Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2025 i Your Home and Garden

I don’t think I’ve ever kept a New Year’s resolution but that doesn’t stop me from making them. Rather than do my own for 2025 (eat well, exercise more, become a better house cleaner, paint the shed…), I’m lifting them straight from page 106. My favourite is resolution number 5: I won’t put up with ugly. We’re talking about getting rid of those star ratings stickers on new appliances. I can totally do that. I think I’ll add another to the list: Get a bar. Kate Shanks’ fabulous outdoor bar on the cover has a Mediterranean vibe to it. See the rest of the house on page 24. But, if you have a piece of furniture you could recycle for an indoor bar Nikki Kettle can take you through the…

WALL OF ART Traditional wallpaper is always a winner, but have you ever thought about trying a photo mural? Explore the magnificent Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan from the comfort of your home with a bespoke wallpaper mural. From holiday destinations to pretty sunsets, you’ll want an image on every wall. $546.75, from annabeltaylorhome.com RABBIT HOLD Bookends are the practical piece of decor that you don’t realise you need until you have them. Keep your novels safe on the shelf by securing them between these two cute-as-a-button Rosina rabbit bookends. $99.99, from nood.co.nz STRESS-FREE BUILD GENERATION HOMES HAS BEEN BUILDING THROUGHOUT NEW ZEALAND FOR MORE THAN 27 YEARS. SEE THEIR RANGE OF PLANS AT GENERATION.CO.NZ/TESTIMONIALS Candy stripes A stripy pillow will be the star of the show in any…

home profile MEET & GREET Erina (interior designer) and Matthew Emery (entertainment lawyer) and their son Oliver, 17. THE PROPERTY A four-bedroom, two-bathroom art deco home with three living areas, plus a separate studio in Mt Eden, Auckland, on a 990sqm site. SUNROOM/GARDEN GLIMPSE The white chairs are from David Shaw. In the garden, the white wire chairs and custom-coloured yellow hanging chair are both from Ico Traders and the white dog chair sculpture by Eero Aarnio for Magis is from ECC. “We were drawn to everything about the house, including the location.” Erina Emery has always had an eye for what looks good. Once adept at making people look their best, the fashion designer-turned-interior expert prefers designing homes. With clients across New Zealand and overseas, Erina’s…

Judith de la Cour points to the godwits on the sandbar in the middle of the estuary in front of her Redcliffs home in Christchurch. The birds have taken up residence for summer, having flown in from the Arctic a few months earlier. Earlier, a paddleboard floated past her new home, followed by a small yacht. There’s always something to look at on the water. She’s been in the waterfront home for little more than a year after having built a home on the front of the land and lived in it with her late husband, before building the stainless steel-clad home on the rear of the section in what she considers her forever home. She’s future-proofed the two-storey home with a lift and earmarked the second bedroom and ensuite…

The magic is in the name. The Shark MessMaster Portable Wet/Dry vacuum is the solution to the clumsy household chaos you’ve always dreamed of. Grant yourself the gift of time with the MessMaster. Gone are the days of spending hours stress-plucking fragments of broken glass out of the carpet (we’ve all done it). It’s a lightweight, ultra-powerful, self-cleaning appliance that reduces frustration with ease. Even the experts are raving about it. “I’m thrilled to partner with Shark to launch the MessMaster – it’s an absolute game-changer for any home,” says Shelley Ferguson, interior design guru. “I love that it handles both wet and dry messes effortlessly. Whether it’s after a cooking session with the kids, a dinner party with friends or a DIY mishap, the MessMaster has been a…

1 Pattern mixing For those who have bravely stepped away from the white paint tin and learned to embrace colour, pattern is the next frontier. Liberal use of pattern, particularly mixing designs, is enlivening home interiors, with patterned materials moving from accent cushions to larger surfaces such as walls, furniture and flooring. For example, eye-catching tile and carpet designs, and sofas in bold floral or plaid fabrics. Mixing and matching patterns is a tricky business – sample swatches are your friend – and the secret to success lies in balancing scale. Start with one larger-scale print, then select smaller patterns that speak to the first through colour. EQUINE REDEFINED Think rustic elements such as timber, brick and tiles tempered with a warm colour palette. 2 Saddle up The equestrian aesthetic…

Pesky insects are the bane of alfresco dining. Why not transform an unloved lampshade you might happen to have (or thrift one) into a colourful food cover that will confound those annoying bugs? FROM THIS How to make a food cover 1 Remove the old fabric from the lampshade to reveal the wire frame. Clean and prime the metal framework. 2 Wrap the yarn around the wire frame. You can alternate colours or just use the one shade. We went for red and pink. 3 Spray glue or stitch fabric over the frame. A soft mesh or tulle works best. Cut off the excess and glue the trim to fabric, if you feel inclined. TO THIS…

Aries MARCH 21 TO APRIL 19 2025 is tipped to be a great growing year for bold Aries, especially those who branch out and revamp tired plots and attitudes. Ditching old habits will be liberating but be wary of being too impulsive as you may get bogged down in too many projects. Rather stick with one or two plans and watch them bloom. Ensure, however, you add as much to your soil in the way of compost, manures and other riches, as you extract in the form of fruit and vegetables. Avoid variegated plants in the second half of the year. STAR PLANT: CLIVIA MINIATA (BUSH LILY) Taurus APRIL 20 TO MAY 20 2025 is the year when Taureans can build up their stocks, both financial and horticultural. All the…

Limoncello spritz bars MAKES 14 INGREDIENTS 250g crushed lemon shortbread crumbs (see below) 200g sweetened condensed milk 80g unsalted butter, melted 100g desiccated coconut LEMON COCONUT SHORTBREAD 90g unsalted butter, softened 45g caster sugar 1 egg yolk Pinch of salt Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon 140g plain flour 20g desiccated coconut LIMONCELLO ICING 300g icing sugar 50g unsalted butter, softened 50ml limoncello 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper or silicone baking mats, and line a 20cm square cake tin with baking paper. 2 Make the Lemon Coconut Shortbread. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter, caster sugar, egg yolk and salt until smooth. No need to aerate this mixture, just get it combined. Add…

Emily Timoti is a Tauranga florist who crafts beautiful bouquets and arrangements for weddings, special occasions or just to have to brighten up the house. But her flowers come with a catch – they last forever. Her secret? Felt. Emily hand-makes every petal and stem, championing the medium as one of the few felt florists in Aotearoa. How did you become a felt florist? I started off creating small felt Christmas decorations, mostly personalised and other random bits of felt decor about 12 years ago. We were in Dunedin and our first son was only one. I got tired of hand-stitching everything together. When we moved to Hamilton a year later, I met a flax florist who I had only previously known online through a business group. We clicked…

EDITOR Fiona Hawtin ART & EDITORIAL Content producer Bryony Ammonds-Smith Art director Nicola Feeney Chief sub-editor Michelle Joe Garden editor Mary Lovell-Smith Senior designers Hayley Pearce, Béla Trussell-Cullen Designers Anna Pétursdóttir, Debby Wei CONTRIBUTORS Jane Binsley, Anna Briggs, Florence Charvin, Eleanor Cripps, Jodi D’Arcy, Simon Devitt, Pam Hutton, Nikki Kettle, Living Inside, Angela Lyon, Babiche Martens, Chris Pearson, Ingrid Schumann, Catherine Steel, Swell Productions, Alice Veysey ADVERTISING | CORPORATE Sales director Claire Chisholm Senior commercial brand manager Angela Wei, angela.wei@aremedia.co.nz Senior account managers Chloe Jordan, chloe.jordan@aremedia.co.nz; Amy Madden amy.madden@aremedia.co.nz  Account manager Sara Grace Aldis saragrace.aldis@aremedia.co.nz  Classified sales Kim Chapman, classifieds@xtra.co.nz  Head of digital Melissa Walsh  Senior digital content producer Katie Delany  E-Commerce/shopping editor Sarah Templeton EXECUTIVE  Chief executive officer…

1 Homecoming by Kate Morton ($24.99, Allen & Unwin). A decades-old unsolved murder is revisited when a journalist returns home to Australia. 2 Herbst: Architecture in Context by John Walsh ($75, Massey University Press). Celebrating the portfolio of Herbst Architects with exquisite photography. 3 Think Again by Jacqueline Wilson ($38, Transworld Publishers). The renowned children’s author’s first adult novel revisits some of her most loved characters as they turn 40. 4 The First Friend by Malcolm Knox ($37.99, Allen & Unwin). Part-satire, part-thriller tale imagining a gangster mob ruling over a global superpower. 5 Horti Curious by Ann Treneman ($49.99, Exisle Publishing). A beautifully illustrated guide of flora that any garden lover would enjoy. 6 Invisible Kitties by Yu Yoyo ($33, HarperCollins). A kitten…

home profile MEET & GREET Kirsten (publishing) and Stephen Penny (former art director, now artist) and Nigel the Havanese. THE PROPERTY 1950s two-bedroom bach and sleepout, Point Wells, an hour north of Auckland. FAMILY TALENT The vintage Indian cabinet came from Small Acorns in Wellington, it’s one of the few new pieces bought specifically for the bach. The painting of a Fijian man is by Kirsten’s grandmother and the Dick Frizzell-inspired Four Square Man was painted by a family member when they were in primary school. SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY (left) Stephen painted the beach umbrella work “decades ago” at Elam. The cane chairs belonged to a friend and Kirsten had the rug made from a piece of Riccarton Summer Bouquet carpet, which was edged with canvas. The wooden canvas…

BROUGHT TO YOU BY Shark It’s official – the nation has voted for their favourite interior products. Over four months, readers cast their votes and created four dream rooms. We learned a lot about what people like in their homes, as well as what trends are sticking around in the long term. One thing’s for certain – green accents are not going anywhere. The trend has been around for a while now, and people are still gravitating towards a flourish of green in the home. We’re seeing forest-green feature walls in bedrooms, green sofas in living rooms and sage-green tiles in the bathroom. So, we were very pleased to see that readers selected a green tile splashback in the kitchen. In other rooms, earthy furnishings were the preference. Voters were…

SIGNATURE STYLE Starting from near ground zero, architect Mirta designed this inviting internal porch. The distinctive green exterior baseboard draws on her love of colour and is the type of detail that characterises all of her work. home profile MEET & GREET Mirta Ottaviani (architect and interior designer). THE PROPERTY A 100sqm three-bedroom, three-bathroom coastal villa near Lecce in Puglia, Italy. For some, it is a rug. For others, a painting. For Italian architect and interior designer Mirta Ottaviani the catalyst for this charming coastal home in Puglia, tucked into the heel of Italy, was the local landscape and its architecture. The hilltop towns with their mellow limestone palazzi, the red earth of the fields and the conical contours of the region’s trulli beehive-shaped houses: all…

Matador Tempo portable BBQ, $699, from Bunnings. You can’t go wrong with a solid Matador and this three-burner is ideal for home or away. Equipped with a custom cart and flip down storage shelf, this lightweight and high-performing gas barbecue is a great way to ease yourself into the world of grilling. CasusGrill single use BBQ, $20, from The Warehouse. If you’re not ready to invest in the real thing, go for the single-use option. It’s biodegradable, flameless and gives you an hour of cooking time. It’s also eco friendly and biodegradable. Ninja Woodfire Pro XL Outdoor Electric BBQ grill and smoker, $899.99, from Ninja Kitchen. This weather-resistant electric barbecue offers 100 percent woodfire flavour and a smart probe to take the guess work out of cooking snarlers. With smoker,…

TOP TIP For a little extra bling, apply Resene FX Metallic on feature panels BEFORE I wanted to create an elegant bar set into an old cupboard, but I didn’t want to have to build something from scratch. My solution was to buy an old kitchen buffet found in a secondhand shop that had cupboards and shelving, and then upcycle it. More Resene wallpapers to try: RESENE Wallpaper Collection 751833 RESENE Wallpaper Collection 91341 RESENE Wallpaper Collection FOL201 You will need • An old buffet or bookshelf • Drill • Sandpaper or orbital sander • Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer • Resene EzyFill Quick, if needed • Hardware for drawers/doors • Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Swiss Caramel • Wallpaper for the backing, I used Resene Wallpaper Collection FOL301…

JANUARY Chores January is when holidays, heat and harvest collide. Preparing all your love’s labours in the garden to cope with nature’s whims – too little or too much water, not enough sun, etc – will make it easier to leave town with a lighter heart. Harvest festival Many crops will be ready to harvest, such as early plums, apricots, potatoes and lettuces. Many veggies, such as courgettes, peas and beans, need to be picked daily particularly if the weather is warm. As does deadheading flowers to encourage more blooms and picking these crops to stimulate more. Once the birds start nibbling at apples, they are ripe enough to pick. Be vigilant and harvest as soon as this starts. Taking the waters Help minimise summer flooding by letting excess rain…

TAKE THE BISCUIT Arnott’s Soft Bake and Chunky Cookies range is all about choice and what type of biscuit you’re in the mood for. We would like to point out that Pic’s Peanut Butter Cookies, available in chunky and soft bake, is a great collab. $5.50, arnotts.com/new-zealand LONG, COOL DRINK HOT ON THE HEELS OF SQUID GAME, SEASON 2 COMES BIALETTI’S SQUID GAME RANGE OF STOVETOP ESPRESSO MAKERS AND WATER BOTTLES. FOR DIEHARD FANS, THERE’S ALSO A THERMIC BOTTLE, 600ML, $59.99. BIALETTI.CO.NZ DINNER’S READY My Food Bag Shop is a new delivery service in which you can get boxes sent as a gift to new parents, friends who need some TLC or yourself because you can’t be bothered cooking. Choose from a range of…

Our hearts have been wooed by this home’s dark floorboards. @our_newbrighton_project CONNECT WITH US We love seeing images from our #yourhomeandgarden community. @yourhomeandgarden PODCAST OF THE MONTH If you’re only hearing of The Curve now, get ready to be hooked. The Kiwi financial podcast is a powerful and important resource worth listening to. WE LOVE Dreaming of a beautiful loft bathroom like this (the space alone has sold us). @vintagefuze TOP INSTAGRAM POST This eye-catching playroom captured the imaginations of many. @yourhomeandgarden TRENDING ONLINE Climbing plants are the go-to foliage, according to our readers. yourhomeandgarden.co.nz Answers to Spot the Difference, page 137.…

SPLASHING OUT Sunday Supply Co umbrella, fold-out chairs Business & Pleasure Co; hot tub from Eco Spas NZ and pool by Narellan Pools. home profile MEET & GREET Kate Shanks (Oria Skin owner), her husband Tim Scrimshaw (Coast Build owner), their children Felix, seven, and Dixie, four, Manu the cat and Ted the dog. THE PROPERTY Renovated four-bedroom, two-bathroom ’60s Wainui Beach bungalow. FAMILY HUB The countertop was made by Kate’s brother Ross Shanks, a joiner who runs Coast Build Joinery. MacDirect floating shelves, bar stools from Cintesi, round pendant from Home Lab and island pendants from Father Rabbit. Nestled on a section at Wainui Beach, the home where Kate Shanks lives with her family might never have happened had she not been out for a walk…

SMOOTH RIDE “The Hot Flush” comes perfectly equipped for a weekend getaway. Fully functioning appliances and a handy cocktail cabinet makes for smooth sailing while they’re away. home profile MEET & GREET Annabel Taylor (photographer and interior designer), her husband Greig Taylor (horticulturalist) and their two dogs Ted and Milo. THE PROPERTY Renovated 1970s Trail-Lite caravan in Hawke’s Bay. “The caravan was always going to be our girls’ gin palace and weekend getaway so a palette of pinks was important.” PARADISE FOUND The cushions are from Bed Bath & Beyond, the upholstery fabrics are from Warwick Fabric and the net curtains (and unpictured blackout blinds) are from Spotlight. For a luxe touch, art deco-inspired wallpaper was added to the ceiling. This little pink caravan is a summertime dream.…

SEASIDE SIMPLICITY Frangipani blossoms add colour to this home’s monochromatic palette. Soda the dog adds character to the home when she’s not chilling, sleeping or watching the ocean. KITCHEN Joinery in Polytec Blossom White and benchtops in Caesarstone Pure White are complemented by teak and leather Jok stools. The clam shell is from Freedom and the Moroccan Bejmat tiles create a textured splashback. “It symbolises our travels in the past and I have a thing about kitchen splashbacks,” says homeowner Kristie. “This looks like the reflective inside of a pearl shell.” OPEN PLAN The handwoven rope pendants and engineered timber flooring echo the finishes. “It has knots and an earthiness, but it’s not too pink, yellow or grey, and mimics our greyed-off decking. The Velux skylights keep things bright, but…

Let’s face it – some of us aren’t built for resolutions and routines. If you’re the type who washes the dishes as you use them, vacuums at 8am every Saturday and has never missed rubbish day, this story is not for you. You clearly don’t need it. But some of us start the year with the purest of intentions to keep our homes organised and orderly – only to find it doesn’t take long before life gets in the way. We all know there’s no one-size-fits-all resolution solution so we’ve put together a grab-bag of inspiration – from mega perspectives to micro changes – so you can pick and mix the ideas that ring true for you. 1 ‘I’ll find sanctuary’ Carve out a little corner of your home…

Bookworms in Greytown, with its quaint Victorian buildings, will already know and love Mrs Blackwell’s Village Bookshop, an independently owned shop “for inquisitive minds and romantic souls”. Millie Blackwell, who owns this former libraryturned-store with her husband Adam, as well as a handful of other country lifestyle businesses, lives in an early 1900s stately villa on the edge of the town. The landscaping in Millie’s back garden, which was once formal lawns, roses and trimmed buxus, was ditched for a full working garden with 12 raised beds, citrus, fruit trees, a glasshouse and a cutting garden for flowers. The couple also intend to add chickens to the mix in the not-too-distant future. 1 Which gardening books are your favourites and why? My favourite gardening book is Homegrown Happiness by…

NOTE Romesco can be made a day ahead; keep covered in the fridge. Romesco with fish skewers SERVES 4 You will need 12 bamboo or metal skewers for this recipe. Before using bamboo skewers, soak for 30 minutes in water; if using metal skewers, oil prior to using. INGREDIENTS 2 small red capsicums, quartered 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled 750g firm white fish, cut into 2.5cm pieces 2 tsp smoked paprika 1/3 cup olive oil 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 24 fresh bay leaves ¼ cup blanched almonds 2 Tbsp lemon juice  2 medium lemons, halved 1 Preheat grill on high heat. Place capsicum, skin-side up, and garlic on an oven tray. Place under grill for 15 minutes or until skins are…