Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2019 i Your Home and Garden

It’s all about making smart choices this month at Your Home and Garden – whether you’re stretching your budget during a renovation or trying to live with a lighter impact on the earth. We’ve got lots of tried-and-tested examples of both in this issue. If you’re planning on modernising an old kitchen, our special feature (on page 102) is packed with clever tips. From a cosmetic makeover to an extensive overhaul, every single cent should work as hard as possible. When it comes to sustainable living, we’ve got ideas sprinkled throughout the mag, particularly in our Easy Eco Swaps story (page 28). Squashing into an ecofriendly tiny home (page 70) might not be for everyone, but we can all make the effort to pack reusable cutlery in our bag or…

LOUNGE SPRING INTO THE NEW SEASON The spring/summer range from Citta is full of covetable items inspired by the textiles and design of the 1960s and ’70s. Delicate weaves, youthful gingham and pretty wildflowers adorn an array of beautiful new cushions for an easy sofa update. cittadesign.co.nz TOP READ BOOKSHELF Indoor Jungle  by Lauren Camilleri and Sophia Kaplan A beginner’s guide to selecting and maintaining lush indoor plants. $49.99 from paperplanestore.com. LUNCHTIME STACKS OF SNACKS THIS ADORABLE YET PRACTICAL STACKING LUNCHBOX IS PERFECT FOR EATS ON THE GO. IT COMES WITH ITS OWN CUTLERY, $39.99 FROM KIKKI-K.COM. TILES Back to the Futura We’re dreaming of retiling our bathrooms after setting eyes on the matte Futura tile range from Tile Space. Available in various patterns in rose, white and sky blue…

1 CLEAN & GREEN Ditch plastic bottles in favour of solid shampoos, conditioners and dish soaps (Ethique and Ahhh Cosmetics offer good locally made options). To help these products last longer, invest in the Dunedin-made Block Dock to ensure your soap dries properly between uses. TRY THIS SOAP HOLDER, FROM $30, FROM THEBLOCKDOCK.CO.NZ. 2 LAUNDRY LOVE Bento Ninja’s stainless-steel Forever Pegs won’t go rusty and they last longer (and look nicer) than their plastic counterparts. TRY THIS FOREVER PEGS, $35 FOR 20, FROM THEWASTEFREEHOME.CO.NZ. 3 NO EXCUSE FOR BAD COFFEE If you buy coffee on the go and don’t have a reusable cup yet, this should be the one swap you make right now. There are lots of beautiful options, including these Pottery for the Planet cups, from AU$25 from…

MEET + GREET Julie Stuart, 35 (blogger), Matthew Stuart, 36 (design engineer), Harvey, 5, and Piper, 3. If you’re puzzling over why this house in the Auckland suburb of Birkdale – and the cute little kids running around in it – looks strangely familiar, you’re probably not the only one. Belonging to Julie and Matthew Stuart and their two young children, Harvey and Piper, the home is also the setting for the popular DIY tutorials Julie films and shares on her Clever Poppy website and social media platforms. And if you look even closer, you’ll spot many of the finished projects now being put to use. The couple bought the house 10 years ago while flatting in Northcote Point. Given that a full section in Birkdale was still relatively affordable…

HONESTY BOX + What areas of your home did you save on? Splurge on? Kimberly: We saved money by buying most of our big-ticket items secondhand. We splurged on birch plywood for the kitchen cabinetry. + Best lessons learned? Building with shipping containers is hard! All the people and professionals we worked with on this build had never worked with containers, so we all learned on the job. + What would you never do again? We’d probably avoid installing the windows ourselves. + Any disasters? Our window flashings hadn’t been fully welded, so we had leaks. But quick action and new flashings meant we avoided any damage. + What’s one thing you’d change about your home if you could? We would go for thermally broken windows, rather than just double…

+ The liquor cabinet. It was found on Trade Me but has an awesome back story: it was a wedding gift to Maurice Paykel (of Fisher & Paykel) and is absolutely immaculate. + Riley’s desk is the exact same as one I had as a little girl. I’d been looking for one for years and spotted it in a Salvation Army store. + Riley’s oak bed frame was found by my brother in his flatting days over 25 years ago. + The fireside chair in Stella’s room is one of my grandmother’s pieces. We re-covered it a few years ago and still love it. + Most of the art is my grandmother’s, collected during the 1950s. My childhood favourite is the insect-laden floral still life in our bedroom.…

COLORSTEEL® has been protecting the places New Zealanders live, work and play in for over 35 years, turning metal into magic and transforming the everyday. We asked Sarah Pepworth, Head of Marketing, why it pays to choose a quality roof and how to look after it: What kind of maintenance does a new COLORSTEEL® roof require? The beauty of a COLORSTEEL® roof is that it is virtually maintenance free. Made for New Zealand conditions, and made to last, it is designed to take everything the weather can throw at it. For the most part, maintenance will come down to just an occasional wash with the hose to help extend its life. This is because most of your roof will be exposed to the rain so it will basically take care…

LAUNDRY TECH EXPERT JEREMY This Washing Machine Dryer Combo provides a complete laundry solution, washing and drying your clothes with premium fabric care. Designed to cater for every type of fabric with specialised cycles. Our clothes are a reflection of who we are and if you wash signature pieces with care they’ll look good for years to come. The Homes to Love team share their special closet favourites. LAKSHMI BERESFORD DIGITAL EDITOR My favourite closet item is this dress I wore as maid of honour at my sister’s wedding. I love it for three reasons. 1) It was custom-made by Miss Crabb just before it closed. 2) It reminds me of a special day. 3) It can be dressed up or down, depending on my choice of shoes. CARE ADVICE…

Injecting personal flair is the key to making a house feel like a much-loved home. In today’s world, there’s a growing appreciation of unique objects that add distinctive personality. Attention to detail makes all the difference and decorating with special pieces that have a handcrafted feel gives an authentic individual vibe. Here are some tips for updating your home. NOTES ON THE SEASON “The latest ranges reflect a growing appreciation of individual pieces that don’t have a mass-produced look,” says Farmers’ Merchandising Manager Andrea Hume. “There’s a huge desire to create a homely bespoke feeling and this is echoed in a lot of the new ranges. For instance in bedding the idea of replicating a crisp, hotel style has been eclipsed by a lived-in look that’s comfortable rather than perfect.…

In Italian, the word ‘terracotta’ translates to ‘baked earth’, which perfectly sums up the warm, natural character of this pinkish-brown hue. While not for everyone, terracotta has the power to add instant warmth to any home. This workshop will show you how to decorate using this trending colour – depending on your taste for terracotta, you can go large with a wall paint or floor tile, or go low-key with furniture, lighting, bedding, cushions, artwork and planters. PAINTED WALLS The boldest way to use terracotta is to paint a wall or walls of a room. It might seem scary but once applied to a whole space, this hue can actually feel like a neutral and looks even better when hit with some natural light. You will instantly feel warm and…

WALL FLOWERS This fun floral room design is very adaptable and could suit a baby, a young child or even a teenager. Taking the floral duvet cover as our starting point for the scheme, we sketched a series of flowers on the wall with a pencil, then painted them using Resene testpots. The flower shapes are not perfect – they all have a deliberately handmade, childlike look. A›cluster of flowers above the bed is all you need to create a focal point. We also made some cute flower pinboards to sit above the desk and link that side of the room into the theme. EASY HEADBOARD STEP 1 To create this arch headboard, you will need 1 piece of 1200mm x 900mm x 9mm MDF. Measure 45cm down from the…

This month, after a series of #fails, I was reminded of a few important Trade Me lessons. Namely, double-check the pick-up suburb, check you have enough people to carry your purchase, check you’re not going to hit a lightbulb before lifting it, check the item fits in your car (and your house) and, most importantly, check it’s comfy. The first lesson was learned when I forgot to request the pick-up suburb before purchasing a large, heavy bookshelf. I’d only looked at the vague location and not taken into account the Manukau district stretching across the length and breadth of South Auckland. I was now in for a three-hour round trip and, to make matters worse, I had only hired a truck for two hours. After a painfully slow drive to…

When the scale of a landscaping project is too big to handle, it makes sense to call in the professionals. That’s what Helen Dewsnap and Geoff Watson did when they decided to revamp the garden of their transitional villa in Auckland’s Grey Lynn. After living there for seven years and renovating the interior, the couple had plenty of ideas for the garden but knew they needed a good designer to help them interpret those ideas. Cue landscape designer Kirsten Sach and contractor Adam Evans (of Urbis Landscapes) who gave the garden a crisp, contemporary feel with plenty of spaces to relax in. THE SITE The 480-square-metre site had a front garden that was “old and tired with an indirect path to the front door, so it was important to update…

Titoki (Alectryon excelsus) PLEACHED TREES Try Ficus ‘Tuffy’, titoki (Alectryon excelsus), Pittosporum ‘Stephens Island’ or similar, Olearia paniculata, Leptospermum ‘Copper Sheen’. Crab apple (Malus sylvestris) TREE FOR FOCAL POINT Try crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), upright (not weeping) flowering cherry varieties such as Prunus ‘Awanui’, crab apple, kōwhai, paulownia, jacaranda, shad bush (Amelanchier canadensis). Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) SHRUBS AND PERENNIALS FOR SUNNY AREAS Choose 2-3 species and plant each in groups of 3-5: dwarf bottlebrush (Callistemon ‘Little John’), Dietes species, daylilies, California lilac, rosemary, lavender, Coprosma species, dwarf mānuka, corokia, Murraya paniculata. Lilyturf (Liriope muscari) SHRUBS AND PERENNIALS FOR SHADIER AREAS Choose 2-3 species in total and plant each in groups of 3-5: astelia, clivia, ctenanthe, Liriope muscari, rengarenga lily (Arthropodium cirratum), hydrangea, heuchera, helleborus, ligularia, mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus). Note:…

RANUNCULUS If you’re a fan of bold colour then ranunculus are your best bet for a vibrant spring display. Vivid oranges, reds, pinks and yellow are just a few of the colours in this large genus. Great for pots, planters and drifts in the garden, plant corms – claw side down, 3cm deep – in full sun and well-drained, fertile soil with shelter from the wind. Most gardeners plant fresh corms every autumn although you may find flowers appearing for several seasons if conditions are ideal.…

01 SPINACH As the weather warms, spinach, rocket and other leafy greens can bolt (turn to seed and stop producing leaves). To avoid this keep picking as much as possible, even the young flower stems which are edible and very tasty. If you have space, leave some plants to flower and drop seed which will often germinate and produce new plants. These can then be moved to a shadier spot for summer. 02 BEETROOT Harvest your beetroot as the tops start to swell and before the plants turn woody. 03 SILVERBEET When harvesting silverbeet avoid taking off too many leaves at once as this will slow down the plant’s growth. Smaller silverbeet leaves are much tastier than the older ones which can be a little bitter. 04…

Sturdy tomato seedlings with plenty of leaves and ideally their first flowers can go into the garden now if temperatures are warming in your area and frosts aren’t likely. Removing laterals (side shoots that grow at an angle between the main stem and a branch) from vine tomatoes as they grow means the plant will put energy into fruiting, not foliage. It will also improve airflow (meaning less pests) as well as the taste and size of the fruit. Pinch them out with your fingers to reduce the chance of spreading disease from secateurs. You can also plant out seedlings of other warm-weather veges such as eggplants, courgettes, cucumbers, chillies and capsicum in frost-free places. Find the warmest, most sheltered spot for these heat lovers to thrive. Root vegetables such…

IT’S A RETRO VIBE Nood’s spring collection is out now. Bringing character into your home has never been easier with the new Stanley range of shelving and tables. The combination of rich timber and gold accents creates an inviting retro feel, adding warmth and character to your room. nood.co.nz GET READY FOR SUMMER Spruce up your al fresco spaces in time for summer with Harvey Furnishings’ Vista fabrics. Featuring an array of bold designs, these weather- and UV-resistant fabrics are suitable for upholstery and look beautiful indoors or out. Call us on 0800 00 88 80 or view the range in store or online at harveyfurnishings.co.nz. FEELING FLUFFY Your delicate skin shouldn’t limit you to only ‘no fragrance’ or ‘gentle’ fabric conditioners. Why can’t you enjoy the best of both…

COVETING a print from Tanya Blong’s Bathers series and scheming about how to get my hands on an original one day. EATING purple carrots. So delicious and so beautiful when roasted and served alongside their orange cousins. VISITING Coco Republic’s first New Zealand store. I’m especially keen to check out their Remy dining chairs – they’ve got the same name as my youngest son. THINKING about how clever Made of Tomorrow’s diary made from recycled coffee cups is. LOVING DOIY Design’s cool little astronaut-shaped bottle opener from Tea Pea.…

SAVE 1 Living & Co dinner plate, $3, side plate, $2, and bowl, $3, from The Warehouse. 2 Vase, $8.50 for set of 3, from Kmart. 3 Fruit bowl, $6, from Kmart. 4 Marble platter, $34.95, from Freedom. 5 White napkin, $2, from Kmart. 6 White textured bowls, $2 each, from Kmart. 7 Marble salt dish, $16.90, from Citta. 8 Small bowl, $2, from Kmart. Cutlery set, $14.58, from The Warehouse. Marble tiles and linen fabric stylist’s own. SPLURGE 1 Studiopatro napkin, $75 for 4, from Tessuti. 2 Bowls, $32.90 each, from Citta. 3 Flask vase, $170, from Capricho. 4 Japanese bowl, $154, from Capricho. 5 Nordic sea dinner plate, $32.60, from Capricho. 6 Finch side plate, $24.90, from Citta. 7 Olive bowl, $35, from Capricho. 8 Bowl, $22.90, side…

+ Nappies – there are so many practical options for reusable nappies these days, it’s pretty hard to justify using disposables beyond baby’s first few weeks. Kate Meads, aka the Nappy Lady, is an authority on this subject; visit thenappylady.co.nz to read her detailed breakdown of all the different options or book your spot in one of her waste-free parenting workshops in a centre near you. + Makeup pads – try reusable, washable makeup pads made by an entrepreneurial group of students from Wellington East Girls College. glow-envy.mystorbie.com + Cotton buds – get biodegradable bamboo cotton buds packaged in a cardboard box from gobamboo.co.nz. + Toilet paper – have premium bamboo toilet paper delivered to your door in plastic-free packaging. ecoroll.co.nz.…

HONESTY BOX + Best lessons learned? Julie: If you or your family are handy on the tools, make the most of it. But make sure any ‘finishing’ jobs that will be obvious are done by the professionals (eg plastering or tiling). + What would you never do again? Agree to have the splashback put in after the rest of the kitchen was done. The promised install “next month” took four years to happen! + DIY disasters? It wasn’t a pretty sight when we took off the masking tape around our entire living area and ripped off a whole lot of paint. It’s definitely worth investing in good painter’s tape. + What’s one thing you would change about your home if you could? Replace our ugly black window frames with white…

HONESTY BOX + What did you do yourselves? And what jobs did you call in tradies for? Kate: Being a builder, Brent led the project with his team. Sub-trades were contracted but this house was mainly a Clay/Amor family collaboration, with my brothers helping us with the redesign, Brent’s dad, Bob, helping with the building, exterior painting and tiling, and my mum, Marg Amor, in charge of the landscape design. + Future plans? We plan to put in a permanent swimming pool. Plus, at the bottom of the property is an amazing flat paddock with a cluster of established trees and a large creek running through it; you can also access a bush walk and waterfall from there. We plan to build a few little glamping cabins down there so…

1 Lighter & brighter A crafty couple freshened up the kitchen of their art deco home using a little bit of paint and vinyl – and lot of ingenuity What was wrong with your original kitchen? Maiko Nagao: The benchtop was brown Formica and the space was too dark and enclosed. There also wasn’t enough storage. What were your priorities for your new kitchen? A more open layout, and a lighter, brighter feel. How did you solve these problems? We covered the bench in sticky-back white vinyl and removed the kitchen island, replacing it with a mobile butcher’s block. We also added open shelves, a shelf above the window and new pendant lights. What materials/finishes did you choose and why? Our kitchen had a hideous brown Formica benchtop with…

Auctions are less common than they used to be, but they’re still a popular way to sell a house in New Zealand. Auctions are an attractive option for sellers as the house is generally on the market for a shorter period of time, and they’re more likely to sell at market value – but the intensity of the experience can intimidate some buyers. However, if you can step into an auction with your eyes wide open and your homework done, there’s no need to feel like your confidence is going, going… gone. TSB is on your side and here to help. BEFORE THE AUCTION Bids are considered unconditional offers, meaning they’re legally binding, so you must proceed with the purchase if you’re the highest bidder. For this reason you obviously…

YOU WILL NEED + 4 lengths of 35mm x 1800mm dowel + Paint brush + 4 testpots in colours of your choice + 2m thin rope (ours was a metallic style from a $2 shop) INSTRUCTIONS STEP 1 Paint dowels using a different test pot for each one, then leave to dry. You may need a couple of coats depending on the colours you choose. STEP 2 Group the dowels together so you have 2 on top and 2 underneath. STEP 3 Make a light mark about 40cm from the top of 1 dowel. Starting just above the mark and working downwards, wrap the rope around the dowels about 10 times. Secure with a double knot and trim off excess. STEP 4 Stand dowels upright and then gently splay out…

I pack lunches every day for my three kids and husband, and often find myself in a lunchbox rut. This is a common occurrence for busy parents and can lead to shortcuts such as using pre-packaged snacks that create lots of plastic waste, as well as being less nutritious than homemade. To avoid this trap, I’ve adopted a simple system that I use every day. First, I begin with a protein such as cooked meat or eggs, 2-3 varieties of fresh fruit or raw chopped vegetables, and something creamy for dipping such as hummus, aioli or herbed yoghurt. A quick pasta salad or dinner leftovers fill the savoury compartment and, last but not least, something sweet tops it all off. A waste-free lunch is more nourishing for the soul and…

The first FlyingSpaces® home has touched down in New Zealand and is currently on site at Massey University, where it’s being studied by students. The top-quality environmentally friendly one- or two-bedroom modules are manufactured in Germany, and arrive in New Zealand prefabricated and ready to use. Kiwis have been impressed by the energy-efficiency of these homes, which are extremely economical to run. Even on a chilly Auckland day with no heating on, the home is a perfect temperature inside – and quiet too, thanks to optimal sound insulation. What’s more, the astute design, clean lines, and quality fixtures and fittings give it a luxurious feel. SPACES THAT BREATHE FlyingSpaces® designer Nina Henderson works hard to create spaces that are ideal for the client’s needs, as well as aesthetically pleasing. She…

Dear Carol, We have recently built a home on an 800-square-metre coastal block. We’d like a beachy look for the outside areas but have no idea about garden design and only a limited budget. We have big, ugly retaining walls which we’d like to hide as much as possible without creating too much shade (there are some damp areas by one of these, so thirsty trees along that side would be ideal). As the house to the left of us is two-storey and higher up the slope, we’d also like to create some privacy for our outdoor living area – we were thinking of a louvre system or some kind of outdoor shelter. With two littlies, we’d love the backyard to become their adventure playground, but how do we make…

Does an area of your garden need a revamp? Garden editor and landscape designer Carol Bucknell will come up with a plan for some lucky readers. All we need are photographs of your problem area, details of where you live, a site description (where north is, the soil type, whether your garden is exposed to wind or heat) and the style of garden you would like. SEND TO Case Study, Your Home and Garden, Bauer Media, Private Bag 92512, Wellesley Street, Auckland 1010, or email yhg@bauermedia.co.nz. We can’t feature everyone’s garden in the magazine, but if you’d like some personal design advice, you can contact Carol at carolbucknell.co.nz.…

POND LIFE To have a balanced ecosystem ponds need a mix of oxygenating, floating and marginal plants. But take care not to overplant. Leave some clear water for those magical reflections of the garden and to make goldfish and other aquatic creatures in your pond easier to spot. COMING UP ROSES Keep roses well fed and watered, but avoid spraying water on foliage as this promotes fungal disease. Cut blooms with short stems to encourage more flowers on repeat-flowering varieties. If you cut just above a leaf with 5 leaflets you should get a new flower in a few weeks. ON THE UP Plant sumptuous subtropical climbers such as beaumontia and mandevilla in warmer regions. These love warmth but if possible position where their roots are partly shaded in summer…

It’s always fun to experiment with sowing different veges if you have the time. Kings Seeds, Koanga Gardens and many others stock seeds for a terrific range of heirloom and interesting varieties that are not sold as seedlings in garden centres. Beware: browsing their online catalogues can be dangerous! Beans are such an easy-to-grow and versatile vege with a huge range, from dwarf French and butter beans to climbing runner beans, plus plenty of unusual types such as the Asian winged bean or the purple pole bean. If soil temperatures are around 15°C in your area, now is a good time to sow summer-cropping beans into the garden in a warm, sheltered spot with good drainage. Sow into containers if you live in a cooler area or are short on…

TRENDING ON HOMESTOLOVE.CO.NZ Owners of this box-shaped Otago home share their tips on living small TOP POST ON INSTAGRAM This pastel pink front door was spray-painted for a bargain rate at the local panelbeaters INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS WE’RE LOVING @kellythompsoncreative @thecanecollectivenz @shelleydown @midcenturyswag NEWSLETTER Sign up to our newsletter and get a weekly dose of inspiration straight to your inbox.Visit yourhomeandgarden.co.nz/signup. PET OF THE MONTH Ziggy, the three-month-old Hungarian vizsla, is in training to be a hunting dog at his home near Waihi Beach. His hobbies include “chewing absolutely everything he can access and getting into everything he’s not allowed to”, says his owner, Kate Clay. See Ziggy’s amazing farmhouse home on page 84. INSTAGRAM We love seeing images from our #yourhomeandgarden community. @yourhomeandgarden…

When did you start painting? My painting journey began as a toddler. I have two older sisters whom I looked up to, and they were artistic, like my grandmother, so our house always had art materials around. When I came back to Aotearoa at 14 after living overseas, painting was a way for me to connect with my ancestors, my mixed Ngāti Porou Māori, English, Swedish and Irish heritage. In my teenage years I began painting images that told stories and learning about Aotearoa’s myths, history and magic. Did you study art or are you self-taught? I learned as I went along and art became a natural and enjoyable way to express myself. I actually quit art in fifth form to pursue the sciences, presuming art would remain a hobby…

MEET + GREET  Emma O’Meara (interior stylist), Simon O’Meara (plumber), Leni, 11, and Ginger, 8, plus Frankie the Labrador. Creativity is on full display within the walls of Emma and Simon O’Meara’s home on Australia’s Victorian coast. A sunny abode inside and out, this is a house that speaks clearly of its owners’ love of colour and texture. From the blush front door, to the statement colours and whimsical design elements, all layered on a crisp white backdrop, the home leaves a lasting impression on all who visit. To interior stylist Emma, it’s only fitting that friends have given the home a name that encapsulates its distinctive features. “They call it ‘The Gingerbread House’ because of the cedar shingles, the pitched roof and all the colour,” she says. “It’s my…

HONESTY BOX + Best lesson learned during the build? Brooke: Don’t get your heart set on a moving-in date. + What would you never do again? Move in before the house was 100 percent finished. + What’s your favourite spot in the home? The sunniest corner of our living room, staring out at the expansive views. I can truly unwind, watch the weather roll in and see the changing tides. + Something you discovered about yourself along the way? That we work well as a team and actually agreed on a lot of big decisions with ease. Something we thought was going to be daunting turned out to be something we loved getting stuck into. + Top styling tips? Make a Pinterest board for inspiration but don’t expect everything to…

MEET + GREET Kimberly Andrews, 33 (clothing designer and children’s book creator), James Innes, 34 (clothing designer), and Nova, 7 months. At first glance this shipping container house across the harbour from Wellington city looks like it could be made of Lego. But up close it is a mix of tough materials and ecofriendly style. On the bottom level, two six-metre containers serve as a workspace for Kimberly Andrews and James Innes, who run Tumbleweed Tees, a screen-printing company that donates part of its profits to conservation projects. But it’s the cantilevered top level they – and baby daughter Nova – call home. The 21-square-metre “living container” feels bigger than a large caravan, but where’s the bed? The dining table? The drawers? Kimberly pulls a double bed from beneath the…

MEET + GREET Kate Clay, 42 (interior designer), Brent Clay, 49 (licensed building practitioner), Stella, 17, Riley, 8, and Tex, 7. Interior designer Kate Clay, her builder husband Brent, and various other family members combined their talents to give an ugly duckling the swan treatment in the hills above Waihi Beach. Where did you move from? Kate: We were living in a renovated villa in Waihi but were looking for a lifestyle block where the kids (Stella,17, Riley, 8, and Tex, 7) could make some noise. Why did this property appeal? The views sold us 100 percent. The moment we came up over the rise of the driveway and saw the view, we looked at each other and nodded. Even better, the agent took us for a walk through the…

It took patience and commitment to renovate their home almost entirely by themselves, but Toni and Dane Gale made it work by tackling one room at a time. Although they didn’t make any structural changes to the property in Auckland’s Birkenhead, they reworked everything else in their home over a two-year period. Together, the couple completed the design and the majority of the work, sticking to a limited budget by being “conscientious and crafty”. Having just put the finishing touches on the last room – the kitchen – they’re happily taking a moment to reflect on how far they’ve come. When did you purchase your home? Toni: We bought our house a little over two years ago. It wasn’t easy and we had many setbacks including disappointing auction losses and…

+ Try to identify who the other bidders are. Standing at the back of the room can help with this. Be aware that there may be phone bidders. + If you’re buying with a partner make sure you’ve agreed what your top bid will be. This will mean you won’t need to confer during the auction, and you’ll be less likely to get emotional. + If you feel you need extra confidence or support, consider engaging a professional buyer’s agent. + Always be aware of whether the reserve has been met. If it doesn’t reach that point the house will be passed in. + Don’t be in a rush to get bidding. Take a moment to see what other bidders are doing. If two bidders have a good rally going,…

Tell us about you and your kitchen. Do you spend much time in it? Kristina: The kitchen is one of my favourite places to be – I love cooking and pottering around preparing food. I actually can’t believe I managed with the old kitchen for as long as we did; it was so grotty. What didn’t you like about your old kitchen? It was the original 1950s kitchen so it had seen a lot of wear and tear. Lots of tiny drawers, discoloured and cracked vinyl flooring, peeling paint, not enough storage – the works. What was the inspiration behind the new design? The old space needed to be demolished. It was beyond saving so we used the opportunity to start from scratch. Style-wise, we wanted it to blend in…

We all know the amazing work honeybees do in our productive and ornamental gardens, not to mention commercial horticulture and farming. And while most of us know that bees and other pollinators are under threat we’re not always sure how to help. Planting more flowers is a start, but which ones? And are any pesticides safe around bees? For answers to these questions and more, check out our guide to making your garden a beautiful bee haven. 1 Flower power Growing plants that provide plenty of their favourite foods is essential if you want to attract bees to the garden. Many modern hybrid flowering plants produce little nectar or pollen so go for old-fashioned or heirloom varieties instead, particularly those with open petals such as daisies, cosmos, sunflower, marigold and…