Homes

Future-proof your home with this year’s biggest exterior house paint trends

The owners of this mid-century home wanted to restore it to its original condition while at the same time introducing some contemporary elements How do you find the right balance between restoration and renovation with older houses? This was a question foremost in the minds of Iain Archer and Nate Garven three years ago when […]

Sometimes all it takes is a few light touches to get your home re-sale ready. Check out our top 15 low-cost ways to make your home a buyer’s dream 1. Get an idea of how much your home is worth Ask a real estate agent to assess your property and give you a rough estimate of […]

This stylish lifestyle block in Christchurch is one of our favourites. Watch to find out how you can steal this family’s colourful, modern style Steal their style: This Christchurch lifestyle is a slice of paradise Katie McNamara and her husband Mark moved from Sydney to Christchurch in 2009 when Mark was offered a racing commentator’s […]

Each unit in Japan’s Greendo Apartments is burrowed into the Takamatsu mountainside These Hobbit-like homes in Japan are a lesson in sympathetic design Architect Keita Nagata has created an apartment complex that fuses the natural environment of the Japanese region of Takamatsu to the needs of these purpose-built units. To replicate the flow of the […]

Life’s a whirlwind when you’re a supermodel like Karlie Kloss. See inside the multi-million dollar Airbnb she called home The multi-million dollar Airbnb Karlie Kloss called home Where: Beverley Hills, Los Angeles Style: Hollywood chic Key features: five bedrooms, six bathrooms, two living rooms and pool Price: USD$10 million / USD$1650 per night Staying in 5 star hotels […]

At just 18 metres square – about half the size of a two-car garage – this New Plymouth home has everything you’d expect… except room for an oven Natalie Kennaugh and Zara Losch had been living in the United Kingdom, but in 2013 decided to head to New Zealand (a homecoming for Kiwi Natalie) and make their home in […]

Channel your inner artist and wash your home in beautiful watercolour For more of the latest living and interior trends check out the latest issue of Simply You Living on sale now.

Clever, concise and full of character, these homes reveal everything that’s good about being small New Zealand’s Best small homes A minuscule marvel in Queenstown This stylish, sleek, 120-square-metre marvel near Queenstown is by Anna-Marie Chin and won the 2016 Home of the Year Best Small Home title. ‘Pyramid scheme’ The winner of the 2017 Best Small Home […]

With flaking paint, borer and a weakness for maroon, an old Dunedin house was in a sorry state until a couple with just the right mix of practical skills and artistic flair took it in hand At a glance Who lives here? Doug McConaughy (structural engineer), Shelley McConaughy (florist, designer, artist), Oscar, Eli, Rose the […]

Katherine Jamison loves raising her young family in wide open spaces on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula “I grew up on a working sheep farm, so I never really felt settled living on a ‘normal’-sized block. Even on half an acre of lovely gardens and gum trees surrounded by rolling hills and wineries, I still felt boxed […]

Get your outside areas in tip top shape with step-by-step tips for tidying up your decking, pavers, brickwork and guttering Now is the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and take on those irksome jobs around the home and garden that you’ve been ignoring for months. REVIVE TIMBER DECKING IN 6 STEPS 1. Sweep away dust, […]

Last month Your Home and Garden managing editor Shelley Ferguson went on a family holiday to Fiji and thanks to her new smart home security system Morepork by Spark there was less stress and more peace of mind My family and I headed to Fiji for a much-needed long weekend of relaxing and recharging, and it […]

Renowned rugby union player Israel Dagg and his wife, The Rugby Pantry co-author Daisy, have settled in Christchurch in a Golden Homes house that’s anything but cookie-cutter Who Lives Here? Daisy Dagg (interior designer, Daisy Chain Interiors, founder and contributor to food blog The Rugby Pantry), Israel Dagg (plays for the Canterbury Crusaders) with Melo, their […]

Homes to Love chatted to Davina Harper, a Dulux colour and design specialist, about which colour schemes sell at auctions and how The Block NZ: Villa Wars teams’ choices stack up Davina, what paint colours did the teams choose and what is your assessment – did they nail colour combos overall? Sarah and Minanne Interiors:  Dulux ‘Remuera’, […]

The best New-Zealand designed buildings have been announced at the annual New Zealand Architecture Awards. Twenty-eight projects, ranging from a train station in Auckland to an apartment building in Wellington, have won awards in the country’s premiere architectural competition. Here are some of the winners, including the top award (pictured), the 2015 New Zealand Architecture […]