroom prefabricated bungalow in Aberfeldy, Scotland. Clad in wood, surrounded by green fields, colourful wild […]

A trendy duo bring the colour from their wardrobe into their Hamilton home meet & greet Hannah Stechman (hairdresser and salon owner), and Nate Brown (plumber). the property A four-bedroom 1920s railway house in Hamilton. If the clothes we wear act as a reflection of our true selves, then for trendsetting fashionistas, home is a […]

Danish architecture with a Japanese twist creates a fluid transition between house and nature Meet & greet Andreas Jorgensen (landscape architect), Mikkel Hybel Fonsskov (journalist and editor at a publishing house), and Martha the Labradoodle. The property Newly constructed architect-designed cottage. The house is 72sqm with an annex of 10sqm located on a densely wooded […]

Pink, blue and orange add a natural flow throughout this villa transformation.

A rundown cottage, which was discovered online, has been renovated into a spacious home after a lot of hard graft and help from family Meet & greet  Thom (airline pilot) and Elysia Shanks (stay-at-home mum), and James, eight, Josh, four, and Isaac, 16 months. A tiny workman’s cottage built in the 1800s and in original […]

Using every small-space trick in the book, this New Plymouth cottage punches well above its weight in style and functionality

Lana Taylor, Erin Cayless and Bonnie Hindmarsh are three professional renovators known as Three Birds. In their latest book Three Birds Renovations, they put their skills to use giving a cottage a new lease of life – exterior included When we put out a call asking if anyone in Sydney wanted us to renovate their […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Tucked in between towering trees is Five Acre Farm, a renovated cottage open to visitors It’s not hard to understand why Ben Phillips and Brie Thomas fell in love with the property on the outskirts of Christchurch they now own. With a large established cottage garden, rambling green paddocks and an early 1900s cottage with […]

In just two months, this dark, smoke-stained cottage in Taupo was transformed into a sweet and soulful character home on a super-tight budget Meet & greet  Selena McWilliam, 33 (business owner and interior designer), Michael, 44 (builder), and Jordyn, 10. Why did you purchase the house? Selena: I fell in love with it; it was […]

This colour specialist gave her heritage cottage a light and bright makeover – with one eye on its future market appeal. We discover her neutral colour styling tricks This heritage cottage proves that a neutral palette doesn’t have to be boring Who lived here? Davina Harper, colour specialist at Dulux and Simon Hornby, sales manager, […]

The completion of a major renovation has provided this Waiheke Island family with the perfect backdrop to showcase their botanical-inspired Christmas style Meet and greet  Gemma Yeoman, botanical stylist at Flora n Fauna, Greg Yeoman, director and designer at Stormwater360, and Ivy, 5, plus Cha Cha the cat. The Waiheke home of this botanical stylist […]

Impressive castles, amazing palaces and even some cottages and apartments. Here are all the homes owned by the British royal family  Check out all the incredible homes owned by the British royal family The British royal family might have a different definition of “cottage” and “apartment” than we do. 20-bedroom apartments and 10-bedroom cottages are not […]

Despite being their first foray into renovating, this motivated couple has achieved wonders on a tight budget. We get the details behind their DIY journey Meet and greet Kate Webby, PR and communications manager at Vend, and Jordan Metcalfe, works in commercial property, plus Tinks their rescue dog. Problem The living and dining areas were […]

Some overzealous tenants meant this green-fingered couple had to start their cottage garden from scratch, but the result is bloomin’ beautiful  Here’s how a florist and a builder created a blooming cottage garden  Creating a cottage garden to suit their old Tauranga homestead involved no brain strain at all for Meg and Brian Claxton. Meg […]

This enterprising couple spent two years transforming their run-down South Auckland cottage into a warm, light, modern home Meet and greet Kate Webby, PR and communications manager at Vend, and Jordan Metcalfe, works in commercial property, plus Tinks their rescue dog. A South Auckland cottage gets a modern makeover A few weeks after Kate Webby and […]

It wasn’t an easy road to repair this quake-damaged cottage; now this determined couple share top reno tips and the best bits from their new home Meet and greet Rachael Beeton, and Simon Risdon, counsellor, plus black cat Bagheera. Rachael’s reno tips Plan, plan, plan. Eighty percent of the preparation is in the planning. If you […]

This Christchurch cottage was supposed to be a quick post-earthquake do-up and flick. Now its expat owners are happy to call it home Meet and greet Rachael Beeton, and Simon Risdon, counsellor, plus black cat Bagheera. See how this Christchurch cottage went from red zone to dream home Walking through the door of Simon Beeton and […]

Described as charming and romantic, the ‘Silo Cottage’ in Western Massachusetts is not your average Airbnb. Find out why we’re adding it to our travel bucket list You can live your fairytale dreams by staying in this ‘Silo Cottage’ on Airbnb Take your next Airbnb experience to another level by staying in this charming round […]

This young couple brought their sweet heritage cottage into the 21st century by both preserving its details and brightening the decor This young couple transformed their heritage cottage with on-trend style Who lives here? Lowry Gladwell, senior legal counsel for Vend, Brittany Phillips, stay-at-home mum, owner of The Innkeeper, an Airbnb host management company, Mila, […]

See how Nadia transformed her heritage cottage in Arrowtown into a cosy home for a two with a bright white palette and natural interior style Meet and greet Nadia Caldwell, teacher, and Sammy, 2. Nadia’s interior tips Natural finishes such as timber, sheepskins and feathers add texture, interest and warmth to a space. Plants and […]

This mum has transformed her heritage cottage in Arrowtown into her own little slice of paradise with a white palette, timber accents and lots of texture Meet and greet Nadia Caldwell, teacher, and Sammy, 2. This stylish mum gave her Arrowtown cottage a bright and breezy makeover It was love at first sight when Nadia […]

Extending this tiny Waiheke Island cottage over the past 15 years has resulted in enviable indoor-outdoor flow for this botanical stylist and her family Meet and greet  Gemma Yeoman, botanical stylist at Flora n Fauna, Greg Yeoman, director and designer at Stormwater360, and Ivy, 5, plus Cha Cha the cat. Gemma’s Christmas styling tips  Use what […]

 Renovating a central Auckland cottage and transforming its concrete backyard into a mid-century oasis proved to be a six-year labour of love for one family A concrete cottage in Auckland is softened with mid-century vibes Who lives here? Andre Van Wonderen, 34 (project manager), Jolene Van Wonderen, 35 (part-time teacher aide and graphic designer), Willem, […]

A run-down 1950s cottage nestled beside a quiet West Auckland golf course was the perfect project for two budding DIYers Meet and greet Kristina Rapley, YHG deputy editor and editor of Taste and Ashton Lines-Sherwood, 30 national sales manager, plus Blue the chocolate Labrador and Bell Bells the Burmese cat. Renovation rookies transform a tired […]

After an extensive and thoughtful interior renovation, this one-of-a-kind, 130-year-old cottage now ready to be enjoyed by visitors to Naseby A 130-year-old cottage is ready for holidaymakers after a thoughtful reno Who owns the home? Paul O’Sullivan, a medical science liaison, and Craig Sherson, who works for PHD, a manufacturer of transportable huts. Where is the […]

A feast of colour, pattern and texture, this sweet little cottage in Clive will make you want to downsize and escape the city This cosy little Clive cottage does country living right These days, life can often feel hectic and overly complicated. Some say the key to a simpler existence is to get rid of […]

With its muted palette, textural accents and desert-chic style, this Waikato home is what Pinterest dreams are made of. We discover the special DIY journey How a Waikato cottage went from DIY disaster to the ultimate dream home When the Keirs bought their house it was in a sorry state with peeling floral wallpaper, tatty […]

Step inside this sweet little cottage and discover how its owners filled with it flora, fauna and trinkets from far-flung places This little country cottage has the sweetest floral style Kimberley Crisp (pictured on left), kindergarten teacher and director of a professional development consultancy, and Liane Sanderson, kindergarten teacher and “gofer and glue” of the […]

A dejected Waikato cottage has been lovingly and painstakingly transformed into a modern family home built to stand the test of time Meet and greet Wendy Keir, graphic designer, Alex Keir, builder, and Indigo, 1. The rebuild of this Waikato home was a DIY labour of love Back in 2011, Wendy and Alex Keir had […]

The Pilkingtons used vintage finds, bright colours and retro patterns to restore and enhance the character of their bach in Waikuku Meet and greet Gael Pilkington full-time mother, Wade Pilkington airline pilot, Georgia, 5, and Alexis, 4. Eclectic treasures with a Kiwiana feel fill this bach in Waikuku From the moment Gael Pilkington and her husband, Wade, […]

The moment the Pilkington family opened the front door of this coastal cottage, they knew no major makeover was required to improve on its perfect beach bach vibe Meet and greet Gael Pilkington full-time mother, Wade Pilkington airline pilot, Georgia, 5, and Alexis, 4. A coastal bach in Waikuku has retained its vintage vibe A small […]

Nestled in a quiet corner of Swanson, a tired cottage was crying out for a makeover. Luckily this Auckland couple was in the market for a DIY project A forlorn cottage is given a new lease of life for just $30,000 When renovation rookies Kristina Rapley and Ashton Lines-Sherwood were looking at getting into the […]

The kitchen of this quaint holiday-cottage in Bluff was given a cheerful makeover before its Invercargill owners bade it farewell   The kitchen of this quaint Bluff cottage was given a vintage-vibe makeover Who were the owners? Peter and Karyn Necklen (pastors), Josh, 23 (engineering student), and Melody, 20 (fast food manager). Where is the […]

This unassuming home looks like a heritage cottage from the street, but has a radically modern addition at the back This sandstone cottage has a rather surprising modern addition For these homeowners, one of whom is interior designer Andrea Killen, enlisting the help of architect John Rose was paramount in creating a design to renovate the cottage and build a respectful […]

This 99-year-old weatherboard cottage is filled with an eclectic mix of treasures House snapshot Janice and her partner Mark have lived in their 99-year-old weatherboard in Brooklyn NSW, Australia for 12 years. When it comes to decorating Janice’s style is very eclectic and the home is full of unique treasures, gathered over time. “We have […]

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 […]

Plenty of pink, a dash of mint and a whole lot of imagination have transformed this old ballroom into a fully functioning, cute-as-a-button family home.  Meet & greet Who lives here? Kaitlin Chapman, owner of kaitlinchapmanmakeup.com and Hello Darling Prop Hire, Jamie Robertson, mechanic, Stella, 3, chocolate Lab Chevie and Cavoodle Petal. Background Once upon […]

Plenty of pink, a dash of mint and a whole lot of imagination have transformed this old ballroom into a fully functioning, cute-as-a-button family home At a glance Who lives here? Kaitlin Chapman, owner of kaitlinchapmanmakeup.com and Hello Darling Prop Hire; Jamie Robertson, mechanic, Stella, chocolate lab Chevie and Cavoodle Petal. Homeowner Kailtlin’s makeover secrets Paint, […]

With a ‘good cooker’ at the helm, this small but perfect Pakowhai, Hawke’s Bay kitchen has served the family well for decades At a glance Who lives here? Liz and Gary Spence (both retired). Where is your home? Pakowhai in Hawke’s Bay, a rural settlement nestled between Napier and Hastings, bordering the Ngaruroro River. Total budget: $7,000 […]