Innholdsfortegnelse for August 2021 i Your Home and Garden

The laundry at my place is my secret shame. It’s the room that time forgot and old kitchen appliances go to die. It may be because I try to think about doing laundry as little as possible. I throw things in the washing machine and dryer as needed and venture in there for the iron and ironing board when I need something unwrinkled to wear to the office. When I see just what can be done with laundries in our special feature on page 90, I am inspired to make my own a model of ordered domestic efficiency and good looks. It is, after all, just another room that can be decorated. And on appealing spaces, what Gretchen Young has done to her incredibly stylish home, which is on this…

MORNING HAS BROKEN  Emma Hayes has released a new range of wallpapers to her eponymous label, including Daybreak Verde (above) in celebration of dawn. One 350cm long roll includes five panels that make up the body of the design. $830/roll, emmahayes.co.nz HOME HUB Kitchen Living by Gestalten delivers inspiration for the heart of the home. It delves into current trends and technology, combining interior style with practical advice. $120. TAKE SHAPE Playful abstraction was the inspiration for this Mulberi Angelisa cushion, which would add a pop of pattern to any room. $119, from shutthefrontdoor.co.nz CHASING RAINBOWS Add colour to the bathroom with a bath mat that will make you smile every time you look at it. Home Republic rainbow lilac semi-circle bath mat, $29.99, from adairs.co.nz GLASS HALF FULL Elevate…

Everything feels a little harder in the middle of winter. With less sunshine and a sharp chill in the air, one’s energy and motivation can easily feel like a thing of the past. But do not despair, I’m sharing some simple, impactful ways to boost your mood and experience the wild beauty that winter brings. Let’s get through this together. 1 Embrace the funk We all need moments in our life where we slow down and go into hibernation, yet we often fight this natural instinct due to the busy world we live in. I encourage you to surrender to the season. Be okay with being lazy. Take an afternoon nap and embrace this perfect time for hibernation. 2 Take yourself away for a night or two We might not…

fter years of working abroad, A 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 for a two-bedroom, one-bathroom Victorian cottage in Ponsonby to catch her eye. The fact that it was just 85sqm was a boon – after all, she was an outgoing 30-year-old career woman who wanted to spend her spare time with friends, not cleaning empty rooms and bathrooms. “I’m busy with work and not home a lot, so the last thing I need is more space, which equates to more mess and cleaning. This was the perfect space for this time in my life, but the fact that it was…

Honesty box Is there anything you would do differently? We underestimated the windows on the front of the house. On a windy day, the doors aren’t always suitable to slide back. A few louvres might be in the pipeline. The stainless-steel bench in the kitchen requires regular wiping with little fingers around, however, I love the clean reflective feel it gives and its practical use for hot pots etc. One thing you would change? I would probably say how we operate in the space with a full house and noise control. Having so many hard surfaces – concrete floors, stainless steel bench, large windows and high ceilings – it became clear upon moving in (without as much furniture) that soft furnishings would quieten the house a touch. I have since…

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. “I had read about the work he was doing in sustainable architecture, with natural materials assembled in a decorative way,” says Jane. “Of all the architects I met, David gave me the most confidence. He was respectful of our budget and completely got my desire to create my own four-bedroom ‘treehouse’.” Completed in 2017 after a year-long build, the multilevel dwelling is perfectly set into its sloping, bushy block. Inside, the home is open plan but with areas that can be closed off or opened up, thanks to wide…

Honesty box What did you save on? Hannah: The labour. The sheer amount of time Ryan, myself and our friends and family put into renovating, painting, gibbing, sawing and cutting. Splurge on? Ryan: The structural changes. We could’ve kept the layout the same and updated the space, but to rejig the house structurally made more sense. Best lessons learned? Hannah: Take your time. At the end of the day your mental, emotional and physical health is the most important thing. Any DIY disasters? Hannah: During lockdown I was rushing to finish painting the ceiling and I knocked our last pot of paint from the top of the ladder. We had to wait a month to buy more paint, which was infuriating. What’s the one thing about your home you’d change…

In a home filled with neutral hues, Charlotte Woolston’s powder room is a standout. “It was the perfect place to create a ‘wow’ moment for guests,” she says. She’s certainly achieved that, the room is a popular talking point. “We get such differing opinions,” says Charlotte. “It’s definitely a love it or hate it room. In general, females really love it but guys not so much.” Charlotte wanted to bring glamour and quirk to the small space in her Auckland home and Resene Tropic Exotic wallpaper 90362 fit the brief. To avoid wallpapering the wet areas, she installed tongue and groove panelling, painted in Resene Alabaster, on the lower half of the wall. More Resene colours to try: RESENE Black White RESENE Lemon Twist WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR: •…

You will need • 1 sheet of 2400mm x 1200mm plywood (at least 17mm thick)• Measuring tape• Pencil• Skill saw• Wood glue• Screws• Drill• 3 wooden crates• Paint brush• Resene Dusky Pink, Resene Sea Nymph and Resene White Step-by-step guide 1 Measure the sheet of plywood into two pieces that are 600mm x 420mm (to make the sides) and three pieces that are 1020mm x 420mm (for the top, middle shelf and bottom of the box). 2 Cut with a skill saw. If you are not confident about cutting the lines straight, clamp a straight›edge or level to the plywood and run the skill saw›along it. If you don’t have a skill saw, ask your local timber supply store to cut these measurements when you buy the sheet of plywood.…

Teenagers need their own area away from family life. “Turn a second living room into a media room for your teens and their friends, or convert some space in the garage,” Vic says. Include their design input; your teenagers will feel they’re a part of the fabric of family life if they help design part of the home. “As they step towards independence more, it’s a great time to allow them to make some of their own decisions,” she says. “So let them be involved in choices such as paint colours and decor. Whether it’s their own bedroom or a separate retreat, these spaces should reflect their tastes and needs, and ideally, still work with your own aesthetic.” Annick suggests adding a couple of velvet beanbags, a rattan hanging chair,…

Chit chatter How delicious are homegrown new potatoes, freshly dug from the garden and boiled with a handful of mint? If you’re wanting some for Christmas dinner – or earlier – then get chitting. Early varieties, such as jersey benne, can be started now. With softer skins than later varieties, they are also faster growing, taking between 60 and 100 days from planting to pot. Chit by placing in a tray in a single layer and keeping warm and dry until the ensuing sprouts are about a centimetre long. Form soil into long mounds about 30cm high and wide, then plant the sprouted tubers halfway up and in. A spot that gets the morning sun is best, as are rows running north south. This way the sun warms both sides…

HOW TO… MAKE AND USE A CLOCHE When the soil is cold, the weather bad or birds and other pests are on the rampage yet spring beckons, it’s time for a cloche or two. These mini glasshouses put in position at least a week before planting or sowing can warm the soil by up to 10°C. To extend summer, cloches will promote ripening of tomatoes, aubergines and the like. They are also useful for striking cuttings or seed germination. Small cloches can easily be made by cutting plastic drink bottles in half. Glass bell cloches may be bought or tunnel cloches can be made by draping netting over a series of wire hoops pushed into the ground. Glass cold frames are a good eco-friendly alternative.…

“We like formal gardens with a bit of a soft edge, juxtaposing the clean clipped lines of box hedging.”CLAIRE BRUFORD Choosing plants for your garden can be a challenge for some. Not for interior designer Claire Bruford who had her heart set on white hydrangeas for her newly designed outdoor space well before any spades had hit the dirt. And the results are stunning with the liberally planted, creamy flowered shrubs contrasting beautifully with the green hedges, topiary and the crisp lines of the garden designed by Donna Stanish of Seed Landscapes. “The one plant that was a non-negotiable was my favourite, the cone-shaped Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’. We have 20 or more of these around the garden and between January and April they are absolutely spectacular. We even love them…

Collecting and hunting for vintage treasures has always been in her blood, growing up with collector parents and frequenting auctions. This long-standing passion is now the cornerstone of the newly launched Gina Fabish Interiors, bringing an unpredictable mix of contemporary and classic, masculine and feminine, raw and refined pieces to her online store and studio. 01 What I Know for Sure . This little nugget of wisdom lives by my bedside, scribbled in and highlighted. As a huge fan of Oprah Winfrey, her book is quite often a reminder to me of the importance of making our homes a shrine to wellbeing. 02 1980s teardrop travertine marble dining table. I bought this beautiful table at auction in anticipation of our long-awaited renovation. After 16 years, we’re just about to launch…

Winter is never kind on flooring. The cold, wet weather means we spend more time inside, but children and pets have a tendency to track mud and dirt from outside onto the carpet and floors. Fortunately, Noel Leeming has vacuum solutions, whether you’re in a large rural home or a small city apartment because it’s not a case of one vacuum cleaner for all any more with so many different styles available now. Cord-free vacuums These are the pin-up of vacuum cleaners and status symbols that are no longer hidden in cupboards. They’re great for quick clean-ups, manoeuvring into difficult-to-reach places, excellent for cleaning the stairs, car and upholstery. Best of all, if you’re short on storage space, these are real space savers. Dyson was an early pioneer of cordless…

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 – it blows people away. And why shouldn’t it? A space that looks as good as it functions deserves to be celebrated. Here’s how to make yours shine. Location, location Even if you have the quietest washing machine and dryer on the market, your laundry should still be located as far away from the bedrooms and living room as possible, recommends Jen Jones, renovation project manager of Nine Yards Consulting. Whether it’s a dedicated room or simply in a hallway cupboard, the laundry is best placed near the bathroom for ease of transporting dirty laundry…

We all have an ideal for our homes, how we want them to look and feel. But sometimes our vision of perfection may not dovetail with family life. What’s important is to follow what feeds the soul, and when it comes to our homes, this is all about balancing practicality and beauty. In a home a family grows together and, with that, needs change so it’s worth thinking of this when you plan a renovation or new build. “With the increasing shortage of suitable family homes, designing flexible and multi-purpose spaces is not only smart, but it’s also essential,” says Nadia Sakey, house doctor from One Nine Design. “If you design well and future-proof in the beginning, choosing stylish furniture that is functional, adaptable and long-wearing,” Nadia says, “there should…

Harira SERVES 6 INGREDIENTS 1 cup (200g) dried chickpeas 30g butter 600g lamb shoulder, cut into 2cm pieces 2 medium (300g) onions, chopped finely 3 cloves garlic, chopped finely 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground ginger 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper ½ tsp ground turmeric 1 litre (4 cups) beef stock 400g can chopped tomatoes ½ cup (100g) dried brown lentils, rinsed 2 Tbsp plain flour ¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice 1 cup fresh coriander, chopped Coriander sprigs, flatbread, to serve 1 Place chickpeas in a medium bowl, cover with cold water; stand overnight. Rinse under cold water; drain. 2 Melt butter in large heavy-based saucepan over high heat, add lamb and onions; cook, stirring, for 6-8 minutes or until browned lightly. Season with…

WE LOVE A New York apartment with beautiful wall panelling, soft pastel hues, reno inspo and two fluffy cats. @reserve_home Fans of rustic-chic style will love Macy’s ’gram – it’s filled with shots of her Colorado home. She’s mastered the colour green. @wanderingmyhome PET OF THE MONTH They say pets resemble their owners, but Ruby the toy poodle matches the decor instead. Her soft caramel coat is the perfect tonal fit for her cottage home. Page 32 CONNECT WITH US We love seeing images from our #yourhomeandgarden community. @yourhomeandgarden TRENDING ONLINE Seven interior design rules to swear by. yourhomeandgarden.co.nz TOP INSTAGRAM POST A kitchen that serves up hot interior inspiration. @yourhomeandgarden Instagram @yourhomeandgarden | Facebook facebook.com/yourhomegarden | Pinterest pinterest.com/yourhomegarden…

Honesty box Most memorable experience in your home? Sitting inside and looking out our windows the first time it snowed. It was incredible. The kids were glued to the windows looking out at the snow on the ground. We had the fire on and it was a truly magical moment. I think it set in stone our love for this special town. What’s the one thing you would change about your home? I would put in centralised heating. Our home is toasty warm, but I would suggest investing in really good heating solutions up front if you can – it will save you money over time. We did put in underfloor heating in the bathrooms though, and it’s divine. What have you learnt about social media and interiors from your…

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 was unbearably ugly,” remembers Ryan. “And it smelled really bad.” The previous owner had lived there for 40 years and struggled to maintain it. There was old brown carpet, a tiny yellow bathroom, and the yellow and blue kitchen had a disintegrating concrete benchtop. The home’s old-fashioned layout meant the formally segregated living spaces got little of the sunlight and warmth that otherwise streamed into two of the bedrooms and the neon green laundry. With no insulation, the house was frigid. “It sounds like a cliche, but we could see its potential,” says Hannah. “It had beautiful matai floors and high-stud ceilings – a…

House 1 Rachel and Connie Janah, Rachel’s original partner in DIY, couldn’t make it back post-lockdowns, so she enlisted the help of her friend Connie. Week 2 was kid’s bedrooms, judged out of 20 as Chris was sick. House 1 opted to do a sophisticated, glamorous teenage girl’s room, complete with padded velvet bedhead and make-up station. “Every girl’s dream” was the verdict. They came second. Victory was theirs in Week 3 with the family bathroom. The marble-effect tiled walls and the arched mirror won accolades. The statement headboard wowed the judges in the main bedroom and ensuite challenge. Regardless, they were disqualified when Rachel’s husband came to the site with that headboard after tools down. Week 5’s living space was a success for Team Purple who took out the…

• The home, built in the late 1970s, is a log house with all its steel supports along the exterior walls. “That was great because it was so easy to work with,” says Jayne. “It meant we could move walls really easily because none of them were structural.” It made their redesign of the peculiar layout, which had rooms leading into each other, relatively straightforward. • Concrete benchtops in the kitchen and laundry room were created by Darren. Through the couple’s business, Hatch Design Studio, he makes bespoke concrete surfaces such as vanities, worktops and hearths.…

A clutter-free home allows busy family members to find their belongings quickly. Allow for this with a large wardrobe in which you can order toys in labelled boxes. An area near the front door is ideal for placing coats, bags and umbrellas. Section an area for each child with an on-trend paint colour so they can identify where their items go, with reachable hooks. Interior designer Annick Larkin suggests finding multi-functional pieces of furniture that double as storage too. “Try a modular sofa with built-in storage beneath the seats, a coffee table with a magazine rack below sideboard with shelving for baskets.”…

Fill ’er up IT’S BEEN A BONANZA FEW YEARS FOR VEGANS AND VEGETARIANS IN SEARCH OF DECENT SAUSAGES. THE LATEST TO JOIN THE LINE-UP IS THE MEATLESS FARM CO’S PLANT-BASED GROUND MINCE, SAUSAGES AND BURGERS. THE TREND TO EAT LESS MEAT CONTINUES. $10.95 EACH, MEATLESSFARM.COM/ANZ BAKE HOUSE Pinch us now. The new Kenwood Titanium Chef Patissier is almost too good to be true. Yes, it’s a mixer but it also has an EasyWarm bowl that proves dough and melts ingredients in your stand mixer, as well as EasyWeigh scales, so you can precisely weigh directly into the bowl. It also comes with a host of other features including bowl illumination for night baking. $1799.99, kenwoodworld.com Chill factor It is a truth not universally acknowledged that pinot noir should be served…

I want to grow an abundance of strawberries this year. What should I do? Strawberry seedlings can be planted in winter in warmer regions. This helps them settle into the ground and become established in early spring, giving you an extra flush of berries before anyone else. Protect your berries from birds with bird netting, as once they find your crop you will essentially be feeding them instead. Plus, top up the plants with strawberry food throughout spring and summer for larger, sweeter tasting fruit. Is there any way I can grow peonies in the Auckland area? Most peonies don’t do well in Auckland due to not getting a cold enough snap over winter. However, if you are in South Auckland or have a patch on the property that gets…