Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2021 i Your Home and Garden

Around here asking what your favourite colour is, is so much more than a school yard question designed to get to know a fellow six-year-old. We take such queries seriously and can spend a great deal of time debating the pros and cons of monochromatic colour schemes versus full-noise shades. If ever there was a time to think about colour it’s spring. The easiest way to freshen your home is to change your wall colour or introduce a contrasting tone into a room for visual interest. The colour workshop on page 104 will walk you through trending shades and easy ways to introduce new hues into your home. My enduring favourite combo is pink and green. It can go from being a deep crimson matched with a rich emerald, or…

Love to Roomba The Roomba® i7+ robot vacuum with Clean Base™ Automatic Dirt Disposal takes convenience to a new level by automatically emptying into an enclosed bag that holds 30 robot bins, meaning you don’t have to think about vacuuming for weeks at a time. The premium 3-Stage Cleaning System uses Dual Multi-Surface Rubber Brushes and 10x suction to clean different floor surfaces throughout your home. The i7+ robot learns, maps and adapts to your home using Imprint™ Smart Mapping technology, letting you control which rooms are cleaned and when. Wherever you are, you can control when, where and how your robot cleans from the iRobot Home app. $1989. Espresso your creativity From getting the best out of each type of coffee bean and unlocking the aromatic flavours, to experimenting…

MULTI-PURPOSE The sweet scent of mandarin and basil is one that makes cleaning much more gratifying. Everdaily is an all-in-one housecleaning solution and can be used to refill your bottles countless times.@everdaily.co SLOW DOWN These little cotton knitted sets are perfect for the change in season. Consciously designed in New Zealand for a kinder environmental impact, Slowly Golden is ethically hand-crafted in Bali, and is inspired by moments of slowness and self. @slowlygolden BEAUTY & FORM Everyone needs a trinket dish to store little things in, this Kami & Kindred ceramic shell will do the job beautifully. @kamiandkindred…

How to pair pink and green Pink and green is an enduring colour pairing – and one that is naturally occurring in spring when blossom appears among bright green leaves. And, while it works seamlessly in nature, utilising this colour combination inside is harder than you think. For instance, pair a warm pink with a lime or dark green and you’ve got watermelon instead of wonderful. What interior designer Michelle Kelly has done in this home is an example of how pink and green can be executed tastefully. We’ve decoded her style secrets so you can nail this colour pairing in your home too. Opposites attract: Pink and green work well together because they are contrasting shades on the colour spectrum, which creates positive visual tension. It’s true opposites attract.…

Honesty box What have you saved on? The daybed – it was bought pre-loved from a friend and we use it all day, every day. Splurged on? Definitely the roof addition to the deck, which was so worth it. Any disasters living here? We had a pipe burst and completely flood the TV lounge and basement. It was pure chaos and took months to get everything back to normal. We had people staying downstairs and their luggage was floating at one point. Most memorable experience in your home? Over the course of around 18 months I had to have several surgeries – one very major – after a cancer diagnosis. Being able to recuperate each time looking out at the green surrounding us made a tough time definitely that little…

FINISHES HONESTY BOX What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way? Building is stressful as things don’t always go according to plan. Being organised and having clear contingency plans for things you will or won’t compromise on makes life so much easier. What are a couple of tips you’d give to anyone planning to build? Plan. The more prepared you are the easier the process. Break everything down and itemise it. Get as many quotes and costs as you can early on in the process. Also, select product options as early as possible and ask yourself what you would want if budget allows and what you would be happy with if it doesn’t. We did this for everything and it really helped keep the budget on track. It also…

Lynda Gardener, an interior decorator and owner of boutique accommodation, is an avid collector. Her warehouse home is filled with countless treasures she has slowly collected throughout the years. What is now a light-filled haven for Lynda, her partner, Mark Smith, and their beloved cocker spaniel, Jack, was originally a derelict mattress factory. “When I purchased this warehouse 15 years ago, it was a mechanical store with an asbestos ceiling, caved-in roof, with plumbing hanging from the wall with absolutely no windows,” says Lynda. “But I could see its potential and I instantly fell in love – I wanted this property, no matter what,” she says. The challenge was then set to transform the neglected warehouse space into the vibrant home the couple lives in today. As an interior decorator…

What are sheers? Sheer curtains create a soft and airy look working to filter light, diffuse UV and retain privacy during the day. Some are easy to see through while others are more opaque and offer more privacy. Russells offers a range of custom-made sheer curtains in neutrals or colours, plain and patterned. These are made in a variety of styles including voile, which has a tight weave and soft sheen; chiffon or organza, which has a glamorous luxe appearance; cotton and linen blends for that relaxed and chic feel; and robust polyesters to provide better fade resistance, making it a good choice for very sunny rooms. How to style them. Sheers look gorgeous on their own, although this is better for non-living areas (e.g. hallways, entryways, stairwells) that don’t…

1 LIGHT AND DARK Darker colours can make a room look smaller, cosier and moodier, whereas lighter shades will do the opposite and are ideal in living spaces. 2 PERFECT RATIO Another useful trick is to split your use of colour using a 60-30-10 percent ratio (the boldest needn’t necessarily be the largest percentage, unless it’s a colour you’re passionate about). 3 POWER OF THREE Three is the magic number. If you’re stuck, try paring your colour scheme back to a trio of hues – this can be applied to monochromatic looks (using three shades) or more contrasting colours.…

Pickles can be as simple as vegetables packed into jars with vinegar, the result being a pickle that’s crisp and sharp. Sugar and other flavourings will balance acidity and add complexity. The recipe on the next page is for Lebanese pickled turnip, beetroot and apple, which is traditionally served as part of a mezze platter. As the turnip pickles, it first turns pink, then beetroot red and, by the end of the process, the two vegetables are indistinguishable. This recipe makes 10 cups. Three methods for sterilising jars 1 Put jars and lids through the hottest cycle of a dishwasher without using any detergent. 2 Lie down jars and lids in a hot water urn, cover with cold water, then cover boiler with a lid. Bring water to the boil…

DID YOU KNOW... Daffodils shouldn’t be put in a vase with other flowers? It’s because when cut they secrete a sap poisonous to other blooms. WEED As fast as your desirable plants rise up to greet spring so do the weeds, which are most easily removed while small. Pull out by hand or hoe. Smothering with mulch helps deter them, as does crowding them out with groundcovers. FEED Add bounteous amounts of compost and/or well-rotted manure to the soil to improve soil structure, feed essential microbial organisms and encourage beneficial insects. A pinch or two of blood and bone when planting seedlings never goes amiss either.…

What is it? It’s a 1.8 metres tall, curvaceous, pink mirror with a neon-illuminated frame. It’s technically also a lamp. What does the name mean? ‘Ultrafragola’ means ‘ultimate strawberry’ in Italian. Who designed it? Ultrafragola was designed by Ettore Sottsass Jr in 1970 for Italian design manufacturer Poltronova. It has been produced by Poltronova without interruption since then. Ettore typically favoured shocking and unexpected designs and he was, by all accounts, ahead of his time. The mirror has a distinctive Memphis appeal, despite being designed a decade earlier than the ’80s movement. Ettore would in fact go on to be the founder of the Memphis Group – a company of designers who became known for their bright and bold postmodern designs – 10 years later in 1980. What was the…

Washing my laundry in Ecoya’s Wild Sage & Citrus Laundry Liquid, $34.95, then spraying it with the matching Linen Spray, $24.95. Laundry decadence that makes everything smell of citrus, fig, sage, amber and sandalwood.ecoya.com Dreaming of sleeping on one of Sleepyhead’s Sanctuary range beds. Handmade to order using New Zealand wool and silk, the technology also helps keep your spine aligned and temperature consistent throughout the night. Sweet dreams indeed. From BedRus, bedsrus.co.nz Entranced by Zoe & Morgan’s Komodo signet ring. Inspired by the coral of Komodo Island, this is a thing of beauty. $340 for 22k gold plate.zoeandmorgan.com In awe of what Pet Refuge is doing. The brainchild of Julie Chapman, founder and CEO of KidsCan, she was inspired by what an Australian charity did to help women escape…

Kaukau store is the sum of two great parts – Nadya France-White and Prak Sritharan. Who, before embarking on their joint venture, were each responsible for two of Wellington’s finest concept stores; ENA and Precinct 35, the former run by Nadya and the latter by Prak. Five years of managing their stores, which were directly across the road from one another, eventually led them to the conclusion they could achieve even more if they joined forces. So, after closing their respective stores, Kaukau opened its doors in early 2021 and revealed a thoughtfully and expertly curated retail space dedicated to art and design, and showcasing emerging and existing talent in the industry. Talk us through the name of the store. Kaukau in te reo translates ‘to swim’ or ‘to bathe’.…

Far-flung destinations might be off the table for now but for freelance writer Helene Ravlich and her family, every day at home reminds them of their travels. She and husband Jooles Clements bought their early 1900s Freemans Bay house in Auckland six years ago, drawn to the verdant green valley it looks out on. They’ve since transformed what was a fairly blank canvas into an eclectic city-fringe oasis, inspired by their international getaways. For the love of plants Prior to living here, Helene, Jooles and their son Wolf lived in a villa on Ponsonby’s Richmond Road. But Helene had always fantasised about living on this particular street, a grand, leafy thoroughfare framed by trees. And although Richmond Road had been a great family home, one that Helene had owned since…

Everywhere you look in Sarah and Mark Vivian’s Wellington house there’s old rubbing up against new. Green velvet Trade Me chairs book-end a contemporary black Kartell table, upon which a vintage French crystal vase perches. A mother-in-law’s tongue in an heirloom ceramic pot (it once belonged to Sarah’s grandparents) sits at the end of a contemporary quartzite kitchen island. Modern artworks hang alongside oil paintings. This blend of old and new is a bit of a metaphor for the Vivians, actually – Mark has lived here with his children since 2001, and when he and Sarah met in 2010 he encouraged Sarah to renovate and style it so it felt like home for them all. The house itself is also a mix of old and new, having been built in…

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 couple’s surprise, they found themselves forming a strong emotional connection to their “cute but rundown” century-old weatherboard, tucked away on a leafy street. And before Gemma and Dale knew it, their plan to renovate and move on had evolved into something much more personal. “It quickly went from being a home that we were going to house-flip into a home we plan to stay in for a much longer time,” says Dale. “We found ourselves falling in love with both the house and the area.” The plan Parents to Hugo, three, and one-year-old Angus,…

+ I love a simple backdrop, for instance, keeping to one colour such as white walls and white floors, to let the collections and furnishings speak. + Put your own stamp and personality into your home. Incorporate what you love to collect. This could be anything from painted portraits to 1960s vases or stacks of old books. You want to have uniqueness and something that says it’s you who lives here. + Choose what you love and don’t be swayed by the obvious fashion of the time. One-off vintage items will always bring character into your home.…

Before you start, measure the width of your bed to help you determine what size the base of your headboard needs to be. If you want the headboard to overhang the bedframe, add 10cm to the measurement. I made this headboard for a king bed and my measurements were 2.1m wide with a top height of 1.2m and two 150mm legs. I could get all the pieces I needed from one 2.4m x 1.2m piece of MDF. You will need • 2.4m x 1.2m sheet of plywood or MDF (I used an 18mm thick MDF)• Jigsaw• Drawing pin and string• Pencil and scissors• 3m fabric• Wadding• Gun stapler• Level• 12 x 32mm wood screws 1 Lay the sheet of MDF flat on the ground and measure and mark two 150mm…

House 1 Rach and Connie Team Purple seem to run hot, then cold. In Week 6 things got frosty indeed with the judges’ impressions of their kitchen and dining space. “Smart but soulless” was the verdict. Chris Stevens thought the kitchen didn’t feel very sociable and the corner bench seat felt like a waiting area “for your turn to cook”. A nice comfortable little space was how the judges described the family room, although all were surprised by the choice of a fogged glass, saying it would have been nice to see through the space into the dining room. It was a case of deja vu in the powder room during Week 8’s entryway (powder room and stairs) focus, though with the judges noting the marble-look tiles were similar to…

Cauliflower pizza with mozzarella & zucchini SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS 1 small cauliflower, trimmed, cut into florets ¼ cup coarsely grated cheddar 1 egg, beaten lightly ¾ cup coarsely grated parmesan (see Notes) ½ cup tomato passata 2 small zucchini, sliced thinly into ribbons 1 cup fresh basil leaves 1 fresh small red chilli, sliced thinly 100g buffalo mozzarella, torn coarsely 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp finely grated lemon rind or strips 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Line two oven trays with baking paper; mark a 22cm round on paper, then turn paper over. 2 Process cauliflower until finely chopped. Place in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap; microwave on HIGH (100%) for 12 minutes or until tender. (Alternatively, you can steam…

Sow what Sow capsicums, chillies, corn, cucurbits (courgette, cucumber, melon, pumpkin, squash, gourd etc), eggplants, and tomatoes in trays under shelter, such as a sunny windowsill or veranda. Do not plant out until any danger of frost is over and the temperatures are warmer. South of Tauranga, this may not be until well into November. No advantage is had planting out early, as any cold weather will check growth. Peas and beans may be sown directly into the ground, as can beetroot, coriander, lettuce, rocket, spinach and spring onions. Landscape 101 A dry, hot summer beckons, which is great for us but not so much for birds. A well-chosen and well-placed bird bath will be helpful to them while bringing life and interest into the garden. The birds won’t care…

Be sure to make time to pull out the dandelions (and other tap-rooted weeds) in your lawn – or wherever else they may bug you. This is preferably done sitting or kneeling down with a two-pronged dandelion weeder in your hand. Now, plunge the tines into the soil around the base of the plant and gently but firmly push down on the handle, and out should pop the weed and roots. Be aware damp soil will surrender a root more readily than dry soil. Hortex garden weeder, $13.99, from Kings Plant Barn.…

WE LOVE Ethereal and editorial, these beautiful blooms by Brett Matthew John will inspire you to go sculptural. His orchids are out of this world. @flowersbybrettmatthewjohn New Zealand-based Loretta Flowers is your go-to floral inspo for arrangements that are colourful and a little bit quirky. @loretta_flowers PET OF THE MONTH Six years ago Lucie the shih apso became a member of the Ravlich-Clements house from Silverdale Animal Shelter and immediately became the boss of the family. CONNECT WITH US We love seeing images from our #yourhomeandgarden community @yourhomeandgarden TRENDING ONLINE Why you should store your flowers in the fridge overnight yourhomenandgarden.co.nz TOP INSTAGRAM POST The sage green kitchen island of our dreams @yourhomeandgarden Instagram @yourhomeandgarden | Facebook facebook.com/yourhomegarden | Pinterest pinterest.com/yourhomegarden…

Sometimes, I get stuck in old habits and forget that I can change things around if I want to. It’s a liberating feeling when you permit yourself to shift old ways that no longer serve you. You’re in charge of how you want to feel. The number one thing I hear from readers is that they want more time and simplicity in their lives. In my opinion, the best way to experience such a feeling is to welcome a series of new rituals to your day – particularly first thing in the morning. I believe rituals elevate your everyday living by consciously choosing each moment to be joyful and worthy of our attention. When you prioritise the time to lean into a slower and more intuitive way of life, you…

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 by interior designer Michelle Kelly, and liked what they saw. Michelle’s taste for ice-cream colours, Liberty fabric and William Morris wallpaper was both unexpected and cosy – the perfect mix for their new home. “We would probably have played it safer, but our interior designer Michelle Kelly really pushed us to go with brighter colours, and to be bold and take risks with the design.”JO LAVENDER With Michelle’s help, the couple got to work. They converted the basement into a bedroom and playroom for the children, and redecorated two more bedrooms upstairs. Then, they opened…

• Do a bit of research. Most bought plants will have a card that tells you what they need (how much water and how often, how much sunlight, etc). Failing that, look on the internet. • Find plants that suit your home. If your home gets lots of natural light, then you’ll need plants that enjoy full sun. • Water them. I usually water everything on the same day every week and, if there are a few plants that need watering more often, I do those a couple of times a week on the same day. That way I don’t forget. • Feed your plants. Once or twice a month I will add a liquid indoor plant food to the water. • Try and propagate as many of your plants…

BLACK This strong, masculine look works best when there’s matte and gloss finishes and plenty of glass and lighting NATURALS Warm and sensual, a bathroom with wood elements is a pleasure to be in PINK Kit out the bathroom with flashes of pink. Choose a blush tile or salmon paint and offset with brass hardware for a look that is totally modern WHITE Plain white tiles and chrome finishes is the best approximation of a crisp Scandi bathroom you’ll get this side of Copenhagen…

Choosing window furnishings is one of those decisions that is often left to the last minute. After all, it’s more fun to choose paint colours, bedding, art and furniture. But, as an integral element of interior design, deciding what you’ll dress your windows with should be considered from the outset – even if they’re the last thing to be installed. Whether you want curtains, blinds or shutters, there are a number of things to consider. That’s because within each option there are a variety of styles (i.e. roller blinds, roman blinds, venetian blinds, vertical blinds and honeycomb blinds), and within those there are even more variations (i.e. block out, light-filtering or sunscreen). Josie Marr from Russells Curtains & Blinds says, “Think about the type and amount of light each room…

Is there any facet of interior style more daunting than colour? For many of us, choosing a scheme comes with indecision. I love mint-green but how will it look on all four walls? Will I regret upholstering my couch in navy? Perhaps that nervousness comes from knowing the psychological impact of colour. Deep greens are restful, a reflection of nature. Red evokes everything from anger and danger to passion. Knowing the basics of colour theory is a great place to start. Make like the interior design experts and consult a colour wheel, the classic design tool designed by Sir Isaac Newton will show you in an instant how your favourite shades sit together. Put simply, the wheel is made up of primary, secondary and tertiary colours, then split into warmer…

Not much light filtered into Mel Spooner’s Remuera powder room, so interior designer Clare Kitching of PeachHaus Design and Development decided to embrace the lack of light to create a dark and moody space with a nod to Hollywood glamour. She chose to paint the walls, ceiling and all the trims in Resene Fast Forward. “It’s a beautiful deep slate blue warmed with a moody undertone of green,” she says. “This colour makes the brass details and walnut vanity stand out when lit up by the vintage light from the Czech Republic.” More Resene colours to try: WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR: • Fearless use of colour and/or pattern • Exciting use of wallpaper • Imaginative decoration and finishing. Get your entry in by September 1, 2021 and you could…

Good on ya The motto of Good Farmers, a newly formed community of independent Kiwi farmers, growers and artisan producers is ‘Good Food, grown on Good Land, nurtured by Good Farmers’. They share a passion for premium quality, ethically produced food honouring animal welfare, protecting the rural environment and eliminaging packaging waste. So far there’s muesli, coffee, free-range eggs, honey, sauces, relishes, porridge, A2 milk and an organic butchery involved in selling their wares online and at New World. goodfarmers.nz Get Dirty Waste not, want not is the motto of Dirty International, who has bottled olive brine from Hawke’s Bay olives, which would otherwise be discarded. As the olives marinate for between six and 12 months, the brine takes on a rich flavour that can be used in cocktails, sauces…

I want to sow a lawn in a shady spot. Is there any way this can be done? It is not impossible, however you need to choose a shade-tolerant lawn seed. If the area is under a tree, prune away any lower limbs to let more light through. As your grass is establishing, remember that the shaded spots won’t need as much water – a common mistake is overwatering, causing moss to form. I live in Auckland. Can I use garden soil for my pot plants? We don’t recommend using garden soil for pots. This is because most of Auckland’s soil contains clay, which turns into a slushy mess or a solid brick, depending on the weather. A free-draining mix is best for pots. Potting mix is best for indoor…

Fossil evidence shows the rose to be an ancient flower – about 35 million years old, in fact. From Central Asia it spread throughout the northern hemisphere – America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East – evolving into an estimated 150 species. All but one of these species roses had single flowers with just five petals. Today these species roses are still around, but in the 5000 years since it was first cultivated in China, breeding has created at least 30,000 varieties – some with more than 100 petals. And although they come in myriad shades and colours, the search continues for that elusive true blue one. Here are some of our favourites. The neatest Molineux is a smart upright shrub rose whose compact foliate is quickly smothered in neat…