free DESIGNER WRAPPING PAPER INSIDE

The definitive festive guide

The

Christmas
INSPO
FOR LUXE,
MODERN
& RUSTIC
DECORATING
STYLES

issue

Eat, drink
& be merry
An Insta--worthy
menu

BEST IN
BAUBLES
Creative
takes on
Christmas
traditions

DIY
PROJECT

DECEMBER 2021 $9.50 (INCL. GST)

Easy bedside table
updates

DECK YOUR
HALLS

HOW TO GET HIGH IMPACT YULETIDE
EFFECTS WITH MINIMAL EFFORT

SOUTHERN
ALPS

Dulux and Colours of New Zealand are registered trade marks of DuluxGroup (Australia) Pty Ltd. Due to limitations of the printing process, images may not represent the true paint colour. Always confirm your colour choice with Dulux Sample Pots.

Photo: Lisa Cohen. Stylist: Bree Leech. Artwork from left: ‘This Life We Share’ by Jasmine Mansbridge, Fenton & Fenton, ‘Untitled no.23’ by Max Lawrence White, Modern Times, ‘Blue Savana’ by Mim Fanning, Studio Gallery.

Find your colour at
dulux.co.nz

SOUTHERN ALPS

One of our most popular whites.

CONTENTS
December

62

12
Shopping
12
14

F R E S H F I ND S
T HAT ’S A WR AP

Homes
38

T R E E CA NDY

Classic tree decorations

52

20 GO GREEN
STO C K I N G F I L L E R S

Most are under $20
24

READ THE ROOM

62

Books as presents
26
34

L I V I N G WE LL

A mindful Christmas
1 4 6 L AST LO O K

Gift ideas from a stylist
4

YOUR H O ME A ND GA R DE N

FAM ILY T R E E

Mid-century living
at its best

ME R RY D EC O RATI N G

Yuletide styling

A HE A D O F T H E C URVE

Modern, organic and
ready for the festive
season, this house is a
natural crowd-pleaser

Sage tips for an eco season
23

H O M E FO R T H E H O L I DAYS

A classic villa is beautifully
reimagined in time for
Christmas

Festive paper
16

72

72

H A P PY HO US E

An ’80s bungalow
is updated with
lashings of colour
and interesting finds

Renovation
8 4 F R O M G R U TO G L A M

A ramshackle villa is
relocated to west of
Auckland for some TLC
and transformed into a
much-loved, light-filled
family house

Makeover
94 BA NG ON

Make your own Christmas
crackers
96 HEA RT O F TH E CI T Y

A couple have taken
a Cuba St apartment in
Wellington and unleashed
their formidable creativity
on it
1 0 4 T H E B LO C K N Z

It’s been two years coming,
but The Block NZ houses
have been auctioned and
there are winners
1 1 0 D I Y B E D S I D E D R AW E R S

Nikki Kettle updates some
drawers – three ways

96

138

116
Food
11 4 D R I N K UP

A bevvy of pretty cocktails
11 6 H OL I DAY F EAST

A Christmas spread with
something for everyone
124 AMAZING GRAZE

The mother of all
grazing platters for easy
summer get-togethers
128 SOUND BITES

New and appetising food,
drink and serveware

Gardens
132 SCENTS OF TRADITION

The Christmas lily is the
flower of the moment
1 3 4 C O N STA N T GA R D E N E R

Mary Lovell-Smith’s
December list – because
the grass keeps growing
over Christmas
1 3 8 U P T H E GA R D E N PAT H

Not all paths are
created equal. Some are
purposeful to get you
from A to B, while others
are more meditative. Find
what works for you

On the cover
Fiona Goddard’s soft pastel
Christmas tree decorations
received an injection of
lipstick-pink hydrangeas for
our cover shoot. Turn to page
38 to see if you can spot the
special ornament on the tree
made by four-year-old Billie,
who was chief shoot assistant
on the day.
Photography Helen Bankers
Styling Catherine Wilkinson
Artificial flowers by Curated
Botanics.

YOU R HO M E AND GARD EN

5

Hello

Fiona Hawtin, Editor

This month I’m…

Hoping for these Pols Potten Roman vases.
In fact, I’m not going to wait for Santa. $415 for
the set of four. smithandcaugheys.co.nz

Getting up at the crack of dawn each
day so I can open another drawer in this
Glasshouse advent calendar box, $279.
The reward is scented candles, creams
and perfume miniatures. I may also have
to invest in the Spinning Carousel, $34.99,
which twirls when you put it on top of
a candle and light. Truly enchanting.
glasshousefragrances.com
Slathering on Emma
Lewisham’s Illuminating
Face and Body Oil, the latest
product from the skincare
line that is taking the world
by storm. It’s shimmery and
hydrating, plus the oil-soluble
hyaluronic acid means skin
is plumped for more than
eight hours. In love. $92,
emmalewisham.com
6

YOU R HO ME A N D GA RD E N

In need of these Tencel Videris pyjamas.
I need to get them ahead of Christmas so I
can lounge around on Christmas morning.
Actually, I may spend the day in them as they
do double duty as easy daywear. $180 for the
shirt, $150 for the pants. viderislingerie.com

PHOTOGRAPHY, HAIR AND MAKE-UP CAROLYN HASLETT. FIONA WEARS HELEN CHERRY JACKET, LONELY CAMI AND ZOE & MORGAN NECKLACE.

S

o this is Christmas and what have you done? Well, like many,
I’ve been in lockdown for much of the year, and my home
has become my universe. Has that stopped me getting
excited about Christmas? Not a chance.
In fact, having got the jump early in the November magazine,
just like this issue, my festive preparation is reaching fever pitch.
Christmas really is the ultimate mood enhancer. Everything is so
much better with baubles, so going all out is a way of defying
the sucky year, celebrating family, friends, resilience and our
collective humanity.
We’ve got plenty of decorating ideas from our cover house’s
pretty Yuletide treatment on page 38 to the organic, earthy style of
the home on page 52. There’s even an idea for a Christmas tree
made of parasols on page 26. We’ve got stocking filler ideas on
page 23. Or you could buy a subscription to Your Home and Garden
for a friend or renew your own and be in to win a Mitsubishi car
(page 106). On the food front, there’s a menu with plenty of posh
festive salads and a genius grazing platter starting on page 116.
You’ll also find a sheet of one of our two designs of Your Home
and Garden x Studio Bon designer wrapping paper included in
your issue. It’s our way of saying Merry Christmas from the team at
Your Home and Garden.

Freedomfurniture.co.nz

Sorrento Leather Modular Sofa in Bendigo Tan

Design Your World

Social club

Runway-worthy homewares and Christmas inspo

ART & EDITORIAL
Deputy editor Bea Taylor
Art director Nicola Feeney
Chief sub-editor Michelle Joe
Garden editor Mary Lovell-Smith
Senior designers Béla Trussell-Cullen, Tanya Wong
Designers Demelza Callesen, Alice Bush
CONTRIBUTORS
Kate Alexander, Helen Bankers, Anna Briggs,
Jackie Brygel, Florence Charvin, Sarah Ellison,
Shelby George, Debbie Harrison, Carolyn Haslett,
Nikki Kettle, Claire Moriarty, Eleanor Ozich,
Jessie Prince, Sarah Rowlands, Emily Suyee,
Catherine Wilkinson

Hat or lampshade?
The latter, but we’re
easily fooled, Lana
brings a fashionable
approach to her handmade lampshades.

WE LOVE

EDITOR
Fiona Hawtin

@shadeslaunay

PET OF THE MONTH
Glass artist Amanda’s
painterly pieces are
a hit – and her glass
baubles are exactly
what your Christmas
tree is mising.

Despite an initial
reluctance to having
people in his home,
Scottish short-hair
Bear relaxed into the
shoot after a quick
cat-nap. Page 38

@amanda_dziedzic

CONNECT WITH US
We love seeing images from our
#yourhomeandgarden community.

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8

YO U R HO M E AN D GA RD E N

Joy to the dining room Make merry
this Christmas by adding plenty of Meri
Meri’s cute honeycomb trees, festive
princess crowns and super-cute crackers
to the table. Who cares if there’s no
room for the food? Meri Meri Rainbow
Forest Honeycomb set, $68 (pack of 10),
and Sausage Dog Crackers, $79 (set of
six); both from Tea Pea Home.

10

YOUR H OME AND GAR DE N

SHOPPING
12

Fresh finds
Festive trends and
cool presents.

14

We love
A wrap party with
all the trimmings.

26

Merry decorations
Get jolly and
deck the halls.
YO U R H OME AN D GA R DEN

11

House of card Here’s an
advent calendar you’ll be
tempted to leave up all year
– Rifle Paper Co’s Night
Before Christmas with
24 windows featuring
sweet illustrations. $48,
madamefancypants.com

SEW FESTIVE While away the hours until

Santa arrives with this charming Night Before
Christmas embroidery project. $49.90
for the supplies, from cleverpoppy.com

Be-leaf it Celebrate
GIRL’S BEST FRIEND If you love a bit of bling, try
your hand at some diamond art. It’s like paint-bynumbers but with gems. Sparkle art kit in blue moon,
around $51 from journeyofsomething.com
12

YO UR H OM E A ND GAR D EN

Christmas with a festive
foliage garland that will last
all season. $36, teapea.co.nz

S

WIRED M A KE
WF H A STYLI SH A ND
C ORDL ES S S PACE
W ITH LO G I TEC H’S
NEW MI NIM ALIST
W IRELES S KEYB OA RD,
T HE MX K EYS M INI ,
I N PA LE GRAY,
GRAPHITE OR ROSE.
$ 199, LO GI TECH.C OM

Making shapes Earthy colours
meet a popping mid-century geometric pattern
for a cushion that makes a statement.
$54.95, freedomfurniture.co.nz

Line up
FULL OF BEANS
KICK BAC K AND R EL AX I N STYLE
WI TH SAGE & CLA RE ’S HA NNA
PRI NTED B EA N BAG. $299,
MOIONGEORGE.NZ

A stalwart of
Christmas
decor: 34cm
Nutcracker
assorted, $10,
from kmart.
co.nz

FORCE OF NATURE

Kensal flowers and our very own
photographer Kate Battersby have
teamed up to create a striking limited
edition floral photographic print that
would make the perfect Christmas gift
this year. From $150, find it at
kensal.nz

IIT TALA N APP U LA
PLA NT POT I N DA RK
GR E E N , $169, FR OM
BO LTOF CLOTH .C OM

STAINED GLASS These Maroyaka vases come in five different colour combinations,
each one expertly blended for full spectrum colour. $71 each, noxudesign.com

YOUR H O ME A ND GAR DE N

13

WE LOVE

That’s a wrap
Make your gifts the talk of the silly
season with these festive trimmings
ings

3

2

1

4

5

6
7

8

9

10

1 50m Christmas craft bakers twine, $3, from Kmart. 2 Printed gloss wrapping paper in pōhutukawa, $59.50
. (50m), from Ribbon & Blues. 3 Printed matte wrapping paper
in ivory with gold stars, $59.50 (50m), from Ribbon & Blues. 4 Printed gloss wrapping paper in reindeer pine cones soft
f red, $20
$ (10m), ffrom Ribbon & Blues.
5 Wrapping paper band roll in gold, $5.99, from Typo. 6 Christmas tree gift tag, $3, from Tea Pea Home. 7 Merry Christmas gift tag, $4, from Father Rabbit. 8 Crosses
wrap, from $5.90; Ho Ho Ho gift tag set in neon, $14.50 (10-pack); and Paper gift string, $8.95 (set of three), from Made Paper Co. 9 Rifle Paper Co Letters to Santa card,
$7.90, from Father Rabbit. 10 Jolly & Joy Holly gift tags in multicoloured, $5.50 (pack of 12), from Spotlight.

14

YOU R HO ME A ND GA RD E N

2
1
4
3

S T Y L E S TA L K E R

5

Winter
wonderland

6

Celebrate the Yuletide in
classic Christmas style
8

9

7
10

11

1 Gingerbread man and woman tree decoration, $35, from Father Rabbit. 2 Jolly & Joy glitter snowflake decoration, $11 (pack of two), from Spotlight. 3 Home of
Christmas glass circus bauble, $19.99, from Farmers. 4 Home of Christmas pear shaped finial tree decoration in red, $7.99, from Farmers. 5 Winter Wonderland rocking
horse decoration, $8.99, from Adairs. 6 Jasmine pink & gold sequin bauble, $9.99, from Adairs. 7 Home of Christmas glass deco finial in gold, $14.99, from Farmers.
8 Mini stocking with pom poms decoration, $28.50, from Father Rabbit. 9 Home of Christmas glass matte white bauble with gold glitter, $19.99, from Farmers.
10 Reindeer decoration in grey, $17.99, from Shut The Front Door. 11 Folklore Christmas house tree decoration, $3 (pack of four), from Kmart.

16

YO UR HO ME A N D GA RD E N

THE BEST
KITCHENS
BEGIN WITH
BLANCO

PYROLYTIC
CLEANING

Introducing Pyrolytic cleaning with BLANCO
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function. Pyrolytic self-cleaning is the fastest way to clean an oven. At a 400°C
temperature everything turns to ash, so no chemical cleaners are necessary with
this great cleaning method. When the program is finished, just let the oven cool
down and wipe it out with a damp cloth.
Discover the BOSE699PIX and other great kitchen appliances at blanco.co.nz
Monaco Corporation Ltd. is proud to be the official partner of BLANCO in the New Zealand market.
@BlancoNewZealand
@blanco_newzealand

4

2
3

1

S T Y L E S TA L K E R

5

Out of the
ordinary

6

Up the quirk factor with decorations
that surprise and delight
7
8
9

11
10

1 Home of Christmas glass chips in red and white, $11.99, from Farmers. 2 Glass effect dark aqua bauble, $9.99, from Adairs. 3 Red lobster vintage glass decoration, $16.99,
from Adairs. 4 Espresso martini resin Christmas ornament, $5.99, from Typo. 5 Star Wars stormtrooper resin Christmas ornament, $5.99, from Typo.
6 Sewing machine resin Christmas ornament, $5.99, from Typo. 7 Felted mini mice Christmas decoration, $39 (set of three), from Father Rabbit.
8 Kiwifruit vintage glass decoration, $10.99, from Adairs. 9 Fairy felted pink tutu mouse, $14.99, from Adairs. 10 Red beetle vintage glass decoration, $14.99, from Adairs.
11 Home of Christmas Glass shell bauble in aqua, $14.99, from Farmers.

18

YO UR HO M E A N D GA R D EN

ENCOURAGE GREEN FINGERS If you’re
stuck for what to get a family member or
friend, why not encourage them to start
thinking about garden-to-table produce
growing with a chic garden box? The Garden
Bunch gift box, $122, from fatherrabbit.com

Rethink your
wrapping
It’s hard not to fall for wonderful
Christmas wrap, but if the mountains
of glossy paper left over after the giftgiving extravaganza leaves you wincing,
why not wrap your gifts in fabric this
year? Either buy your own fabric and
hem it so your gift recipient can use it
as a tea towel, or wrap it in a reusable
bag. Essentially giving them two gifts
in one. Lucky them!

ECO CHRISTMAS

Go green
A few ways to be kinder on the
planet this festive season

A SHOPPER’S
BEST FRIEND

OH, HONEY Urban

apiarists Bees Up Top
rescue bee swarms
before they’re
exterminated. This
Christmas, support
them and the bee
population by
purchasing their honey,
or even gift a rented
hive. Swanson Honey,
$16.95, beesuptop.co.nz

TAK E TH IS WI TH YOU
W HE N YOU GO
SH OPP I NG TH IS
CHRISTMAS, OR GIVE
O NE TO S OM EO NE
E L S E . K I N D R E U SA B L E
BAG IN MED I UM
T RI COLOU R, $22 , FR OM
G O O DT H I N G.C O. N Z

ANOTHER CRACK If you love the
tradition of pulling on Christmas crackers, but
hate the waste, you’ll find your sustainable
solution at Waste Free Celebrations. Their
reusable crackers are filled with plastic-free,
locally made gifts, reusable cotton crowns and
are designed with a clever inter-locking tube
to ensure you’ll get the satisfying ‘crack’
when you reuse them next year. Christmas
Re-Crackers in Have a Holly Christmas, from
$199.95 for six, wastefreecelebrations.co.nz
20

YO UR HO M E A N D GA RD E N

Handmade gifts
Nothing shows thoughtful gifting more than a
home-made present. Sometimes simplicity is best,
if you aren’t a painter, potter or sewer, a jar filled
with treats (shortbread, rocky road, peanut brittle)
could be just the thing. Or, create a gift voucher to
take them out to their favourite local cafe.

&KHFNGRXEOHJORYH

Festive scen
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COMFORT AND
Fabulous
festive
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Plush
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Pickup mug

Pressed pine
s
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Marshmallow
gift set

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VOLGHV

Stella chair

www.bedbathandbeyond.co.nz

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Gift guide
Spread the Yuletide cheer
with these great ideas

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS

One power to rule them all
Mow smaller lawns with the RYOBI 18V ONE+ 4.0 Ah 33cm Lawn
Mower Kit. It includes a RYOBI 18V 4.0Ah battery and charger, which
powers over 100 ONE+ tools. This battery-powered mower starts with
the press of a button and is the perfect Christmas gift for yourself, a
family member or loved one. ryobi.co.nz

When it comes to Christmas gifts, we all know that
it’s the thought that counts. So, this year, make it count
for even more, with a Bunnings Gift Card. Nothing beats
that feeling of receiving a gift card and thinking,
“I can put this towards something really special,
something I’ve been wanting for ages!”
This Christmas show that you’re really thinking
of them with a Bunnings Gift Card.

S

Just Great Designs Pene Hinu crayons,
$15.99, from Shut the Front Door.

Bon Bon Lotus
Flower Body
Butter, $19.95,
from Ecoya.

100 Yoga
Poses cards,
$19.90, from
Nood.

Donovans Strawberry
Pavlova Clusters,
Dark Chocolate
Peppermint Bites and
Raspberry Ambrosia
Clusters, $4.29 each.

Living & Co
digital alarm
clock, $14, from
The Warehouse.
Marvel cap,
$12, from
The Warehouse.

STOCKING
FILLERS
Little Animal
camel, $5.50
from Father
Rabbit.

Mini Punch needle kit,
$6.90, from Iko Iko.

most for
$20
AND UNDER

Gibson & Green Rosemary and Tomato
seeds, from $5 each, from Father Rabbit.

Thirsty Skin Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum,
$20.99 from Bondi Sands.
10-in-1 survival tool,
$11.90 from Iko Iko.

Duck dish
cloth, $8.99,
from Nood.
Tony’s Chocolonely
Gingerbread bar, $9.90
from Cook & Nelson.

Flourish wildlife cosmetic
bag, $19.90, from Bed Bath
& Beyond.

Living & Co
ceramic oil
burner, $8,
from The
Warehouse.
Blue Q pencil case, $12.90, from Iko Iko.

YO U R HOM E AND GARD EN

23

Read the room
Books make the best presents and are always gratefully received

1

5

2

3

6

4

8

7

12
9

10

11

1 Wonderland by Annie Leibovitz ($140, Phaidon). A brilliant anthology of 350 of her fashion images. 2 Under Coconut Skies by Yasmin Newman ($65, Smith Street Books).
A colourful cookbook from the Philippines. 3 Three Birds Renovation Dream Home How-to by Bonnie Hindmarsh, Erin Cayless and Lana Taylor ($45, Murdoch Books).
The Aussie reno trio’s latest ideas and inspo. 4 Taste by Stanley Tucci ($45, Penguin Random House). The food-obsessed actor’s life of eating. 5 Fantastically Great
Women ($45, Bloomsbury). Inspire young women with the real exploits of extraordinary women. 6 Planting: A New Perspective by Piet Oudolf and Noel Kingsbury
($90, from Dear Reader). The go-to tome from a Dutch master gardener and a naturalistic British gardening writer on sustainable planting design. 7 Last Shot by
Jock Zonfrillo ($49.99, Simon & Schuster). The MasterChef Australia judge’s no-holds-barred memoir. 8 Scandi Rustic by Rebecca Lawson and Reena Simon ($49.99,
from Father Rabbit). Perfect for those who like their Scandi rather rustic. 9 Bayrut by Hisham Assad ($65, Smith Street Books). Mouth-watering recipes from Lebanon.
10 Every Room Should Sing by Beata Heuman ($155, from Dear Reader). Decorating joyously from the in-demand Scandi designer. 11 The Song of Achilles by Madeline
Miller ($42.99 by Bloomsbury). A retelling of Homer’s Iliad in novel form. 12 High Vibe Home by Kirsten Yagouda ($44.99, Chronicle Books). Feng shui meets interior
design for stylish, restorative spaces.

24

YO U R HOM E A ND GA R DE N

Blur the boundaries between your indoors and out, with
lounge suites worth lounging on – by the pool or your
favourite shady spot. Make sure you have everything
you need, because soon you’ll be too relaxed to move.

Your better outdoor living
Shop the new outdoor range

briscoes.co.nz

Merry
decoration
Decking the halls is a great mood
enhancer, so try some of these on for size
Throw some shade
The creatives of the world will always
seek to find new ways to represent the
Christmas tree. This is a brilliant and easy
take on it. Take five parasols and fix them
in various states of openness. Secure one
on top of the other and it’s job done.

S

Grand entrance
We may have moved on to putting wreaths
up anywhere and everywhere but still the
best place for one is the front door. This
wreath ups the ante by adding a pair of
ice skates, a big advance on the more
traditional red berries (faux or otherwise),
flowers, ribbons and pine cones. If you
have a skater in the house, it’s a novel idea.
Otherwise, go with what you’ve got.

Gracious Objet
des Fleur wreath,
$355, from
French Country.

Jolly & Joy
berry garland
wreath, $45, from
Spotlight.

Bauble candle
wreath, $35, from
French Country.

YOU R H OM E AND GAR DEN

27

So chair-ful
Pay attention to the smallest
details – even the chairs
around the table. Whip out to
the garden and rustle up a fir
or pine branch, or whatever
greenery is close to hand. Tie
a classic Christmas tree bauble
or two to it and wrap it onto
the back of a chair with a
bright ribbon. It’s a favourite
and will make everyone feel
that little bit special.

Ceramic star,
$11.99, from
Farmers.

Black satin ribbon, $27.50
(2.5cm, 45m), from Ribbon
& Blues.

Wonderland Evergreen
Grove baubles, $5
(25-pack), from
The Warehouse.

28

YO UR H OME A N D GA R DE N

S
Mantel as anything
The mantelpiece is, of course, an area that usually
receives a great deal of festive decorative emphasis.
Stockings, garlands and candles are the go-tos but
how about an eclectic mix of whatever you can find?
Ideally, you’ll be able to hunt out a large reindeer to
oversee proceedings. Trailing some LED twinkle lights
through your rambling arrangement and the odd bit of
real flora and fauna is also recommended.
Gracious Objet
des Fleur dome,
$455, from
French Country.

Reindeer
candle
holder, $129,
from French
Country.

Pre-lit spruce
Christmas tree,
$499 (7ft), from
Farmers.

Potted pine Christmas
tree, $59.90, from
French Country.

Berry light-up
Christmas tree,
$309, from
French C
Country.

O Christmas tree
It’s still one of the most beloved festive decorations regardless
of whether it’s real or faux. It can be ceiling-scrapingly tall
or a petite version in the corner, but it is the centrepiece of
Christmas activity from unwrapping presents to standing
around it at night, marvelling at the sparkly lights. There must
be 1001 ways to decorate it – it all comes down to individual
preference. This tree though (right), is a lovely example of
deliberate under-decorating to allow the glamorous gifts
underneath to sparkle and shine.

Jolly & Joy brush tree,
$8.50 (three-pack),
from Spotlight.

Felt ball garland, $29.99, from The Party Room.

Simple pleasures
One for the ‘less is more’ types. This pared-back
pink garland on a wall could be overshadowed if you
have a whole lot of things going on. But if you’re
all about pulling back on the decorations, then
a few of these scalloped on walls will have maximum
impact. There’s also less tidying away come January.

Lavender fan
garland, $7.99, from
The Party Room.

30

YO UR HOM E AN D GA R DE N

Ombre Home boho bloom
garland beads, $10, from
Spotlight.

YH&G + NEXGARD SPECTRA

Pest patrol
Ready for action against pet parasites? To keep your dog
free of nasties, all you need is a little know-how and regular
treatment from the experts at Nexgard Spectra

O

ne of the major challenges for
pet owners is keeping our fur
babies safe from parasites. It’s
extremely common for dogs to
bring fleas, ticks and worms into
the home, and once these
nasties have made themselves comfortable,
they’re hard to remove. Initially causing your pet
moderate discomfort, if allowed to thrive, these
pests can create serious health issues. Happily,
you can easily save your four-legged friend –
and yourself – from the pain, stress and cost of
infestations. The experts at Nexgard Spectra are
passionate about ensuring your pet’s lifelong
health and are on a mission to dispel common
myths about those pesky parasites.
MYTH 1: I keep my house and my dog clean,
so fleas won’t be an issue. Unfortunately, there’s
no escaping fleas, they are extremely prolific,
lurking on wild and domestic animals, and easily
hitching a ride into your home on your dog. The
only option is to kill the fleas and keep killing
them, by treating all pets in your home.
MYTH 2: If I treat fleas when I see them,
my dog will be fine. This is one of the most
common reasons flea infestations develop.
Treating fleas once they’re visible is too late
because more will hatch from all the eggs and
pupae in the environment. Killing a flea within
24 hours of it landing on a pet is key to breaking
the lifecycle and ensuring it doesn’t lay eggs.
Treatment with Nexgard Spectra kills fleas fast,
constantly and for a whole month.

MYTH 3: Ticks aren’t really a problem in
New Zealand. We are lucky in New Zealand
that our ticks do not transmit disease. However,
they can cause discomfort, and lead to scratching
and associated skin infections, so controlling
them is important.
MYTH 4: I can’t be infected by worms from
my dog. Dogs can be infected by lots of different
worms, and most won’t affect your family. But
roundworms can be a real danger to humans.
These pests enter the environment from infected
dog poo and can quickly spread. A human
infection can lead to lots of different health
issues, including asthma and epilepsy, and has
been linked to reduced learning ability in
children. So protection is key for both your dog
and your family.
MYTH 5: There are effective treatments
that will protect my dog against all parasites
for longer than a month. Killing fleas fast all
the time is key to getting an infestation under
control. Nexgard Spectra kills fleas in less than
12 hours for the full treatment period. It’s also
important to know that worming every three
months is not enough to stop roundworm eggs
from spreading – but monthly worming can.

Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health New Zealand Limited.
Level 3, 2 Osterley Way, Manukau, Auckland, New Zealand|
NEXGARD SPECTRA® is a registered trademark of
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health France. Registered
pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997 | No. A011184 | © Copyright
2021 NZ-CAN-0061-2021

Want to save your fur baby
from all these issues?
For fleas, ticks and worms
done in one, treat your dog
every month with Nexgard
Spectra – comprehensive
protection delivered in a tasty,
beef-flavoured chew. Find it at
all good veterinary outlets.
Visit nexgardspectra.co.nz

Tangles
of tinsel
Yes, it’s made of plastic
so it’s not great for the
environment, but if you
have any stray tinsel falls
left over from that age of
innocence pre-Greta
Thunberg, how about
hanging it over
a doorway and giving
it a fringe trim?

Cirque bauble,
$22.50, from French
Country.

Unfurling lengths of ribbons in
different colours and affixing
them to a wall behind a console
is a fitting background for
Christmas and non-Christmas
ephemera. What you display is
entirely over to you but it could
have personal significance, such
as a mask you picked up earlier
in the year for a craft project or
something simple, like a cork
from a bottle of champagne you
popped the week prior and a
favourite paper decoration.

Wonderland battery
star
with foliage
Wonderland
hanging
LED
light,
Grove
Evergreen
$9,
from
The
foliage star, $9, from
TheWarehouse.
Warehouse
Honeycomb
Christmas tree,
$14.99, from
The Party Room.
32

YOU R H O ME A N D GAR D E N

PHOTOGRAPHY FUTURE PUBLISHING, ARE MEDIA SYNDICATION

Straight lines

Rehydrates you faster
than water alone.
ALWAYS READ THE LABEL. USE ONLY AS DIRECTED. IF SYMPTOMS PERSIST, TALK TO YOUR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL.
DISTRIBUTED IN NZ BY HEALTHCARE LOGISTICS 0800 226 598.

PHOTOGRAPHY ELEANOR OZICH

Try these classic
gingerbread cookies
with a twist. Naturally
sweetened with maple syrup and
a hint of cocoa, the dough only takes
minutes to whip up, making them a
fantastic homemade gift. Just 8-10
minutes in the oven, and they’re
perfect. Top with a drizzle of
melted chocolate if you’re
feeling fancy.

34

YO U R HOM E A ND GA R DE N

S
Chocolate & maple
gingerbread cookies
MAKES 24
INGREDIENTS

21 ideas
for fun
stocking
fillers

1½ cups flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp sea salt
75g butter, cut into cubes
1 free-range egg
½ cup pure maple syrup
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line two trays with

baking paper.
2 Add all ingredients to a food processor, and
pulse until the dough starts to come together.
3 Bring the dough together into a ball and roll out
onto a lightly floured surface, about 3mm thick.
4 Cut out shapes using cookie cutters, then place
them 2cm apart on the baking trays. Re-roll any
scraps of dough to cut out more shapes.
5 Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until crisp around
the edges. They will harden as they cool.
6 Allow to cool on the trays. Decorate, if
preferred, with melted chocolate and toppings
of choice. Store in an airtight container.

LIVING WELL

A planet-positive
gifting guide
ELEANOR OZICH
Home wellness expert

Spread some joy in a considered, mindful way and have
yourself a merry, eco-friendly Christmas

W

hen it comes to Christmas,
I value slow, sustainable and
intentional gift giving. I opt for
quality over quantity, and believe that less
is always more. Most conventional stocking
stuffers involve plenty of plastic and excess
wrapping, which often ends up in the
landfill – something I don’t enjoy thinking
about. But not to worry, as I’m here to offer
some lovely, thoughtful alternatives.
In a time where we’re mostly shopping
online and trying to spend less money,
I’ve curated a list of 21 ideas that inspire
a feel-good Christmas. Not only are these
gift ideas friendlier on the earth, they’re
also an excellent opportunity to share the
joy of local or artisan-made goodies with
your loved ones.

A few of my favourite
online stores offering
beautiful gifts
· Paper Plane Store paperplanestore.com
· Sunday Homestore sundayhomestore.co.nz
· Trade Aid tradeaid.org.nz
· Mt Atkinson mtatkinson.co.nz
· Garden Objects garden-objects.com
· Father Rabbit fatherrabbit.com
· Citta Design cittadesign.com
· A&C Homestore achomestore.co.nz
· Ornament ornament.co.nz
· Tessuti tessuti.co.nz
eleanorozich.com

1. Plastic-free lip balm.
2. A considered book
or novel.
3. Beeswax candlemaking kit.
4. Reusable sandwich
bags.
5. Fancy herbal tea,
chai or hot chocolate
mix.
6. Fun patterned
underwear.
7. Artisan or fair-trade
chocolate.
8. Reusable cotton
mesh produce bags.
9. Natural beeswax
crayons.
10. Homemade
gingerbread cookies
(see recipe).
11. Bamboo or
melamine plates for
summer picnics.
12. Homemade
layered cookie or cake
mix in a jar.
13. Sweet little
packets of wildflower
or vegetable seeds.
14. Small ceramic
vessels such as
a jewellery holder
or soap dish.
15. Knitted reusable
dishcloths or tea
towels.
16. Mini jigsaw puzzles
or card games.
17. Natural
watercolour paints.
18. Quirky patterned
socks.
19. A beautiful
notebook for
journalling.
20. Bamboo or
wooden cutlery set.
21. Neat wall hooks.

YOU R HO M E AN D GARD E N

35

PHOTOGRAPHY HELEN BANKERS STYLING CATHERINE WILKINSON

Come dine with me
Bringing family together
round the table to
celebrate Christmas is
even sweeter when your
dining room has been
remodelled. For more
about this updated villa,
turn the page.

36

YO UR H OM E AN D GAR DE N

HOMES
38

Home for the
holidays
An Auckland
villa blossoms
for Christmas.

52

Ahead of the curve
Maiko Nagao Irvine
remodelled her
home in her
signature natural
style. The same goes
for Christmas.

62

Family tree
Mid-century style
rules in this
family home.
YOU R HOM E A ND GA RD EN

37

LIVING ROOM Fiona Goddard stands
in the living room of her Birkenhead
home. The artificial flowers on the
mantel, tree and wreath (right) are
from Curated Botanics. The Yves
marbled round votive on the shelf is
from Father Rabbit. The black ticking
stripe cushion on the windowseat is
from Thread Design. The hammered
brass bowl on the coffee table is from
Ornament. The Flaxmill linen cushion
in winter moss is from A&C Homestore.

H

Home for the

HOLIDAYS
An Auckland villa has blossomed over the past three years and is
now the merriest of places to be for the Goddard family
Text Debbie Harrison Photography Helen Bankers
Styling Catherine Wilkinson

YOU R H O ME A ND GA RDE N

39

SEASONAL CHEER
Fiona is looking forward
to creating some
Christmas traditions with
her children Billie and
Ruben, including hanging
striped stockings, which
are from Citta. The
artificial flower garland
on the mantel is from
Curated Botanics. Broste
cocktail glasses in smoke
from A&C Homestore.

40

F

or Josh and Fiona Goddard, Christmas
this year will be their most exciting yet.
For the first time, they get to celebrate
as a family of four, including adorable
toddler Billie and new arrival Ruben.
Covid restrictions will decide whether
they get to spend it as they usually do
– with family in Whakatāne, Taupō
and Ohakune – or at their home in Birkenhead,
Auckland, but whatever the case, the run-sheet of the
day will be the same as it always is: lots of good food
and relaxing. Well, hopefully.
“It’s always good to see Josh relax on Christmas Day
and that holiday stretch. His business is usually so
busy that those few weeks over Christmas are the
only ones he gets. But if we stay in Auckland this
year, chances are we’ll end up getting stuck into jobs
around the house as it’s a never-ending to-do list with
villas,” says Fiona.
She is looking forward to creating a few new
traditions with her children this year.
“We always have Secret Santa as a family, but this
year we will start some of our own traditions with
Billie and Ruben. I love hanging knitted striped

YO U R HOM E A N D GA RD EN

stockings on the mantel and am so looking forward to
having four hanging up this year with our newest
member Ruben having his first Christmas.”
To bring the festive spirit into the lounge of their
large villa, the Christmas tree will be decked in
decorations she’s sourced over the years from Farmers,
Citta, Bed Bath N’ Table, as well as various florals she’s
dried herself. A Tibetan lambswool rug at the base
of the tree both looks good as a finishing touch and
hides the tell-tale feet of the faux tree.
“Usually I buy a real Christmas tree but we
have a high stud in our home so last year I decided
to invest in a big faux tree. I thought it would be
worthwhile to get one and I’m glad I did – it looks
amazing in our lounge. I don’t have a theme when it
comes to decorating – I just buy and decorate with
what I love,” she says.

The renovation journey
This will be the Goddard’s third Christmas in the
home. Through hard slog and many, many weekend
hours, the 1910 four-bedroom, two-bathroom house
has slowly but surely transformed over the past
three years.

H

Meet & greet
Josh Goddard (owner and director of
shopfitting company PRSA), Fiona
Goddard (freelance hairstylist and
make-up artist, brand content creator
and stay-at-home mum), Billie, four,
Ruben, eight months, and British
shorthair cats Bobbi and Bear.

YOU R HO M E A ND GA RD EN

41

CHRISTMAS TABLE
The brass tube vases/
candlesticks and the gold
salt and pepper shaker
set are from Ornament.
The washed cotton
olive-striped napkins and
Beldi medium green
recycled glasses are
from The Waste-Free
Home. The artificial foliage
garland and the mirror
adornment are both
by Curated Botanics.

H

“There was so much to love about this house. The details throughout are
beautiful and unique, and true to the villa style.”
F I O N A G O D DA R D

When the couple first looked at the house
it wasn’t the pretty picture it is today.
“The last time it probably had a paint
job was 30 years ago. There were gaudy
curtains, old carpet and dark green walls
inside. The garden was very well established
but overgrown. But we fell in love with the
character. I remember walking into the home
and looking up to the ceiling in the main
bedroom – the Victorian details quite literally
took my breath away. It was in that instant
I fell in love,” Fiona recalls.
It had been a long road for the couple to
get to this point. They’d spent two years
actively looking for a house, going to open
homes and putting lots of offers on houses
but were unsuccessful. When they spied this
villa, they immediately saw the potential
and were up to the challenge of renovating,
thanks to Josh being a qualified builder.
“There was so much to love about this
house. The details throughout are beautiful
and unique, and true to the villa style.
The hallway is almost like a room itself –
it’s so wide and has the lovely arch. I love
the colours of all the stained glass and we

have always loved how much light our home
gets – it has a real bright and airy feel about
it,” she says.
The good bones were there – they just
needed some manipulation. Thankfully, the
layout worked so they didn’t need to embark
on any structural construction. Since moving
in, the couple have renovated all four
bedrooms and the ensuite, they’ve added a
new roof and painted the exterior, given a
fresh lick of paint to the hallway, kitchen and
dining room, and most recently tackled the
laundry, which was a lockdown project. They
say one of their best decisions was having the
floorboards redone when they bought the
house – getting rid of the gaps between the
original heart matai floorboards made the
house a lot warmer, healthier and friendlier
to crawling babies.

The kids’ rooms
Billie was only six months old when the
Goddards moved in so they prioritised
her room and gave it a makeover before
anything else.
“I knew I wanted her to have a pink

SET THE SCENE Layer round
placemats from Citta. The Phoenix
dinner cutlery is from French
Country. Series dinner plates and
Relic side plates from Freedom.
The Broste champagne glasses
in smoke (above) are from
A&C Homestore.

YO U R HOM E A ND GA RD EN

43

MAIN BEDROOM The orchids are from Orchis Orchids.
The dusky pink tassel throw, light pink linen cushion and
rose linen cushion are all from French Country. The
vintage blush artificial flower arrangement on the bedside
drawers is by Curated Botanics.

room so we painted her walls Dulux Punuromia Quarter, which is
just the perfect shade of pale pink. Billie’s room is always changing
as she grows – she really loves her little space.”
Instead of a piece of art above the bed, Fiona had a dried floral
wreath made that adds both texture and interest to the room,
making it a real feature of the space. Mismatched bedding in
pastel tones, bookshelves custom-made by Josh, and a retro set of
drawers the couple painted all give the room a loved, cosy feel.
Ruben’s room has also received some love and attention, and the
result is a serene space perfect for a baby boy.
“It’s the smallest room in the house so I wanted to brighten it
up with crisp white walls and soften it with a soft grey loop pile
carpet. With Ruben’s bedroom I have been really drawn to sage
green so I have a few accents of the colour splashed around.”

The main bedroom
Fiona was clear on what she wanted to be the hero in the main
bedroom: the original ceiling.
“It’s just so beautiful and I wanted it to be the main feature in
here. But it needed lots of restoring so we spent many late nights
sanding and filling before painting. The whole room needed a lot
of work. Josh fixed up all the window framing and replaced one
as the borer was really bad. We gutted the wardrobes, put new
shelving in there and added new doors and hardware, which
made a huge difference to the room,” she says.
Josh built the ledge behind the bed, which adds another
dimension of interest and a place to place art or picture frames.
Fiona went light and tonal with the bedding and rug to make it
feel like a calming and relaxing room for rest.

H

YO U R HO ME A ND GA RD EN

45

GUEST BEDROOM Bear
relaxes in the guest
bedroom. Como lumbar
cushion in olive from
A&C Homestore. Orchids
by Orchis Orchids.
ENSUITE Vida organic
hand towel in olive from
Father Rabbit.

The ensuite
The main bathroom is still in its original state
and awaiting attention – “it’s not tasteful at
all” – but the ensuite has had a makeover
and now it’s one of Fiona’s favourite rooms
in the house.
“It’s my own little haven. Josh and Billie
use the main bathroom so you won’t ever
find toothpaste smeared in the basin or
kids’ stools cluttering the ensuite. It’s such
a serene place to shower, blowdry my hair,
apply skincare and take some time out for
myself.” Like the main bedroom, a ledge
along the wall adds a point of difference as
well as adding practical storage space.

Clean slate
“From a design perspective it took me a long
time to find my groove with interior choices
that complemented the character of the
home. Almost everything we owned prior to
moving in looked awful and it made it really
hard for me to have a vision in the beginning.
Once we realised we needed to start again
with new furniture, it made it easier to see
46

YO UR HOM E A ND GA RD E N

where I was heading. Eventually, it all came
together,” Fiona says.
The couple prefer to buy quality for
longevity, going for classic timeless pieces
that they’ll have for years to come. This
includes the Philippe Malouin ‘Offset’ coffee
table, was a dream piece for Fiona for years
before she finally bit the bullet and
purchased recently.

The outdoors
The home has a decent-sized section – not
that you could tell when it was for sale.
“It was really overgrown and crowded
with hedging and random trees,” Fiona
explains. “We have stripped it back a lot –
removing trees and ripping out old hedging
and rose bushes – and now we’ve cleared
it so there’s a good-sized lawn, which is
nice for the kids. The bamboo hedge at the
back gives amazing privacy but it’s such an
eyesore and is a beast to maintain.”
The couple have their sights set on a big
extension out the back of the house,
landscaping, and a new driveway and garage

LAUNDRY During the level 4 lockdown
Josh was unable to work, so instead
dedicated his time to renovating the
laundry. HALLWAY Bobby waits
for guests in the doorway and a Silly
Season wreath by Curated Botanics
hangs on the front door.

H

Style tip In a wide
hallway with high
ceilings use a long
runner to be a focal
point, then match it
with a standout pendant
to draw the eye along
the space.

YO UR H OM E A ND GARD EN

47

“Billie’s room is always changing as she grows –
she really loves her little space.”
F I O N A G O D DA R D

48

YO U R HO ME A N D GA RD E N

H
RUBEN’S BEDROOM
The black ticking stripe
cushion is from Thread
Design and the side
table is from Simon
James. BILLIE’S
BEDROOM Bear naps
on Billie’s bed. Fiona
upcycled the vintage
desk in pastel hues
using Dulux Hagley
Park, Tītahi Bay,
Lakeside and Tuakau.

underneath with internal access. But these plans are
being pushed out due to Covid.
“For now, we get indoor-outdoor flow by flinging
open the French doors that lead from the dining room
onto the deck. We love to have these open every day in
summer,” says Fiona.
After a massive year of family, running a busy
business and renovating a villa on weekends and late
nights, the Goddard family are looking forward to
enjoying their first Christmas a family of four and a
few weeks of downtime. They’re happy to put down
the tools for a well-deserved rest, right after they
attack some landscaping and plan for their future
kitchen makeover.

Lessons learned
What did you learn from this renovation? We have had to
have a lot of patience – when I say ‘we’, I mostly mean ‘me’.
It’s so easy to look at homes that are finished and want that,
but we have to remind ourselves it doesn’t all happen
overnight, especially when you are mostly doing it yourselves.
And ask anyone who has a villa – things are always cropping
up to be repaired.
What advice do you have for others about to start a reno?
If you tackle one room at a time, it makes your reno easier to
live through and it’s good at making you focus on that one
space and completing it. Also, it’s always good to live in the
home for six months before you start making any changes, it
helps you to get to know the home more.
YO UR H OM E AND GAR DEN

49

SHOP THEIR STYLE
Pops of soft green and pink, and accents of brass elevate a neutral
backdrop of crisp white walls and delicate linen furnishings
2

1

3
4

6
5

7
8

9
10

12
11

1 Fold bedside table in white, $99, from Made of Tomorrow. 2 Samsung 50”” LS03A
LS
The Frame QLED 4K Smart TV, $2499, from Harvey Norman. 3 Shell-shaped plant pot,
$22.99, from H&M Home. 4 Aston 6L pendant in brushed brass, $349.90,
. , ffrom Lighting Direct. 5 Ferm Living small pond mirror, $375, from Slow Store. 6 Resene Finch
paint, $4.90 (testpot), from ColorShops. 7 Silly Season wreath, $279, from Curated Botanics. 8 Baina towel, $110, from Paper Plane. 9 Black Blaze foundation candle
holder, $139.99, from A&C Homestore. 10 Resene Bud paint, $4.90 (testpot), from ColorShops. 11 Resene Gelato paint, $4.90 (testpot), from ColorShops. 12 Westport
fabric armchair in washed canvas ivory, $1099, from Freedom.

50

YOU R H OM E A N D GAR DE N

H
Floor plan
14

2

9

2

2
3

4

4

4

13

1

4

4

8

6

7

5

10

12

4

11

Honesty box

Contacts

What Christmas dish do you
always prepare or look forward to?
I make a pretty good potato salad.
That sounds boring but it’s very
labour intensive and always a crowd
favourite – it has all the trimmings.
Josh is all about slow-cooking
meats on his Traeger grill so he’ll
usually do a short rib that I always
look forward to.
What areas of the renovation
did you save on? We saved so
much on labour costs with Josh
doing it himself.
Splurges? The shutters and the
new roof.
What gave you the best bang for
buck? I always think paint is so
transformative. Most of the home
interior walls were a dark green
and it was the first thing I wanted to
get rid of when we moved in.
What would you never do again?
Perhaps this is a message better
targeted to whoever planted the
agapanthus around the home prior
to us owning it.
Any DIY disasters? Surprisingly,
none that I can think of. Josh is
such a master of his craft.
Most memorable experience you’ve
had in your home? Recently giving
Billie a little brother – we feel so
complete now as a family.

Plumber Deluxe Plumbing and Gas,
deluxeplumbing.co.nz
Roof North Shore Roofing,
northshoreroofing.co.nz
Electrician Strike Electrical,
strike.net.nz

KEY
1 Entry
2 Bedroom
3 Ensuite
4 Closet
5 Main bedroom
6 Fireplace
7 Living

8 Kitchen
9 Dining
10 Laundry
11 Toilet
12 Bathroom
13 Study
14 Deck

Suppliers
Citta, Freedom, Simon James Store,
Tessuti, A&C Homestore, Sunday
Homestore, Republic Home,
Snelling Studio.

Palette
1

2

3

4

1 Dulux Half Haast
2 Flooring Xtra
rugs in Nebraska
3 Flooring Xtra
Samurai 100%

wool loop
pile in Kawa
4 Matte white
subway tiles from
Tilespace

YO UR HO ME AND GAR DE N

51

AHEAD OF
THE CURVE

In artist Maiko Nagao Irvine’s newly renovated home DIY
comes naturally – as do the Christmas decorations
Text Bea Taylor Photography Helen Bankers Styling Kate Alexander, Places and Graces

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DECKED OUT Maiko Nagao Irvine and Mike Irvine’s
new deck gave them something they never knew
they had – a picturesque view of Rangitoto.
THE EXTENSION (opposite) The new part of the
house wraps around in a backward ‘L’ shape and is
clad in striking Colorsteel, which provides a modern
contrast to the original brick.

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Meet & greet
Maiko Nagao Irvine
(artist), Mike Irvine
(electrical apprentice),
Kaito, six, and Zenny,
16 months.

I

n 2018 Maiko Nagao Irvine and Mike Irvine’s
Birkdale home in Auckland graced the cover
of Your Home and Garden magazine. Small,
cosy and filled with Maiko’s ingenious DIY
projects and interior hacks, it was perfect for
their family of three.
Today their family has a new member and,
while the house appears relatively unchanged
from the street, it’s a completely different story inside.
“When we first bought the home, we hadn’t really
thought very far in terms of renovation plans,” says Maiko.
“All we were really focused on was getting it liveable.”
Yet, when asked about future plans in her house feature
three years ago, Maiko said, “We’d love to turn one of the
wide windows in the lounge into French doors that open
out to a deck for indoor-outdoor flow. And do some
landscaping, build a fort, a sandpit and a mini skate ramp
so Kaito can spend all day outside.” And if they could
change anything? “We’d love to be able to add an ensuite
or another toilet one day.”
At the time those questions were more like a fun
game of ‘what if’ than actual plans, but fast forward to
2021 and they have done exactly that.
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LIVING ROOM The flooring in the extension is cork by Quantum Flooring,
which Maiko says is comfortable underfoot and provides welcome heat and
sound insulation. The wall-to-wall cabinetry is three Addi buffets from Mocka
with their legs removed. The large round coffee table was a Trade Me find and
the wooden-topped table was an old Citta buy, which Maiko has updated with
new PVC pipe legs. The terracotta side table is from A&C Homestore.

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KITCHEN (above and
opposite) Maiko’s friend,
interior designer Hayley
Dryland from August & Co
Design, helped with the
kitchen design. The dining
chairs are from A&C
Homestore, the splashback
tiles are from The Tile
Room, the timber lining was
created especially for this
space by Genia, the tapware
is from ABI Interiors and the
orb pendant lights are from
Early Settler.

While the fort, sandpit and mini skate ramp
are still pending, Maiko and Mike have added an
extension that now encompasses a new living room
with large sliding doors leading onto an expansive
deck – and a great view of Rangitoto they never
knew they had. A new bathroom and ensuite have
been created within the original structure of the
house and – it wasn’t on the wish list back in 2018 –
a bright new kitchen has been built inside the
extension too.
“I was most excited to redesign the kitchen,” says
Maiko. “To have a space where everything functions
is amazing. It’s really nice to have high-pressure
water and cupboards that close properly.”

Custom on a budget
Function aside, the kitchen was also a space where
Maiko could use the full force of her creativity.
“I didn’t want just another white-on-white
kitchen,” she explains. “We managed to do it all for
$19,000, which people are always shocked by.”
Standard white cabinetry lines the back wall of the
kitchen and a white engineered stone benchtop sits
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on the island. But that’s where the conventional
stops. Striking marble tiles with a hint of moss green
vein make a highlight of the splashback and the
stone benchtop curves gracefully at one end. Beneath
the bench is Maiko’s favourite feature – the rounded
dowel lining, which was sized and cut especially for
this island by timber manufacturers Genia.
This look is mirrored on the living room wall with
slightly thinner dowel. “I thought it might be a bit
boring to have the same profile on both feature
surfaces,” says Maiko. “The smaller size difference
enriches the texture in the space.”
The main bathroom presented a similar challenge.
“I found the search for bathroom vanities in New
Zealand quite difficult,” says Maiko. “There are heaps
of lovely higher end options and the lower end
options weren’t very exciting design-wise. There was
no happy medium.”
After voicing this frustration on her Instagram
account, New Zealand business The Custom Creative
got in touch and they collaborated on a custom
vanity, which Maiko designed, and is now available to
buy from their website as the ‘Maiko Curved Vanity’.

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“I was most excited to
redesign the kitchen... to have
a space where everything
functions is amazing.”
M AI KO NAGAO IRVIN E

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OUTDOOR CELEBRATIONS Ceramic tableware from
A&C Homestore add to the relaxed, welcoming style of
Maiko’s Christmas table along with dried hydrangeas,
linen napkins and rattan placemats.

“We were very fortunate to be able to collaborate
with a few local businesses, which helped cut costs
for us,” says Maiko.

DIY DNA
There are few items in Maiko’s home that have remained
in their original purchased condition. In fact, you’d
struggle to directly ‘shop the look’ of this home as most
of pieces have been upcycled, modified, or created by
the artist herself.
There’s the mirror in the main bedroom, which many
mistake as a high-end buy, but is actually just a budgetfriendly one from The Warehouse with little wooden balls
stuck to the sides with shoe glue. The cabinetry running
down the hallway from the front door is three Ikea shoe
cabinets with their legs taken off and attached to the wall
off the ground so the vacuum cleaner can get underneath.
Maiko repeated this idea in the lounge with the white
entertainment unit that runs from wall to wall, which is
made of three Mocka cabinets with their feet removed.
The decorative vases and interesting pieces lining her
shelves and the entertaining unit are lockdown creations,
all of which started out as unused vessels, dishes and
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bowls lying around the home. Maiko explains, “I needed
some new vases, but we couldn’t buy anything new
when we were in level 4, so I went around the house and
found all these little items we weren’t using.” She then
transformed them into chic decorative pieces using shoe
glue, cut out cardboard shapes and paint. “I mixed baking
soda and paint to get some texture – on one of them
I even used coffee grounds to get even more texture and
it worked really well.”
Other DIYs include the wooden nesting tables in the
lounge, which originally had thin black metal legs but now
sport on-trend tubular feet made from PVC pipe finished
with chalk paint.
And it seems the mum-of-two’s creativity gene has
been passed on to six-year-old Kaito, who has just
launched a print collaboration with his mother. “It’s
been a really happy experience for us to be able to
spend time together and be creative,” says Maiko. The
Kaito x Maiko Nagao prints feature positive phrases
such as ‘human kind’ and ‘cover me in sunshine’ – which is
one of Kaito’s favourite songs – with $1 of each sale going
to KidsCan, and $1 going to the artist himself (order from
maikonagao.com). “It’s also been great to be able to teach
him about giving back to others too,” says Maiko. “Positive
affirmations for my sons sparked the inspiration for this.”

On the bright side
These core family values; repurposing old into new and
being kind to one another, make their way into Christmas
traditions too. Their Christmas tree is a $2 find from an
op-shop and is normally decorated with dried flowers.
“We try not to buy anything new, there are lots of DIYs
and we always make our own decorations,” Maiko says.
The children’s advent calendar is another DIY treasure,
it’s made from brown paper bags and filled with creative
tasks and games.
You wouldn’t expect anything less from this DIY queen,
who says, “For me, what sparks joy is staying creative.”

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Style tip To successfully mix patterns without clashing, pair larger
shapes with a smaller intricate design in a tonal colour scheme.
KAITO’S BEDROOM (above left) Jedi Builders constructed
the bunk in Kaito’s bedroom from Maiko’s design. She and
Mike created the curved desk themselves using a curved
benchtop made by Sage Doors Ltd and PVC pipes wrapped in
a kitchen roller door for the legs. ZENNY’S BEDROOM (above
right) The gingham linen is from A&C Homestore, pillowcase
from Castle, and throw and cushion from Freedom.
MAIN BEDROOM Two of Maiko’s prints sit on the built-in
ledge above the bed. The striped cushions are from A&C
Homestore and the gingham sheet set is from Spotlight.

BATHROOM The Maiko Curved
Vanity is from The Custom Creative
and the basin is from Eden Stone.
The tiles are from The Tile Room.

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SHOP THEIR STYLE
Warm ochre accents, pops of brass and plenty of texture
give a gentle tonal space pockets of interest
2
1
3

4

6

5

10

8

9

7

11

1 Double vase, $57, from Estilo. 2 Etta organic bath towel in chestnut/bone, $44.90, from Citta. 3 Mount cushion in multi, $64.95, from Freedom. 4 Kazoku print set, $240,
from Maiko Nagao. 5 Hugo occasional chair in natural, $849, from Cane Collective. 6 Salsie fabric modular sofa, from $3999, from Freedom. 7 100% French flax linen duvet
set in linen, $295 (queen), from Frankly & Co. 8 Eden square kitchen mixer in brushed brass, $318.90, from ABI Interiors. 9 Fazeek wave glass set in amber, $89, from
Superette. 10 Cosh table lamp in white, $54.95, from Freedom. 11 Addi buffet, $349.95, from Mocka.

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Maiko’s top tips
+ Create a Pinterest board for
every room and project. Be as
specific as you can, such as
‘kitchen sink’ or ‘tapware’. We
shared our boards with our builder
and draftsman. It’s such an easy
way to communicate your vision
and helps bring your ideas to life.
+ Do the painting yourself if you
can. You can save so much and it’s
relatively straightforward.
+ To create a designer look in
a basic kitchen, add timber lining
along the island or add a curved
benchtop. We did this and now
our kitchen is one of the main
features of our home.
+ Go nuts at outlet stores. Some
of the brass shower tapware and
heated towel rails are from outlet
stores. The vanity in our ensuite is
from an outlet store, but it was
black, so I painted it white to suit
our style. It ended up being
something like 70 percent off
retail and the quality is amazing.
Our tiles in our ensuite are also
from an outlet store. We only
spent around $350 for the whole
lot – and we absolutely love them.
+ We are doing the landscaping
ourselves. There are so many
great resources on YouTube
and Instagram for retaining walls,
growing a lawn and choosing
the right plants for your space.
I’ve been turning to my (social
media) followers for all the tips
and advice on Instagram stories,
which has been a lifesaver.

Floor plan
2

3

4

1

5

10

6
2

7

9
8

KEY
1 Bathroom
2 Bedroom
3 Entry
4 Main bedroom
5 Ensuite
6 Kitchen
7 Dining
8 Living
9 Deck
10 Garage

Palette
1

2

3

4

1 Natural Paint Co
Low Tide
2 Natural Paint Co
Milk Bottle

3 Maiko curved
panel, Genia
4 Cork flooring,
Quantum flooring

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Family

tree

Text Jackie Brygel Photography Jessie Prince Styling Sarah Ellison

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STYLING ASSISTANT EMILY SUYEE HAIR & MAKE-UP CLAIRE MORIARTY

The decorations are up and the kids
excited to spend Christmas in their
mid-century inspired home

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Meet & greet
Megan (full-time mum)
and Mike Fishwick
(fashion-industry design
manager) and their three
daughters, Ivy, 10, Violet,
eight, and Maple, three.

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63

T

o say the least, this was an ambitious
project – a couple with three young
children deciding to tackle their vision
of designing and building every corner
of their home. And so it was that
Megan and Mike Fishwick crafted
their mid-century-inspired sanctuary
on the fringe of a coastal town.
The result? High among the trees on a pristine plot
of bushland, this new home is testament to the pair’s
unwavering vision and tenacity. Soulful and serene yet
family focused, the elevated house is defined by a sense
of tranquillity and a seamless connection to nature.
Megan, a former model born and raised in California,
and Mike, a design manager in the fashion industry, fell in
love with their local area long ago. “We’ve lived in the area
for 12 years,” she explains. “We renovated our last house
ourselves and had all of our girls there. In 2017, just as we
were outgrowing it, we found this block of land.”
The somewhat secret and undeniably special pocket
of land was undoubtedly ‘the one’. “There are native trees
all around as it’s hidden in a reserve,” says Megan. “You’ve
got this beautiful feeling of nature, privacy and space yet
it’s only five minutes’ drive from the town. There’s also
a wonderful little community here.”
Embarking on their life-changing journey within the
constraints of a relatively tight budget, the family of five
– including three daughters now aged three to 10 – lived
in a caravan off site for eight months. “Looking back, we
wouldn’t have had it any other way. It was fun,” says Megan
with a laugh. “There was less to clean and I cooked easy
meals for us. We were all together and I’m very much a fan
of the simple life.”
Through it all, she and Mike never lost sight of their
goal. “We have always wanted to design our own home
and make it a creative space to live in. Doing so was a very
collaborative process,” says Megan. They also knew that
their new home would pay loving respect to their shared
appreciation of iconic modernist architecture. “We love the
fact that everything from the mid-century design era has
a purpose,” says Megan. “The simplicity of those houses
speaks to us. For me, it’s also an emotional directive as my
family has lived in Southern Californian homes like this.”
Within the walls, the instant impact of organic timber
lends warmth and texture to the understated base palette.
“I love the blackwood we’ve used throughout,” says Megan.
“It’s so moody, and the effect is almost like living in the
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“We have no one overlooking
us. It’s hard to imagine
ever leaving this house.”
ME GA N F ISH WI CK

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DINING (previous page) Megan and daughter Maple in a cosy corner among the Christmas decorations. Those on the tree are mostly made by the family, the
Christmas lights are from Bunnings Warehouse and the artwork is a vintage Picasso replica from the 1940s. EXTERIOR (previous page) The girls outside the
Californian-style home built by Mike. Its Axon cladding by James Hardie is painted Dulux Lexicon Quarter. Fitting in perfectly with the VW bug in the drive is their
‘desert garden’, inspired by those in Palm Springs. Feature plants include Livistona palm, golden barrel cactus and a number of agaves. BUILT-IN SEAT (above) This
gathering point looks out to the grassy slope at the back. The diner-style seating was designed by Mike, who also made the dining table. “I love built-in furniture and
the old-school look and feel of a banquette,” says Megan. The brown paper stars were made by Ivy and Violet.

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LIVING ROOM “We love the slower pace of life,” says Megan, as her daughters work on the decorations. KITCHEN (opposite) Organic textures in the blackwood
joinery and finger mosaic splashback combine for effortless style. The floor is compressed concrete cement sheeting. “It sits on top of the floor beams and we had it
polished,” says Megan. “So, in a way it is the structure of the house.” The Quantum Quartz engineered benchtop is in Alpine Matte and the white industrial stools were
a budget-friendly find from Kmart.

“I love earthy colours, especially the
blackwood with the concrete, and the
terrazzo running from the hallway
into the bathrooms.”
ME GAN FI S H W I CK

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bush.” Other key features are the sandstone rock walls (one
in the entry, another at the gate) and a roughly hewn seat
in the living room. The family’s stonemason friend Paul
Squires has achieved a fantastic result.
Though perhaps the home’s greatest success lies in
the fact that its considered design, by Mike and Megan,
allows light to flood the rooms, with the house opening
seamlessly to its natural surroundings.
“We’re so proud of how well Mike has done,” says
Megan. “He was on the tools the entire time, from sunrise
to sunset. The only person he consulted with during the
planning process was an engineer – and anything he
didn’t have to contract out, he did himself. Mike also read
a lot of books on how these homes are built, and his father
is a builder so he would give us his opinion, while I
handled the financial side.”
Not surprisingly, there were occasional and not
insignificant bumps on the journey. “One corner of the
swimming pool – which sits in front of the house, soaking
up the slope – was slightly over the building envelope,”
says Megan. “Mike had to dump about $6500 worth of
concrete and redo the steelwork, which was upsetting.
Then there was a huge storm one night and the ceiling
started to warp and bow a little. That had to be fixed with
2000 screws and resealed. It has certainly been a process
but now we’re beginning to make memories.”
The home’s bush setting is certainly helping. Much
to the family’s delight, there’s wildlife aplenty – with
the girls often exclaiming about catching sight of
creatures visiting their backyard at breakfast time.
“It’s just magic,” says Megan.
With the family excited about their first Christmas in
the house, most of the trimmings are already in place.
“I always decorate; we buy and put up a tree, and the girls
like to make something special for their rooms,” says
Megan. “But Christmas for us is really just a day at the
beach with friends and family. We set up our spot on the
sand and the kids open their presents, then we hang out
there for hours, playing games and eating. It’s low-key,
relaxed and natural.”

AT THE TABLE As the family hangs out at the beach for most of Christmas Day,
celebrations at home are kept elegant but simple. SITTING AREA (opposite)
Louvre windows ensure the flow of fresh air throughout the home. A green conifer
wreath adds an elegant, festive touch to the wall.

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VIOLET & MAPLE’S ROOM (left) Above one bed in the girls’ sunny space
is a treasured artwork bought in Los Angeles during a recent holiday.
“Everything we own, we cherish,” says Megan. “Most of our pieces have
a story behind them.” All the furniture came from the family’s previous home.
The gold flag garland is from Spotlight. HALLWAY (above right) This
out-of-bathroom vanity was inspired by the Fishwicks’ international travels.
“It breaks up the usual hallway feel,” says Megan. MAIN BEDROOM (opposite)
Megan’s decorating style is fairly minimal, featuring pieces she’s had for years.
The small side table was found from an online auction site, while Megan
painted the monochrome artwork above the bed after being inspired by
something similar on Pinterest. The feature wall is blackwood and the quilt
cover is made of French linen.

Floor plan
3

5

4

15

2
6

7

8
9

1
13

7
12

14

KEY
1 Entry
2 Kitchen
3 Dining
4 Laundry
5 Living
6 Playroom
7 Bedroom
8 Toilet
9 Bathroom
10 Main bedroom
11 Walk-in wardrobe
12 Ensuite
13 Pool
14 Garage
15 Workshop/store

10
11

Ground level

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Basement level

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Style tip Rome wasn’t built in a day
— and neither was this home. “It’s
important to take everything day by
day,” says Megan. “If you do that, it’s
easier to persevere and know that there
will eventually be a solution to every
problem. And you really can do
anything if you put your mind to it.”

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71

H A PPY
HOUSE
An ’80s suburban bungalow in
Cape Town was given a charming
makeover by its owner Kirsten Goss

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WELCOME PARTY Prickly pear cacti and ceramic guard dogs
are the first clue that the outwardly demure bungalow houses
a fantastic collection of unusual objects and bold design
decisions. Kirsten, pictured, with son Cosmo.
HAT TRICKS (opposite) Juggling a busy family life with a
successful design career, Kirsten’s love of colour and fun
approach to style is apparent throughout the home. It can be
seen in this playful wire coat rack and choice of accessories.
The art above the coat hooks is by an artist from Seville.

Meet & greet
Kirsten Goss
(jewellery designer) and
Clive Will (film-maker/
photographer), Farren, 15,
Ozzie, 10, and Cosmo, one.

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TALL ORDER Connection and flow
were priorities so the pair chose to
have near ceiling-height glass and
steel doors fitted to link the rooms.

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“I love the notion that we are
having a regular family dinner
but have disco lights on too.
It’s all about being playful.”
K I R ST E N G O S S

R

ows of cacti, china dogs, a wacky cluster of
retro flush-mounted lights on the wall, and
a glass cabinet brimming with vintage
cameras – all before you have stepped
beyond the lobby. This is the kind of
quirkiness that one has come to expect
from the design dynamite behind Kirsten
Goss Jewellery. Kirsten admits they took on
the transformation of this home with the same out-of-the box
intentions as she has when fitting out a new shop.
Capturing views of the Constantiaberg Mountains, clearing the
garden and shifting the bearing of the house proved to be the
making of the home. The ever-changing shades of the slopes
now dominate the outlook, and Kirsten and her film-maker/
photographer partner Clive Will chose to contrast this placidness
with a sweeping lawn dominated by a sexy circular pool and
a series of round beds of water-wise plants.
“I call it our ‘crop circle garden’,” laughs Kirsten. “We wanted it
to be an inside-outside house. So much so that we chose to use
artificial turf in the garden so it feels like a carpet. At night the
lights make it a really dramatic space and our family moves in and
out, and we don’t need to worry about the kids getting dirty. It
feels like we have another room to use,” she explains.
With children ranging from toddlerhood to their teens the
home had to cater to flexible needs, but that didn’t mean they
had to scrimp on fun.
The kitchen features light functions that can transform it from a
family hub into a strobe and colour-filled ‘party’ zone at the flick of
a switch and the near ceiling-height doors in bold colours reflect
Kirsten’s weakness for striking combinations.
“Every time I fit out a new shop my house ends up looking like
it,” laughs Kirsten referring to the disco and strobe lights that are
fitted into the kitchen cabinets and inspired by her ‘karaoke-look’
new store on Cape Town’s Foreshore. “I love the notion that we are
having a regular family dinner but have disco lights on too. It’s all
about being playful,” she says.
“I’m not afraid of mixing shades together,” she continues, “but
you almost have to be deliberate about it to pull it off. I’m not
big on decorating. I’m more about throwing something down to
see if it works.”
Kirsten’s partner Clive has added his own conspicuous
contributions. A series of Clive’s eye-catching prints and his

ALL ABOUT FAMILY Kirsten wanted a ‘bomb-proof’ area where the
children could watch TV and relax. “They run in from the pool and jump
on the sofa; they have sleepovers here,” she laughs. “Every home needs
a space you don’t feel precious about.” A striking mix of shades in the
lounge gives it a playful temperament, but the choices of a clean-lined
modular couch and graphic steel yellow coffee table ensures it retains
a grown-up edge. The black and white photographs are by Clive and the
pink and black Lesotho blanket is a collected piece.

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“We have a penchant for the unexpected, the sometimes
unloved and the brave, but we are also big on quality,
longevity and comfort.”
K I R ST E N G O S S

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insatiable appetite for objets collected from artists, craftspeople
and markets across Africa are curated throughout the home.
“I think we have a penchant for the unexpected, the sometimes
unloved and the brave, but we are also big on quality, longevity and
comfort,” explains Kirsten of their design choices. “I’d say we lean
towards a clean, bold style, but we also get a lot of joy out of
eccentric pieces.”
Furniture choices range from antiques, to mid-century
modern and contemporary pieces, so the addition of oak parquet
floors provided an anchor for the otherwise eclectic vibes. “The
furniture might change as the children grow up, but I loved
the idea of having a sophisticated floor that would stand the test
of time. It gives the home a great foundation,” says Kirsten.
With an open-plan TV room, dining room and kitchen
opening onto the garden the flow of rooms is both effortless and
practical. An expansive (and it has to be said, irreverent) lounge
forms a link between the family zone and the couple’s bedroom/
bathroom – which is again a single zone that opens on to the
garden. The children’s rooms can be found off a corridor that
lies behind the kitchen.
Kirsten chose to replace all the doors and windows with
oversized bespoke pieces made of oak or steel, and porthole and
strip windows make for surprise views. This injects a plethora of
natural light into the home and is indicative of the way she chose
to experiment with shapes and scale throughout the property.
Kirsten has previously lived in heritage-style homes, so the
switch to a more austere build provided the opportunity for a new
design adventure. Brimming with fine art and vintage finds, Kirsten
and Clive’s home reflect their down-to-earth sensibilities and
makes for an engaging family home. Kitchen disco lights and all.

READY TO LOUNGE The sapphire-blue velvet bucket chairs,
a pink occasional chair and mustard sofa are all striking pieces
in their own right but are unified by the colourful area rug. The
nest tables, modernist black pendant light, glass and wood
cabinet, brass-topped side table and stuffed bird add an
irreverent touch.

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DINING (opposite) New and old can be seen in the bespoke glossy pink and
white modernist console and vintage dining chairs. The Turned table is by South
African furniture maker Gregor Jenkin. The photogaphs are all Clive’s work.
STAIRS A red carpet leads to Kirsten’s office, which sits on top of the main
bedroom. The colourful artwork is by Angela Murray. SIDE TABLE (right) The
top is made of brass and is an heirloom piece.

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TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BUREAUX

MAIN BEDROOM (top left) This is one of Kirsten’s favourite spaces.
“We can sit on the bed and look out on the garden and take in the
mountain views. In the evenings it’s spectacular. You have the lights
on the cacti, the mountain looming above – it’s a great space for
sundowners, never mind sleeping,” she laughs. FAMILY BATHROOM
(top right) This room features a beaming Mandela portrait by Job
Magwaza and bath by Villeroy & Boch. ENSUITE This spa-like
bathroom is injected with unusual elements, like the colourful artwork.
The floor and wall tiles with black grout give it a graphic feel.

H
ROOM TO PLAY An unkempt garden that masked
the mountain views was replaced with a structured plot
with artificial grass to give the family “an outside room
the kids could use without the dirt and upkeep element”.

“We wanted it to be an inside-outside house.
We chose to use artificial turf in the garden
so it feels like carpet.”
K I R ST E N G O S S

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Back up One of the most
common ways to renovate is
to push the back of an old
villa out, extending the
kitchen, living and dining
into a large open-plan space.
Make the most of the
opportunity and consider
banks of large, floor-toceiling picture windows
and sliding doors to let
the light in and create
that all-important indooroutdoor flow.

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YOU R H OM E AND GA RD EN

PHOTOGRAPHY ARE MEDIA SYNDICATION

RENOVATION
84

From Gru
to glam
A dark, gloomy
Despicable
Me-type villa
gets reanimated.

YOU R H O ME AN D GAR DEN

83

From Gru

to glam
A dark and unwelcoming Despicable Me-type villa was
reanimated into an Auckland family’s dream home
Text Debbie Harrison Photography Helen Bankers

84

YOU R HO M E A ND GA RDE N

R

Meet & greet
Chloe (stay-at-home mum) and
Shaun Lincoln (plumber),
daughter Orly, 23 months, and
Louis the French bulldog.

YO UR HO ME AN D GA R DE N

85

Style tip Save up and
take your time when
choosing an important
piece of furniture, such
as a sofa. Go for quality,
you won’t regret it.

R

T

he calm feeling that envelops you as you walk
into Chloe and Shaun Lincoln’s home belies
the hard work that went into making it the
serene space it is today. The 1910s villa wasn’t
always this polished – in fact, when Chloe
and Shaun bought it, it looked a lot like Gru’s
home from Despicable Me: the brooding,
black house on the street.
“Most of the period features had been removed and, what little
bits remained, had been disguised with the harsh black paint job.
Inside, it had been painted in vibrant heritage colours,” says Chloe.
The couple relocated the three-bedroom, one-bathroom villa
onto their section in Riverhead, West Auckland, in 2016 before
embarking on an extensive renovation that would take them
until 2019 to complete. “We both loved this era and style of
house, and were excited to embark on a renovation project
that had so much history. We fell in love with the two front rooms,
sash windows and high ceilings – it offered so much potential
– and we loved the idea that we could be part of its century-old
timeline,” Chloe explains.
“However, there were some days where I definitely had regrets
about taking on a villa. Nothing is ever straightforward when
working on a 100-year-old house. But we wouldn’t have done it
differently as we’ve ended up with the dream we envisioned.”

The reno
It wasn’t easy to get the home from Gru to glam. It needed
plenty of work once the villa was on-site – some of which was
necessary due to the move, some due to the age and condition,
and some because of layout changes needed to bring it into line
with 2020 living. They reroofed, re-plumbed, rewired, re-floored
and repainted inside and out. For three years there was certainly
no time for ‘relaxing’.
One of the biggest challenges the couple faced was trying to
keep everything well-proportioned to maximise space. “This was
a constant battle as a wrong decision could result in compromising
on living space,” explains Chloe.
In the end, they managed to separate the laundry from the
bathroom to give it its own space, and they moved the kitchen to

KITCHEN The vivid red
kitchen is now a light and airy
galley style with Calacatta
Quartz stone countertops.
The stools are from Freedom.
DINING The new table is also
a Freedom find.

BEFORE

make that area work better. In making these changes, they gained
more room for the living room and the indoor-outdoor flow
suddenly worked better with the existing French doors. During the
renovation, the couple lived in a shed at the back of the property
– a sanity-saving move. Being on-site made it convenient to make
decisions for contractors and the short commute home to bed was
a blessing on the countless late nights they worked.
To save on cost, the couple tried to do as much of the reno
themselves. Shaun’s skills as a plumber came in handy, and both
of them quickly became dab hands at painting and planting.

The kitchen
The hub of the home sets the tone for the calm vibe throughout
the rest of the home. The couple chose a Calacatta Quartz stone
with waterfall edges for the island and it’s the quiet scene-stealer
of the space.
“It was an easy decision as light and airy was what we wanted
to achieve, and we thought it worked so well with the light grey
kitchen,” says Chloe. “We really liked the idea of having a galleystyle kitchen with a walk-around island – it meant this space
YO U R HO ME A ND GARD EN

87

style kitchen with a walk-around island – it meant this space
became more versatile and open, for both indoor and outdoor
living, and really made it the heart of our home.”
Chloe and Shaun went with layered cupboards along the back
wall for aesthetic purposes, but the added bonus is the shallower
cupboards don’t encroach on the workspace lighting while still
providing plenty of kitchen storage. Track lighting above the
island – instead of hanging pendants – gives the kitchen the task
lighting it needs while keeping the openness of the high ceilings.
It also means the couple can add extra lighting if they need it or
the ability to reposition the existing ones.
Solid American oak flooring was laid throughout the kitchen
and living space to replace the original flooring, which sadly had
sections missing and was too far gone to fix.

Living it up
Chloe confesses to being a minimalist when it comes to her decor
choices, but her thoughtful use of materials and textures stops the
rooms from feeling cold and sparse. “The idea of interior style
here was to be aesthetically pleasing to us, but at the same time
be easy to maintain and clean with a new baby, creating a calm
environment for us as a family,” she explains.
All the furniture was purchased to fit the new layout, as
opposed to trying to build a house around existing furniture
and the frustrations that come with that.
“It saved us from forcing things and compromising on the
layout and design. We quickly got used to the concept of
listing and selling what didn’t work and starting again. It became
a joke with some of our friends, actually – ‘Is that a new sofa?’
they’d always ask,” Chloe laughs.
They finally met their match with the Contempa sofa and chair
in the living room. “We are so happy we spent a bit more and got

ON DISPLAY (above)
The shoe-robe was
a genius way of using
the leftover pieces
of oak flooring.
MAIN BEDROOM The
eye-catching beaded
lightshade is from
Wallace Cotton, the
linen from Foxtrot
Home and mushroom
lamp from Freedom.

good quality. They have been so great for kids (Orly and her
friends) and the dog – it’s such a change from having countless
ones we were disappointed with,” she says.
The couple also bit the bullet and invested in integrating
a wall sound system in the lounge, which they say was money
well-spent because it saves on space and gives a cleaner finish
to the room. The room with the bay window is a family favourite
– it was a guest bedroom, but during the second Auckland
lockdown, they decided to turn into a TV playroom to get better
use out of it as a family.
“It means we now use every room in the house, instead of just
gravitating to the same spaces. It’s given us a great room to use as
a family to relax and watch Orly play, plus it keeps the house tidier
and me sane as this is the room I keep all her toys in,” she says.
“It gets beautiful afternoon sun and the bay sash windows are so
lovely when they’re open in summer – we’ll sit and relax, listening
to the wind blow through the trees, and Orly loves to stand on
a footstool and wave to people passing by.”

The bathroom
A new bathroom was most definitely on the cards, but the couple
were thoughtful in the way they executed it. They aimed for
a timeless look, while also blending old with new as a nod to the

BEFORE

88

YO UR HO ME A ND GA RD EN

R

Style tip A wallpaper
feature wall in a child’s
room is easy to update as
they grow and their
tastes change.

YO U R H OM E A ND GA RD EN

89

history of the home. “The tongue-and-groove vanity and
dado rail helped retain the period features of the room as
well as drawing your eye up to take in the ceiling height.
Using large tiles, an LED mirror, black shower and
gunmetal fittings gave it that modern sophistication
look that we love.”
The free-standing bath is the piece de resistance,
adding a touch of luxury and a boutique-hotel feel
to the room.

BATHROOM Modern and
sophisticated, the space
features large Venus light
grey matte tiles from Tile
Space, a LED mirror from
Newtech, vanity from Bath Co
and bath from Elementi and
gunmetal fittings.

Adding the wow factor
Chloe and Shaun’s taste might be minimalist and pared
back, but they’re good at adding features that give each
room a focus point. For example, the wallpaper in Orly’s
bedroom has completely elevated the space – it captures
your eye as soon as you enter the room and adds to the
calm yet playful vibe they wanted in here. Both Shaun
and Chloe immediately loved the woodland-themed
wallpaper, Chloe especially so, as she’s from the UK and
the squirrels reminded her of home.
The wow factor in the main bedroom, other than the
gorgeous beaded lightshade hanging over the bed, is a
little more hidden – pull back one section of the floor-toceiling mirrored doors and you’ll find a shoe-robe.
“This was an idea Shaun had to utilise a small section
of otherwise wasted space in the bedroom. As well as
giving us a dedicated place to store our shoes, it also

“The tongue-and-groove vanity and dado rail helped retain the period features
of the room as well as drawing your eye up to take in the ceiling height.”
C H LOE L I N C OL N

allows space for the mirrored doors to roll in front of
to give us complete access to the rest of the wardrobe.
The racking is made out of our leftover oak flooring.
Genius,” Chloe laughs.

The outdoors
Having essentially plonked an old villa on a section of land
meant the couple had to start from scratch with their
landscaping. They added a concrete driveway (perfect for
children and their bikes) and planted a mix of Buxus
sempervirens and camellia hedging in keeping with the
home’s classic style.
The covered deck that comes off the living room
effectively doubles their living area. It gets plenty of use, both
when entertaining and when it’s just the family of three.
“Because it’s covered, we can still sit out there with the
doors open when the weather isn’t so great,” says Chloe.
“It is also a great coffee spot in a morning as that’s the side
where the sun rises – it’s the perfect place to start the day.”
The house is certainly no longer a dark, brooding hulk of a
home – instead, it looks like a smart, welcome addition to the
street with its classic grey and white paint job and blush-pink
front door.
90

YO UR H OME A N D GA RD EN

R
LAUNDRY The benchtop is Laminex in Elemental Concrete and the
splashback is Marlo Cloud from Tile Space, which was also used in
the kitchen. The vase is from Husk Home, dried flowers by Chloe and
storage containers from Simplify My Home.

EXTERIOR (above)
The weatherboards
are painted in Resene
Silver Chalice.
LITTLE REPLICA
(left) Orly’s adorable
playhouse.

Lessons learned
“We work really well together as a team – I don’t think
many couples could do this scale of renovating and be on
the same page through the whole process,” says Chloe.
“We have similar ideas and like the same designs, which
is very helpful when renovating and making decisions.
I would have a lot of the interior ideas and Shaun would
be the one to figure out how to execute them; he
always found a clever way to make it possible.”
The couple spent a lot of time planning and found
the free software Floor Planner was a great tool to get
their heads around a plan and figure out if an idea was
even possible.
At times they found the renovation was exhausting,
both mentally and physically, with Chloe doing some of
the renovating while pregnant. “If you’re doing a lot of it
yourself there will definitely be days you wonder why
you’re doing it, but once we had finished, we just loved
the result and what we had achieved. We really love the
family home we made.
“Our biggest learning was to try and live in the home
for at least a year so you can experience every season
in it before making changes,” says Chloe. “This really
helps you to get a feel for the best and worst bits of
the house, such as where it’s sunny and hot, or dark
and cold.”

What advice do you have for others
about to start a reno?

1

Plan ahead and stick to the original idea you love. Floor
Planner and Pinterest are a must, as is mood-boarding so
you can make sure the style you want works throughout the
house and with your choice of materials and furniture.
Plant any areas for privacy as soon as possible in order to
get that established look faster. It really transformed our
property and we wish we had done this sooner.
Remember that in the end it will all be worth it. We look
back at photos now and are still blown away. We’re so
proud of all the work we have done.

2
3

YO UR HO ME A ND GAR DEN

91

Floor plan

3

2
1

5

Honesty box
What areas of your renovation did
you save on and splurge on?
We splurged on the bathroom and our
tapware. Every kitchen and laundry
needs a spray tap – they’re a complete
game-changer.
What would you never do again?
We would never want to strip back a
house and paint it again; that killed us.
What do you prefer – high-end
or bargain buys?
Getting high-end for bargain
prices. We both shop around to
find the best deals.
What was the most memorable
experience you’ve had in your home?
Creating Orly’s nursery was the
finishing touch to our family
home and renovation.

Suppliers
Citta cittadesign.com
Freedom freedomfurniture.co.nz
Husk Home huskhome.co.nz
Little Gatherer littlegatherer.com
Lighting Direct lightingdirect.co.nz
(kitchen track lighting)

4

6

7
8
3

KEY
1 Entry
2 Main bedroom
3 Bedroom
4 Bathroom
5 Kitchen
6 Dining
7 Living
8 Laundry

Palette
1

2

3

4

Finishes
Exterior The weatherboards are
painted Resene Silver Chalice,
the trims in Resene Eighth Black
White, the front steps in Resene
Double Stack and the pink front door
is Resene Just Right.
Interior The walls are painted Resene
Double Alabaster and the ceilings in
Resene Eighth Black White. In the
kitchen and laundry, the tiles are
Marlow in cloud from Tile Space.
The bedroom carpet is Ravine in
cobblestone from Carpet Link.

92

YO UR H OM E A N D GA R D E N

1 Resene Double Alabaster
2 Resene Just Right
3 Ravine carpet in cobblestone
from Carpet Link
4 Marlow tile in cloud from Tile Space

if you
if
you like
like
today’s
gas,
today’s gas,
you’ll love
you’ll
love
tomorrow’s.
tomorrow’s.
Gas energy has a bright future in New Zealand. For tomorrow’s energy, we’ll
look to new gases like hydrogen, biogas and bioLPG to energise our homes and
businesses, and help us achieve our 100% renewable energy aspirations.
The good news is that, right now, most modern energy efficient gas appliances
are already able to run on bioLPG, or a blend of natural gas with renewable
hydrogen gas or biogas, so you can be confident that the gas energy you love
will continue to flow and is here to stay.

Find out more gasenergy.org.nz
FS_YH&G_001

Bang bang There will be less moaning at the tired
jokes inside the crackers if you make your own.
Buy some bonbon snaps from Spotlight, thread
through a cardboard tube, put in your choice of
booty, wrap some crepe paper round the lot
and secure with bows at both ends. Job done
for hours of fun.

94

YO UR HOM E A ND GA RD E N

MAKEOVER

PHOTOGRAPHY ARE MEDIA SYNDICATION

96

Heart of the city
The loving
transformation of
a Cuba Street
apartment in
Wellington.

110

DIY Drawers
Nikki Kettle
tackles bedside
drawers –
three ways.

YO UR HO ME A ND GA RD EN

95

FAMILY COLLECTION
Royal New Zealand Ballet
artistic director Patricia
Barker and her guest
ballet master husband
MIchael Auer brought
furniture from their home
in the US to Wellington,
and many of the pieces
have been in their family
for generations.

.

96

YO UR HO ME A ND GA RD E N

M

HEART OF
THE CITY

It must have been fate that led two globe-trotting
Royal New Zealand Ballet leading lights to a neglected,
historical Cuba Street pad in Wellington
Text Fiona Hawtin Photography Anna Briggs

YO UR H OME AND GAR DEN

97

Meet & greet
Patricia Barker (artistic
director, Royal New Zealand
Ballet), Michael Auer (guest
stager, coach and guest ballet
master, Royal New Zealand
Ballet) and rescue dog Lola.

B

efore settling in Wellington as the
Royal New Zealand Ballet’s artistic
director, Patricia Barker and her
husband Michael Auer had only spent
three days on a whistle-stop tour of
the country as a quick break from
their company’s tour of Australia in
1979. Between then and now, Patricia
has been the artistic director of the Grand Rapids Ballet
and been a principal dancer. Aside from the RNZB
keeping her busy, she’s undertaken a two-year
makeover of her inner-city Wellington apartment.

HERE COMES THE SUN The apartment, which is spread over the two top floors of an inner-city
building, has views to the mountains and sea on the top level. The home gets all-day sun,
and their dog Lola can often be found in the warmest spot. A VOTRE SANTE (below right)
Nicknamed ‘the adult cabinet’, this piece of furniture was found in Sanson at BB French Antiques.

Can you tell us about your apartment? We live in
the heart of Wellington, in Cuba Mall. We are part
owners of a historical building that, collectively, we are
preserving by earthquake strengthening to ensure its
survival for future generations. We occupy the top two
floors. There are Juliet balconies on the first floor
overlooking Cuba Mall. We have additional balconies,
one with a view of Glover Park and two larger
balconies on the top floor with panoramic views of the
city, mountains and water. The space has all-day sun,
when we have sun, which Lola the dog we adopted
from the SPCA during the first lockdown, follows
throughout the day. The open concept spreads
itself over the two floors with three bedrooms and
two-and-a-half bathrooms. A kitchenette on the second
level extends to one of the balconies, which allows for
great entertaining and plenty of room for guests.
What drew you to the apartment? I love living in
the city and being a part of its heartbeat. I like taking
part in all the vitality that a city has to offer. In the
beginning, I sublet a beautiful place on Cuba Street –
way up at the top. Walking to and from the St James
every day, I just fell in love with the vibe of Cuba Street
– the restaurants, boutique specialty shops and the
eclectic individuals. Something fun is always taking
place. When we decided to buy, my husband and
I (him still in Grand Rapids, USA, me in Wellington),
both found the space on Trade Me. I told him I was
going to go see a place and he sent me an email asking
me to go see the same place. It was fate. I loved the
space the moment I walked in: high ceilings, lots of
light, balconies, space for friends and a block or so
from Kaffee Eis and Duck Island – what could be
better? We made an offer and got it.

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YO UR H O ME A ND GA R D EN

M

LIVING The couple brought with them four crystal
chandeliers from their home in Grand Rapids, which was
built in 1870. Luckily, the fixtures suit their new home,
which was built in 1913. Michael collects Italian pottery
and many of the couple’s artworks have been collected
over time, including original movie prints found in Cuba.

GLASS ACT This light-filled
area is called the ‘glass room’
and is one of Patricia’s
favourite spaces. On a sunny
day, she says it feels like ‘you’re
in a cafe on the promenade’.
KITCHEN (opposite) Wood
floors and a gas stove were
must-haves for Patricia. The
Black Forest granite countertop
is from Bramco Granite and
Marble. The oak parquet
flooring is from VidaSpace.

10 0

YOU R HOM E A N D GA RD EN

M

“Whether I live in a conventional home or apartment, it needs to
be inviting, comfortable, light and spacious.”
PAT R I CI A BA R K E R

Had you previously lived in apartments and did you particularly
want one or were you open to all types of dwellings? I’ve lived
in apartments and houses. I spend a fair amount of time on the
road during each season and am a bit of a workaholic – I spend an
incredible amount of time in the studio and in my office. I’ve always
relied on my surroundings at home to keep me in good spirits and
well-balanced – the space I live in has everything designed for our
wellbeing. Whether I live in a conventional home or an apartment,
it needs to be inviting, comfortable, light and spacious.
What was the apartment like when you moved in? The
apartment had style but was a bit outdated and not our style.
The brick walls were hidden, the flooring was carpet and dark, the
dining room and simple kitchen were raised by three steps from
the main living area; and the balconies forgotten and unkempt.
You’ve been working on making it over – what’s been done?
We gutted the main rooms, living room, dining room and
kitchen. We exposed the beautiful brick walls and steel work that
was put in place for earthquake strengthening. We took the carpet
out, broke down and removed the raised areas, taking the space
back to all the same level, we gutted the kitchen all the way back to
the studded walls. We put in a chef’s kitchen, including a six-burner

gas range and stove, double fridge and freezer – the largest we
could fit in the elevator – granite countertops and installed the
largest sink we could find. We found extra space for an open pantry,
cleaned up the decks, and brought in new trees and plantings.
You’ve laid parquet flooring – was it a mission? When we
stripped everything out to the original floors, we were hopeful they
would be in decent enough shape to fix and polish but that was
not the case. There were too many boards missing and the floor
we did discover was not salvageable, so new parquet it was. In
hindsight, I am happy we went with a new floor – the light oak
keeps the space bright and elegant. We went with a basketweave
mosaic, with dark oak squares for the entry and kitchen, and
herringbone for the now-open dining and living area.
You’ve lived in plenty of places internationally – did you draw
from this when you were deciding on the renovation process?
Michael grew up in Vienna and in the summer vacationed in Italy.
We have taken trips along the Italian shores together, all the way to
Nice and Monte Carlo. I worked in Slovakia and Hungary, and
Michael in Switzerland. Since this is not our first pony ride owning
and restoring a home, we pulled from our favorite memories for
inspiration. Michael jokingly calls the style ‘postmodern baroque’.
YOU R HO ME AN D GA RDEN

1 01

What was non-negotiable for you to have? Wood
floors, a gas range, spa and our beautiful antiques.
Where did you save and where did you splurge?
We didn’t save, we splurged for how we wanted to live,
and the joy we wanted to have living here.

URBAN FOREST An abundance of greenery is seen throughout the couple’s home from the
bathrooms to the balconies and trees on the deck. CHILD’S PLAY In a sweet nod to their
American roots, a Radio Flyer little red wagon makes the perfect receptacle for a host of colourful
daisies in a corner of the living area. BEDROOM A palette of white, green and grey was chosen
for this pitch-roofed room. The couple created their own bespoke paint colours.

How long has the process taken? There are always
new projects to embark on, but it has taken two years.
The middle of a pandemic has been an interesting time
to remodel, especially when all the building supply stores
were closed. When the first lockdown was announced,
we walked through every room with a pen and paper
writing down everything we could think of that we
would need so we could continue our projects during
lockdown. We rushed to as many stores as possible and
purchased as many things on our list as we could find.
We were very busy during lockdown – balancing work
over Zoom with working on the house, and training
our new puppy, lovingly nicknamed ‘Lockdown Lola’.
What’s your favourite place in the apartment now
and how do you use it? I have two. One is the glass
room. If there is even just the smallest bit of sun you
feel as if you are in a garden, and if there is full sun,
it feels as if you are in a cafe on the promenade. My
second is the living room area, sitting among the
plants, fire blazing and close enough to the kitchen
where another glass of wine is within reach while
Michael makes dinner, it’s sublime.
Due to Covid restrictions, the RNZB nationwide tour
A Midsummer Night’s Dream has been cancelled but a
broadcast of the production will be available online in
early December. Visit rnzb.org.nz to buy an access code.
Next year, RNZB will be performing Venus Rising in Feb/
Mar, Swan Lake in May/June and Cinderella in August.

102

YO U R HOM E A ND GA R DEN

YH&G + DULUX

DULUX
Tītahi Bay

DULUX
Tuakau

DULUX

No small wonder
STYLING BREE LEECH PHOTOGRAPHY LISA COHEN LIVING ROOM
ARTWORK EMPTY WISHES BY GABRIELLE JONES, STUDIO GALLERY

Celebrate summer ease with the Wonder
palette from the Dulux Colour Forecast 2022

T

he typical New Zealand
summer revolves
around the great
outdoors, with hiking,
camping and exploring
some of the favourite
pastimes for Kiwis.
It’s also about spending
time with friends and family, and the
meaningful connection that brings.
In short, there’s a real sense of freedom
to be enjoyed over the holidays. These are
our golden days, exploring our environment
with an almost child-like enthusiasm.
The Dulux Wonder palette brings that
playfulness and exuberance into spirited
colours, so we can be adventurous with
our interiors and capture the irrepressible,
fun-loving mood of summer. These colours
are tinged with ’80s nostalgia when soft
tones such as cornflower blue, lilac, lemon,

green quartz and rose-gold reflected the
boundless optimism of the time.
This is precisely what the Wonder palette
is offering up – dreamy, carefree days and
all the possibilities the future holds.
Of course, they’ve been reinterpreted
for the 21st century, as this living room
beautifully illustrates. It features none
other than lilac Dulux Tuakau – the colour
of the moment. Life-affirming, yet soft,
it really does create an ultra-modern,
gentle space for contemplating 2022
and what it has to offer.
In a similar vein, the bedroom’s fresh
yellow-based green tones of Dulux Matauri
Bay is the essence of tranquility and
positivity, offering good vibes no matter
what. By featuring the crisp white accent
of Dulux Southern Alps on the ceiling and
trims of both rooms, these summery
pastels are perfectly complemented.

DULUX
Matauri Bay

DULUX
Southern Alps

To explore more colours and order up to four free Large
Colour Swatches visit www.dulux.co.nz/colourforecast

Dulux and Colours of New Zealand are registered trademarks
of DuluxGroup (Australia) Pty Ltd. Due to the limitations of
the printing process, printed images and swatches may not
represent the true colour. Always confirm your final colour
choice with a Dulux Sample Pot.

k
c
o
l
B
e
h
T
NZ

finale

WIN-WIN

For The Block NZ contestants, the auction may have
been a year late due to lockdowns, but when it finally
came, it was a huge pay day for all

T

eam Blue’s
Tim
Cotton
and
Arthur
Gillies were the
judges’ favourite.
They also came
away as the biggest
winners The Block NZ
has ever seen, pocketing
$660,000, plus the $100,000
prize money for netting the biggest
profit over their reserve of $2,270,000
when their house sold for $2,825,000.
Each team keeps the profit their
house makes over the reserve price.
“Had you said at the start of 2020
that we’d be crowned Block NZ
champions in November 2021 we’d
have been pretty discombobulated,”
said Tim, who thinks he’ll get back
into the market with his winnings.
The flatmates’ Pt Chevalier house
was the first to be auctioned – a
decision brothers Dylan and Keegan
may regret as it was them who

HOUSE PARTY
(above) Jubilant
Tim (left) and
Arthur celebrate
their recordbreaking win.

HOT PROPERTY
Team Blue’s kitchen
and dining room
(left) helped earn
them the top spot.

“We’re overjoyed we get
to share the success with
the other teams.”
T IM C OTTON

10 4

decided the auction order.
They opted to go
second. They won
the People’s Choice
Award and came
away with the
second-highest pay
day of $590,000.
“I don’t have a
mortgage anymore,”
said 25-year-old Keegan.
“I’m only spending half
on that.”
The auction was life-changing for
Christchurch couple Meg and Dan,
who took home $478,000. “We can’t
complain about that,” said Megan.
“This is a huge dent in the mortgage.
It’s massive.”
Finally, friends Connie and Rachel
snaffled $422,000. “I just went from
poor to rich,” said Connie.
The DIY programme will be back
for its 10th season next year called
The Block NZ: Redemption, in which
four previous Block teams come back
for a second chance.

YO UR HO M E A N D GA RD E N

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One lucky winner will WIN a
Mitsubishi Outlander valued at $39,990.
Plus, three lucky runner-up winners will
each be $5000 richer.*

For full terms and conditions see www.magshop.co.nz. Competition opens 1/11/21 and closes at 11.59pm AEDT on 31/1/22. Draw will take place on 8/2/22 at 9:30am AEDT at promoter’s
premises and winner will be published at www.magshop.co.nz by 15/2/22. Total prize pool is up to $54,990 NZD. One entry per person permitted per transaction. Open to NZ residents.
The Promoter is Are Media Group (NZ) LP of Level 1, 317 New North Road, Kingsland, Auckland City 1021, New Zealand.

COLOUR HOME AWARDS
FINALIST N° 2

Out of
the blue
This determined
homeowner didn’t rest
until she found the
perfect nautical hue
Text Bea Taylor
Photography Florence Charvin

COLOUR HOME
AWARDS 2022

Meet & greet
Holly Spooner (upholsterer and
soft furnishing designer), Brett
Cameron (owner of Coverup
Upholstery) and Skeeter the
French bulldog.

I

n pursuit of a shade of blue that
seamlessly fit into the ’50s nautical
bach vibe for her Taupō home,
Holly Spooner tried and tested
too many hues to count.
It wasn’t until a friend shared
a picture of her newly renovated kitchen,
painted in Resene Half Kumutoto, that
Holly found she had discovered one
that fit the bill.
“It was the exact shade I’d been
looking for,” she explains. “It’s a gorgeous
bold blue that creates a statement
without being too dark.”
When paired with fresh window
trims in Resene White, it delivered the
More Resene
colours to try:

RESENE
Half Escape

RESENE
Scrumptious

RESENE
Golden Sand

nostalgic bach feel Holly was after –
with a twist. Because, simply having
bright blue walls wasn’t enough for the
furniture upholsterer, she then added
a hand-painted striped mural in Resene
Poppy, Resene Laser, Resene Rose of
Sharon and Resene Ashanti.
“I love using paint in different ways
and experimenting with colours,” says
Holly. “I also love painting furniture
and old-fashioned lamps for the custom
shades I make.”
Resene Rose of Sharon is becoming
a fast favourite with Holly, who is
planning on utilising its warm desert
hue in other rooms in her home.

WHAT WE ARE
LOOKING FOR:
• Clever interior colours
• Inventive paint projects
• Exciting exterior paint

Get your entry in
by December 1, 2021
and you could be
our third finalist
HOW TO ENTER
Email photos and a 200-word or more description
of your space to yhg@aremedia.co.nz with your
last name and ‘Resene Colour Home’ in the
subject line. Please include your name, home
address, email address, daytime phone number,
the names of the Resene colours used, and
details of when your space was painted. Please
credit anyone who assisted you in choosing
your colours.
The six finalists will each appear in Your Home
and Garden. Every finalist will receive a $250
Resene voucher and a feature in the magazine,
with the winner taking out the Resene Colour
Home Awards and $5000 cash. An extended
story on the winning home will feature in the
May 2022 issue.

TERMS & CONDITIONS Instructions on how to enter are
part of the conditions of entry. This competition is open to
New Zealand residents, except employees of Are Media,
Resene and their immediate families and agencies. The six
finalists and overall winner will be notified by telephone
and/or email. All entries are eligible for consideration for the
Resene website. Any non-finalists selected for the Resene
website will receive a free gift from Resene.

DIY PROJECT

Take sides
Our DIY expert Nikki Kettle shows us three clever
ways to transform a simple wooden bedside table

NIKKI KETTLE
DIY expert

Photography Anna Briggs

You will need
• Bedside table
• Resene Waterborne Smooth
Surface Sealer
• Paint brush
• Roller
• Dowel 8mm
• Handsaw
• Caulking gun
• Construction glue
• Ruler
• Fine grit sandpaper
• Resene Quick Dry Waterborne
Primer Undercoat
• Resene Dusted Blue
• Drill and drill bit the size of the
handle screw (mine is 4mm)

1

Prep the bedside table by
making sure it is clean and
dry. Apply the Resene Smooth
Surface Sealer with a brush or
a roller to the exterior surfaces
– leave the drawer face as it
is – and allow to dry.
Measure the face of the
drawer and cut the dowel
accordingly. I required 51 cut
dowels for each drawer face.
Use a handsaw and a sturdy
surface (I used a standard horse)
to cut the dowels, keeping
fingers safely out of the way.
I cut the dowels 2-3mm longer
than the drawer face, which will
be sandpapered later.
Apply construction glue to
the drawer face (a little
goes a long way – you don’t
want it to seep out between
the dowels).
Place all your dowels onto
the glue. Make sure they
are straight and sitting snuggly
next to each other. Use a ruler
to line them up, then allow
the glue to dry completely,

2

3
RESENE
Dusted Blue

11 0

YOU R HO M E A N D GA RD E N

RESENE
Rivergum

4

M

1

2

3

5

6

Paint tip Up the
ante and add a
touch of glamour
by painting the
legs and handles
with Resene FX
Metallic Gold paint.
4

7
this may take overnight.
Once the glue is dry, sand
the edges of the dowels
so they are smooth and even.
Wipe down with a cloth.
Apply Resene Quick Dry
Waterborne Primer
Undercoat to the exterior
surfaces of the bedside table
and the face of the drawers.
Allow to dry completely.
Apply the first coat of Resene
Lustacryl Dusted Blue to

5

6
7

8
all surfaces. Allow to dry
completely, then apply another
coat. If you desire, do a very
light sand in between coats. Do
the same to the drawer handle.
Redrill the hole for your
handle (from the inside of
the drawer). Make sure you do
this gently and with a sharp drill
bit so you don’t damage the
dowels. Your screw should be
long enough to go straight back
in. Attach handles.

8

TRY THIS LOOK Leave the bedside table legs as they are
and paint the body in a striking dark blue, I used Resene
Coast. Replace the wooden handles with leather straps
made from an old belt.

YO UR H O ME A ND GAR DEN

11 1

RESENE
Coast

1

2

5

6

RESENE
Glorious

• Wallpaper, I used Resene Tropic
Exotic Wallpaper 36519-2
• Soft sewing tape measure
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Craft knife
• Wallpaper adhesive
• Small bucket (to mix glue in)
• Large wallpaper brush
• Large sponge

112

YO UR HOM E A ND GA RD E N

4

RESENE
Wonderland

You will need

TRY THIS LOOK If you can’t find the correct colour
wallpaper, buy a roll of anaglypta and paint it. I used
Resene Anaglypta Wallpaper RD576 with Resene
Wonderland and Resene Glorious.

3

1

Measure the inside of the base and
sides of your drawers. Use a soft
sewing tape measure for this so you
can get right into the corners.

2

Measure and mark the base and
two side pieces of the wallpaper.
If you want the pattern to line up,
make sure there is sufficient
wallpaper to mark up the pieces
in one long rectangle.
Cut out the three pieces using
a craft knife.
Dust the inside of the drawer
so it is completely clean. Mix the
wallpaper adhesive, then apply the
glue to the wallpaper with the brush.
Carefully place the wallpaper inside
the drawer, one piece at a time.
Use a sponge to smooth the
wallpaper from the inside toward
the edges to push the bubbles out.
Repeat with the other pieces.

3
4
5
6

YH&G + RESENE
R E S E N E P OW D E R R O O M AWA R D S 2 02 1 F I N A L I ST

Brave heart
There are no white walls in this power
powder room – even the ceiling called for colour
Photography Sarah Rowlands

W

hen dreaming up
the look for her
Christchurch powder
room, Rebecca
Taylor knew she
wanted it to be
“surprising and a bit fun.” She found Resene
Tropic Exotic Wallpaper 220122 fit the bill for
the ‘fun’ aspect, but it was friend and interior
designer Victoria Gibbons who suggested
adding in the surprise element of icy grey
Resene Loblolly on the ceiling and the dark
forest green of Resene Canyon for the doors
and the window trims. “It’s definitely my
bravest room in the house,” Rebecca says.

More Resene colours to try:

The Resene Powder Room
POWDER ROOM Awards 2021 winner will be
in our January 2022
AWARDS 2021 revealed
issue, and receive $1000 cash.

RESENE
Aquamarine

RESENE
Casper

11 4

PASSIONFRUIT
PISCO PUNCH

GREEN TEA &
LYCHEE COCKTAIL

SERVES 8 (MAKES 2 LITRES)

SERVES 8 (MAKES 2 LITRES)

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

¾ cup caster sugar
¾ cup water
¾ cup fresh passionfruit pulp
1 cup sugar syrup
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1½ cups pisco or white rum
3 cups ice
3 cups soda water

1½ cups caster sugar
8 green tea bags
1.25L water
560g canned lychees
1½ cups crushed ice
1 cup chilled vodka
1 Lebanese cucumber, thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced

1 For the sugar syrup, stir caster sugar and water in

1 For the tea syrup, stir caster sugar with tea bags

a saucepan over a medium heat until sugar dissolves.
Boil. Refrigerate until cold.
2 Press passionfruit pulp through a sieve over a jug.
Add 1 tsp passionfruit seeds to passionfruit juice,
discard remaining seeds.
3 Just before serving, combine the sugar syrup with
the passionfruit juice mixture, lemon juice, pisco (or
white rum) and ice into a large jug. Stir in soda water.

and water in a medium saucepan over high heat.
Bring to the boil. Remove from heat, discard tea
bags. Refrigerate the tea until completely cool.
2 Half fill a large serving jug with crushed ice;
add lychees and their syrup, vodka, Lebanese
cucumber and mint leaves. Stir in chilled
tea syrup until combined.

YO UR H OM E AND GA RD EN

FOOD
ELDERFLOWER &
RHUBARB MOJITO
SERVES 8 (MAKES 2 LITRES)

RECIPES AND PHOTOGRAPHY ARE MEDIA SYNDICATION

INGREDIENTS

1 vanilla bean, sliced lengthways
300g rhubarb, chopped
2 cups caster sugar
2 cups water
8 limes, chopped
1 cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed
1 cup white rum
½ cup elderflower cordial
1 cup ice cubes
1.25L soda water
1 Scrape vanilla seeds into a saucepan. Add rhubarb,

sugar and water; bring to the boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Cool.
Strain mixture over jug, reserve syrup.
2 Place limes and fresh mint in a large jug. Crush
with a muddling stick or rolling pin. Add syrup,
rum, elderflower cordial and ice cubes. Top with
soda water.

CUBA LIBRE
SERVES 8 (MAKES 3 CUPS)
INGREDIENTS

Ice cubes
2 limes, thinly sliced
1 cup golden or white rum
1 cup lemonade
1 cup soda water
1 Fill highball glasses with ice cubes and

lime slices.
2 Combine rum, lemonade and soda water in
a large jug. Divide evenly between the glasses.

116

Holiday feast
Create a stunning,
buffet-style
festive spread.

124

Amazing graze
Easy entertaining
ideas to get on
board with.

128
Sound bites
Pull out all
the stops at
Christmas time.

YO UR H OME A ND GAR DEN

11 5

Holiday
F E A ST
Create a stunning Christmas dinner
buffet-style. Everyone can serve
themselves and you can relax

Baked cherry ham with
cherry and nectarine relish

F

Red rice salad
SERVES 8-10

3 medium green apples, sliced very finely
½ cup dried figs, chopped
2 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves
150g goats’ cheese, crumbled

INGREDIENTS

½ cup whole hazelnuts
1 cup red rice, rinsed well
3 cups water
½ cup mixed tri-colour quinoa,
rinsed well
1 cup water, extra
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1⁄3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp honey

1 Preheat oven to 200°C.
2 Place hazelnuts on an oven tray and

roast for 10 minutes or until lightly golden.
Transfer hazelnuts to a clean tea towel.
Using the tea towel, rub away the skins of
the hazelnuts. Cool and chop coarsely.
3 Place rice and water in a saucepan;
bring to the boil; reduce heat and
simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or until

just tender. Drain any residual water.
4 Meanwhile, place quinoa and extra
water in a small saucepan; bring to the boil;
reduce heat and simmer, uncovered,
for 15 minutes or until water has been
absorbed. Cover, remove from the heat
and allow to steam for 10 minutes.
5 Place lemon juice, oil and honey in
a large bowl. Season to taste and whisk
to combine. Add the apple and toss to
combine. Add the rice, quinoa, hazelnuts,
figs and parsley.
6 Arrange on a large serving platter.
Top with the goats’ cheese.
YO UR HOM E AND GA RD EN

117

Asian vegetable salad
SERVES 8-10
INGREDIENTS

1 Place the cauliflower, fennel, carrot,

¼ cauliflower, sliced finely
1 medium fennel bulb, sliced finely
2 carrots, sliced finely
1 small red capsicum, sliced finely
1 telegraph cucumber, peeled, cut finely
on the diagonal
1 fresh large red chilli, sliced thinly
¼ cup micro herbs, loosely packed
1 Tbsp black sesame seeds, toasted
2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

capsicum, cucumber and chilli in
a large bowl.
2 For the Mirin Dressing, place the
ingredients in a small screw-top jar. Shake
to combine. Pour over the prepared
vegetables and toss to combine.
3 Arrange the vegetables on a serving
platter and garnish with the micro herbs
and mixed sesame seeds.

MIRIN DRESSING

½ cup mirin
2 Tbsp Japanese rice wine vinegar
3 tsp light soy sauce
1 Tbsp pickled ginger, finely chopped

11 8

YOU R HO M E A N D GA RD E N

F

Turkey, cherry & pomegranate salad
SERVES 8-10

1 cup whole almonds, toasted,
chopped coarsely

INGREDIENTS

18 preserved vine leaves, rinsed,
dried on paper towel
8 thin slices prosciutto
1 turkey breast fillet, halved lengthways
1 cup chicken stock
1 Tbsp lemon juice
200g green beans, trimmed,
sliced in half lengthways
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
500g cherries, halved, seeded
3 ripe tomatoes, seeded, chopped
1 pomegranate, arils (seeds) removed
½ cup fresh mint leaves, firmly packed
4 spring onions, trimmed, finely sliced

1 Preheat oven to 180°C.
2 Place a large sheet of baking paper

on the bench. Arrange vine leaves slightly
overlapping the paper to form a rectangle
about 30cm x 35cm. Cover leaves with
the prosciutto slices and lay the turkey
breast halves along the centre (joining
the thinner ends together to form an
even thickness). Wrap the prosciutto
and vine leaves around the turkey breast.
Wrap the paper over and around the
vine leaf-wrapped turkey, twisting the
paper ends together, then place in
a baking dish. Pour stock and lemon
juice around the parcel.

3 Bake for 40 minutes or until the turkey

is just cooked through. Leave covered and
set aside to cool. Slice the turkey into 1cm
slices, then return the slices to the tray to
soak up some of the cooking juices.
4 Bring a large pot of salted water to the
boil and blanch the beans. Drain and
refresh under cold water.
5 Place oil, vinegar and 2 tablespoons of
the turkey cooking juices in a screw-top jar,
season with salt and freshly ground black
pepper. Shake until well combined.
6 On a serving platter, combine the
cherries, tomatoes, pomegranate arils,
mint, onion and blanched green beans.
Pour over the dressing and toss gently to
combine. Top with the sliced turkey and
the chopped almonds.
YOU R HO ME AND GARD EN

11 9

Baked cherry ham
with cherry &
nectarine relish
SERVES 16
INGREDIENTS

680g jar morello cherries
½ cup brandy
2 Tbsp brown sugar
8kg leg ham
1⁄3 cup hot English mustard
½ cup firmly packed brown sugar, extra
CHERRY & NECTARINE RELISH

Want more glaze
options? Try these.

CHILLI JAM
& STAR ANISE

ORANGE
& MAPLE
HERB &
GARLIC

250g fresh cherries, pitted, halved
½ red onion, peeled, chopped finely
½ cup white sugar
2⁄3 cup cider vinegar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
4 nectarines, chopped finely
1 Strain the bottled cherries over a small

120

YOU R HO M E A N D GA R DE N

GINGER

GINGER GLAZE

ORANGE & MAPLE GLAZE

½ cup honey
½ cup glace ginger, chopped coarsely,
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
¼ cup water
Combine all the ingredients in a small
saucepan. Stir over low heat until
sugar is dissolved. Blend or process
until well combined. Brush over ham
occasionally during baking.

1 cup orange marmalade
1⁄3 cup maple syrup
½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup dry ginger ale
Combine all the ingredients in a small
saucepan. Bring to the boil; reduce heat
to medium. Simmer, uncovered, for 10
minutes or until reduced by half. Brush
over ham occasionally during baking.

HERB & GARLIC GLAZE

CHILLI JAM &
STAR ANISE GLAZE

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
1 Tbsp fennel seeds
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1-2 tsp sea salt flakes
1 cup alcoholic cider
½ cup honey
Pound herbs, garlic and salt in a mortar
and pestle until bruised and fragrant. Rub
into the scored fat of the ham. Combine
cider and honey in small saucepan; stir
over low heat until combined. Brush over
ham occasionally during baking.

¼ cup soy sauce
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
4 whole star anise
½ cup white sugar
1 cup chilli jam
¼ cup Shaoxing wine
Combine all the ingredients in a medium
saucepan. Stir over medium heat until
sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil;
simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or
until slightly thickened. Brush over ham
occasionally during baking.

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY ARE MEDIA SYNDICATION

saucepan to catch the juice. Reserve
cherries for relish.
2 Add brandy and brown sugar to the strained
cherry juice; bring to the boil. Boil until the
mixture has reduced to about 100ml or has
formed a rich glaze.
3 For the Cherry and Nectarine Relish,
combine fresh cherries, reserved morello
cherries, onion, white sugar, vinegar and
cinnamon in a saucepan. Bring to the boil,
then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring
occasionally, for 30 minutes. Add nectarines
and cook for a further 20 minutes or until
the mixture has reduced and thickened.
Set aside to cool.
4 Preheat oven to 220°C.
5 Cut through the rind of the ham about 12cm
from the shank end of the leg. To remove the
rind, run your thumb around the edge of the
rind just under the skin. Start pulling the rind
from the widest edge of the ham; continue to
pull the rind carefully away from the fat up to
the shank end. Remove the rind completely.
Finely score the fat at 5mm intervals, cutting
lightly just through the surface of the fat, but
not through the meat.
6 Spread mustard all over the ham, then
sprinkle with extra sugar and press on
lightly. Place ham on a large wire rack in
a large baking dish. Add 1-2 cups of water
to the dish. Wrap the shank in foil. Bake,
uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until
the ham is browned. Reduce the oven
temperature to 180°C. Remove from the oven;
brush the ham with some of the cherry glaze.
Bake for a further 20-30 minutes or until well
browned, brushing with the remaining glaze
halfway through cooking.
7 Serve with the Cherry and Nectarine Relish.

F

Spiced flatbreads with
parmesan mascarpone
(recipe over page)

Spiced flatbreads with
parmesan mascarpone
MAKES 8
INGREDIENTS

1¼ cups plain flour
1¼ cups self-raising flour
1 cup buttermilk
¾ cup ground almonds
2⁄3 cup cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
2 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp sea salt flakes
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
PARMESAN MASCARPONE

250g mascarpone
1 small clove garlic, grated finely
¾ cup finely grated parmesan
2 Tbsp milk
1 Sift flours into a large mixing bowl. Add the

buttermilk and mix until combined. Turn
mixture out onto lightly floured surface,
knead for 5-10 minutes or until it forms
a smooth elastic dough. Cover with a clean
damp cloth and rest for 30 minutes.
2 For the Parmesan Mascarpone, combine
the ingredients in a small bowl; refrigerate
until ready to serve.
3 Meanwhile, combine the ground almonds,
cranberries, mixed spice, salt and pepper
in a small bowl.
4 Divide the dough into four equal pieces
and roll into balls. Roll one of the balls
out on a sheet of baking paper to form
a thin 30cm x 20cm rectangle. Lightly brush
with a little of the oil and sprinkle with
a quarter of the ground almonds mixture,
leaving a 2cm border.
5 Starting from the long side, roll the dough
up to form a long snake of dough. Cut in half
and pinch ends to enclose, then coil each
piece into a spiral. Repeat the process with the
remaining dough and almond meal mixture.
6 Roll out each of the spirals into circles of
approximately 17cm in diameter.
7 Heat a large frying pan over medium heat
with a little vegetable oil. Cook flatbreads for
4-5 minutes on first side, then for 2 minutes on
second side, or until golden brown. Serve the
flatbreads warm with Parmesan mascarpone.

122

YOU R HO ME AN D GA RD E N

F
Rosy peach &
panettone trifle
SERVES 10
INGREDIENTS

Tip
On Christmas Eve,
make the Parmesan
mascarpone for the
flatbreads and the Rosy peach
and panettone trifle, up to
step 7. Store both, covered
with plastic wrap, in
the fridge.

2 vanilla beans
1 cup caster sugar
1 tsp rosewater
1 litre water
6 large peaches
1½ cups cranberry juice, approximately
5 titanium (25g) gelatine leaves
4 eggs, separated
500g mascarpone
½ cup coffee-flavoured liqueur
½ cup caster sugar, extra
½ cup strong coffee
¼ cup sweet Marsala wine
500g panettone
11⁄3 cups flaked almonds, toasted
Whipped cream, silver cachous and raspberries,
to decorate
1 Rub vanilla beans between your fingertips, then

split in half lengthways. Place in a large saucepan
with sugar, rosewater and the water. Bring to the
boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Reduce the
heat to a simmer.
2 Lightly score peaches at the base along their
natural groove. Lower peaches into simmering
syrup (in batches if necessary) and cover with a
piece of crumpled baking paper. Simmer for 5
minutes, rolling the peaches over halfway through
cooking time if they are not completely covered by
syrup. Test if the fruit is ready by inserting a skewer
into the flesh – it should give but not be too soft.
Remove peaches with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
When cool, remove and discard skin. Cut peaches
into thick wedges. Pour over ¼ cup of the syrup.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill.
3 For the jelly, bring the remaining syrup to the boil
and reduce by a third. Strain the syrup over a bowl;
discard the vanilla beans. Return the syrup to the
saucepan. Add the cranberry juice and heat until
hot. Remove from heat.
4 Soak gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water until
soft and pliable. Stir gelatine into the hot cranberry
syrup until dissolved. Pour into a 1 litre container
and refrigerate for 4 hours.
5 Whisk egg whites in a small clean bowl with an
electric mixer until soft peaks form.
6 Place egg yolks, mascarpone, liqueur and extra
sugar in a separate bowl and stir until combined. Fold
the egg whites into the mascarpone mixture.
7 Combine coffee and Marsala in a small bowl.
Tear panettone into bite-size pieces; dip into coffee
mixture. In a 3.5-litre trifle dish, layer panettone,
mascarpone mixture, jelly, peaches and almonds.
Top with a final layer of mascarpone mixture.
8 Refrigerate until ready to serve. Top with whipped
cream; decorate with silver cachous and raspberries.
YOU R HOM E AN D GA RD EN

123

A M A ZING GR A ZE
Make it easy on yourself when entertaining and whip up a colourful
1 24

YO UR HO M E A ND GA RDE N

F

grazing board for Christmas get-togethers this season
YOUR H OME A N D GAR DEN

125

Antipasti selection
SERVES 12
Head to the deli to get most of the provisions required for this board. Ideally, have meats sliced to
order and ask to see the first slice to ensure it’s the desired thickness. If possible, request that the
slices be separated by wax paper for easy arranging later. If you have a steady hand and a sharp knife,
it may be more economical to buy a whole sausage and slice it yourself.

MAKE

+ Grilled zucchini flowers
+ Mushroom arancini
+ Cracked green olives
with pecorino
+ Tonnato dip or smoked
fish pate
+ Grilled vegetable
sandwiches

BUY

DRINK

BUILD

Salumi Prosciutto,
bresaola (cured beef),
‘nduja (chilli-infused
spreadable salami), garlic
and fennel salami, mortadella
(see below)
Cheese Parmigiano-reggiano,
gorgonzola dolce, burrata
(cream-filled mozzarella),
bocconcini
Fruit Melon, pears, fresh figs,
grapes
Bread-like things Grissini,
fresh or char-grilled bread,
focaccia

Prosecco
Italian soft drinks
Sparkling mineral water

Arrange the bowls on a large
wooden board (use the picture
on previous pages as a guide).
Place burrata, bocconcini and
melon wedges in the medium
bowls, and the tonnato dip or
smoked fish pate and cracked
green olives with pecorino in the
small bowls. Arrange arancini,
focaccia and sandwiches on
the board, then fill gaps with
store-bought items such as
cheeses, fruit and salumi.
Finally, add grilled zucchini
flowers and serve.

SERVING
You will need:
• 1 large wooden board
• 3 medium shallow bowls
• 2 small bowls
• Baking paper
• 1 knife
• Serving utensils (cheese
knives, tongs, spoons)

Say hello to salumi
Salumi is the Italian name for charcuterie or cold cuts, of which salami is just one of many styles. Like the French,
Italians are passionate about the subject and the array of mostly pork-based products is extensive. Once you have
an idea of the differences, you will be able to order confidently and build a fabulous tasting board.

Bresaola (4) A salted and air-dried
lean beef with a firm texture and
a mild beef-jerky taste. Serve thin
slices dressed with lemon juice, olive oil
and parmesan flakes.

’Nduja (2) A spicy spreadable salami of
Calabrian origin. Leftovers can be put to
use on pizza or stirred into pasta and other
dishes where you want a little heat kick.

Coppa (5) This pork-based salumi
option is a rolled cut formed from meat
sourced from the back of the neck and
shoulder. If you like your salumi with
a bit of a kick, look for the chilli style.

Sopressa (3) Another pork-based sausage
that comes in an assortment of shapes and
sizes depending on the region of origin.
Common among them is a coarse texture
and reddish hue from paprika.

Prosciutto (6) A generic term that
encompasses a variety of cooked and
cured uncooked hams in Italy. Prosciutto
di Parma and Prosciutto San Daniele are
some of the benchmark prosciutto styles

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YO UR HOM E A N D GA RD E N

to look for. The rose-coloured meat is
simply made from a pork leg that has
been salt-cured for a year or more.
Mortadella (7) A pork-based sausage that
is studded with cubes of fat, flecked with
pepper and sometimes pistachios. It has
a smooth, almost hammy, taste. This one
will get a tick of approval from the kids.

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPH Y ARE MEDIA SYNDICATION

Salami (1) This pork-based sausage comes
in a huge variety of styles. Here, an Italian
salami is used to keep in with this antipasti
board theme. Popular flavours include
fennel, garlic, truffle, red wine and red
pepper, or a mix of these.

F
1

2
3

6

7

4

5

YOUR H OME AND GARD E N

127

I SAID NO, NO, NOGRONI
Best news ever for those abstaining this
summer – the NOgroni is about to be
unleashed. Seedlip (of non-alcoholic spirits
fame) is doing a limited edition, alcohol-free
take on the classic Negroni cocktail. Ready
mixed, it’s made from just the right mix of
Seedlip Spice 94, and from sister company
Æcorn Bitter and Æcorn Aromatic. Pour over
ice and garnish with an orange twist, the
NOgroni is vegan, calorie and sugar free. We
can but hope it becomes a regular offering.
$34.99 for 200ml from cookandnelson.com

FOOD & DRINK NEWS

Express yourself

Sound bites
All the ingredients for kitchen and
entertaining success

GET FIGGY WITH IT

Cheese with fruit paste on a cracker – it’s a time-honoured
way to get drinks under way. Rutherford & Meyers’ latest
fruit paste offering Fig & Orange is a brilliant combination
to elevate the experience. It works particularly well with
a soft goat’s cheese. $6.99. rutherfordandmeyer.co.nz
128

YO UR HO ME AN D GA RDE N

K E N W O O D ’S M U LT I P R O
EXPRESS WEIGH+ FOOD
PROCESSOR IS A BIT
OF AN ALL-R OU NDER .
IT C O ME S WI TH
IN TE GRATE D D IGI TAL
WE IGH ING AND DIC IN G
CAPAB IL ITI E S , A M E TAL
W H I S K , D O U G H TO O L
AND C IT R US J UI CE R .
THIS WILL DO ALL THE
GRUNT WORK THIS
FESTIVE SEASON. $499.
KE NW O O D.C OM

TEA TOTAL
Dilmah’s new Arana range of natural tea is inspired
by Ayurveda, India’s ancient holistic practice of
harmonising mind, body and spirit. The spices, roots
and herbs in these teas have been hand-picked by
Auyrvedic specialists for everyone to enjoy the blends
as part of a balanced lifestyle. $3.79. dilmah.co.nz

F

SIMPLY ONE OF
(THE 50) BEST

Te Pa Chardonnay 2020, $20.99, Yealands
Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021, $14.99, and
Lindauer Special Reserve Rosé, $16.99.

The wine judges have
come up with another
list of 50 stellar wines
in the 2021 New World
Wine Awards. The
criteria: each wine has
to be under $25. You’ll
be able to spot them
all from the gold, silver
and bronze medals
in-store but here’s
a glimpse of a few
champions that
will go down well
this summer.
newworld.co.nz

TAKE A TONIC
G I N A F I C I O N A D O S A R E F U S SY A B O U T T H E I R
TO NIC. LO CAL E N TR AN T ALC H E MY & TO NI C
CAUSED A SPLASH LAST YEAR WITH ITS
DEBUT, WITH FLAVOURS SUCH AS GRAPEFRUIT
& THYME TONIC WATER. NOW, THERE’S RHUBARB
& SMASHED MANDARIN – SO GOOD, YOU’LL
HAPPILY DRINK IT ON ITS OWN. FROM $8.99 (4
X 250ML). ALCHEMYANDTONIC.COM

CLEAN-UP JOB
MAKES SENSE
Commonsense Organics opened their first shop in Wellington in 1991 and
are celebrating 30 years in the health food business. To mark the occasion
they’ve done a couple of collabs: Commonsense x Six Barrel Soda Strawberry
Ginger Soda Syrup, $16.50 – the berries come from the Commonsense farm;
and Commonsense x Wellington Chocolate Factory Birthday Bar, $9.99, with
hints of marmalade and citrus. commonsenseorganics.co.nz

Totally sold on these Eco Turtles
tabs that are decanted into
a reusable spray bottle so there’s
minimal packaging waste. The
Degreaser is an absolute wizard
around the hobs, but there’s also a
bathroom, floor and multipurpose
cleaner as well as a sanitiser.
$5.99 for the spray bottle, and
each of the Eco Turtle tablets.
ecoturtles.co.nz

The collectors

GO NUTS
UTS

These Nom Double Dipped Almonds
are Nom by name, nom by nature. The
Creamy Mocha has a kick of espresso;
Raspberry Tang’s milk chocolate encased
almond is dipped in white chocolate, then
dusted with raspberry; and Caramel Love
is smothered in caramel chocolate. Protein
at its most decadent. $6.99. nomnz.co.nz

N EW W ORLD ’S SUM MER
PR OM OT ION IS BACK ! FR OM
NOW UNTIL JANUARY 2 3,
FOR EV E RY $20 YO U SP END
ON QUALIFYING PRODUCTS,
YOU’LL RECEIVE A STICKER.
COLLECT ENO UG H A ND YOU
CA N RE DE EM THEM FO R
SOM E KI TC HENA ID WAR E S
– T H E C O C OT T E I S 2 0
ST I C K E R S . T H E R E A R E
T HREE STONEWA RE PI E CE S
AND TWO CAST IRON
OPTIONS. NEWWORLD.CO.NZ

YO U R H OME AN D GA RDEN

129

1

2

3

4

5

6

At your
service

7

Pull out all the stops for a festive table
9

10

8

13
11
12
1 Studio serving bowl, $54.95, from Freedom. 2 Vienna platter, $35, from French Country. 3 Menu Norm brushed brass grinder set, $285, from The Urban Studio.
4 Sparkling wine glasses, $120 (set of four), from Le Creuset. 5 Stardust platter, $44.99, from Adairs. 6 Wonderland plate, $3.50, from The Warehouse. 7 Micro tablecloth,
$64.95, from Freedom. 8 Fazeek vice versa carafe, $169, from Paper Plane. 9 Cooper & Co trifle bowl, $27, from Spotlight. 10 Fusion martini glasses, $44.95 (set of four), from
Freedom. 11 Salt & pepper pincho oval plate, $99.99, from Farmers. 12 Steelite craft pourer, $39, from The Urban Studio. 13 Vitro wine glasses, $25 each, from Father Rabbit.

130

YOU R H OM E AN D GA RD EN

YH&G + DILMAH

Take a
moment
Self-care is as simple as sipping a cup
of Dilmah’s Arana blend, inspired by
ancient Ayurvedic traditions

L

iving in today’s fast-paced world
can be complex. Often we are pulled
in many different directions as we
face daily demands and pressures.
Maintaining our health and wellbeing
is critical, however, all too often it
can be the last aspect that gets our attention.
The world of wellbeing can be
overwhelming, but it’s important to remember
that often the simplest ideas are the most
effective – it’s about making easy changes to
your day-to-day routine.
Arana by Dilmah, the experts in tea, is a
revolution in simple self-care. The antioxidant
benefits of tea are well known, but Dilmah’s
Arana, which means “forest” in Sinhala, an
official language of Sri Lanka, takes that
principle to a whole new level, inspired by
Ayurvedic traditions that are almost 3000 years
old to create an exciting evolution of herbal tea.
Ayurveda, pronounced “ai-uh-vah-dah”, is the
knowledge of life and longevity that originated
in ancient India. It works on the principle of
health from the inside and celebrates keeping
things as close to the natural source as possible
to create positive reactions within the body.
Ayurveda, a traditional form of medicine, is all
about balance. The philosophy works with the
body’s natural cycles and provides a holistic
approach to wellbeing in key areas such as
detox and digestion. Dilmah’s plant-based Arana
collection has been carefully created under the
guidance of Ayurvedic physicians and specialists,
with authentic and ethical purpose, to produce
expert-blended teas that are rich with natural
goodness to help support the essential pillars of
health. Your self-care can be as simple as taking
a moment out of your day to sit and enjoy a cup
of Arana infusions. In four minutes you can
brew a caffeine-free wellbeing tea that has been
thousands of years in the making.

Digestive

Detox

Having an
effective
digestive system
is essential for
maintaining good
health. Using a naturally caffeine-free
base of red rooibos tea, which is low
in tannins and rich in antioxidants,
Arana Digestive combines lemongrass,
coriander, curry leaves and cinnamon
to help support your body’s natural
digestive function.
A blend like this might gently stoke
your digestive fire so your body is able
to absorb and utilise nutrients better.
Lemongrass can soothe the stomach
lining, while cinnamon may have a
stimulating effect on gastric juices and
stomach acids. According to Ayurvedic
principles, curry leaf is said to have
digestive enzymes to aid your digestion
and coriander is known for helping
with indigestion. A gentle brew with
a mild spice finish, this infusion can
be enjoyed morning and night.

Ayurveda
believes detox
is important
for building
strong
immunity and a healthy
metabolic system. This blend
uses honeybush tea to create
a naturally sweet brew with a
honey-like taste and aroma. It is
naturally caffeine-free and milder
than both black and green tea,
and contains essential minerals
like potassium and magnesium,
as well as vitamin C. The tea is
combined with holy basil, which
is said to help optimise liver and
kidney function, alongside
Indian sarsaparilla, which can
help stimulate detoxification
within your body and aid fluid
retention. It’s a warm and
comforting medium-strength
beverage that can be taken
throughout the day.

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GARDENS
134

PHOTOGRAPHY GETTY IMAGES

Constant
gardener
Mary Lovell-Smith
tells what to sow,
grow and give this
Christmas.

Scents of tradition Watching summer
flowering Christmas lily buds open in
the garden and inhaling the sweet scent
is a sign Christmas isn’t far away. Given
perfect drainage, they’re easy to grow if
you bear in mind they like their ‘heads
in the sun and feet in the shade’.

138
Up the
garden path
Take a journey
without leaving
the comfort of
your garden.

YO U R HO ME AN D GA R DEN

133

The constant gardener
What to plant, sow, grow and give in the lead-up to the festive season

MARY

December

LOV E L L- S M I T H
Garden editor

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YO UR HO M E A ND GA RDE N

PRETTY GOOD
When picking Christmas lilies
for the vase, choose stems
with the buds just beginning to
open. Leave at least one third of
the stem on the plant because
if it is cut too short the bulb
may not flower the next year.
Sow anemones and ranunculas
for winter.

That joy of summer, basil, can now be sown
directly into the soil, or seedlings planted
outside, in a sunny spot. Keep the soil moist
but try to keep it off the leaves.
In the summer heat, to avoid bolting (that is,
going to flower and seed prematurely) lettuce
and coriander are best out of the midday sun.
Check if early potatoes are ready to harvest
by burrowing your fingers into the base of one
of the plants and feeling how big the potatoes
are, a method also known as bandicooting.

FOOD FOR FORTITUDE
Give hedges, trees, shrubs, climbers
and perennials a health-enhancing
drink of liquid fertiliser to help them
through the growing season.
Feed roses with fertiliser or
compost after the first flush
of flowering and keep watering
during dry periods as dry
roots cause unsightly, and
sometimes damaging, mildew.
Give butterflies a food source by
planting the likes of coneflowers,
cosmos, hebes, zinnias, and salvias.

CUT IT OUT
Prune spring-flowering shrubs,
but not azaleas or rhododendrons,
to just below the flowers after
flowering is over. Prune rosemary
and keep the stems. With
their leaves rubbed off, they are
excellent to use as kebab or
toasted marshmallow sticks.

G

Pro tips
From the experts at
Kings Plant Barn

Landscape 101 – Pots
As aficionados know well, plants in pots and
containers add interest and versatility to the
garden. The almost infinite combination of
pots and plants to work with makes for
interesting and sometimes challenging
decisions. Here are 10 tips to help.
1. Group pots of the same material, such as
terracotta or concrete. Likewise, if glazed,
clusters of similar or complementary coloured
containers work best. In small areas, a couple
of bigger pots look better than a handful of
smaller ones.
2. Match plant sizes and shapes with the
container and with each other. And only
combine plants with broadly similar soil,
water, sun, shade and food requirements.
3. Restrict the palette of flowers and foliage.
Leaping about the colour wheel is fun
but not recommended.
4. A mix of plant shapes and habits from tall to
trailing to puffy, from spiky to large leaves
ensures interest and impact, but more than four

different ones in a container risks looking messy.
5. Plant more densely than you would in a bed
for a more impressive display, and feed and
water more regularly to make up for the
crowded conditions.
6. Be imaginative with placement – up steps,
on a deck, by a gate or at the base of a tree.
7. Move the pots around, bringing them out
when in flower, then shifting away once it is over.
8. A pot liner takes the pain out of moving
big and back-breakingly heavy pots. The plant
– soil and all – can be removed from the pot
during the shift.
9. Gravel, stones, broken pottery or terracotta in
the base of the pot below the soil will ensure
good drainage – vital to plant health.
10. Empty pots, if of a beautiful shape and
substantial size and thoughtfully placed, can
look stunning. Imagine a large urn-shaped one in
a clearing in the shrubbery or in a woodland,
where its ample curves might contrast pleasingly
with the straight tree trunks.

TUTTI FRUITY
WATER FRUIT TREES deeply and regularly to
encourage good-size fruit.
PRUNING EXCESS growth on pipfruit trees will
contain growth and control tree size. Selective
tip pruning of lateral branches will improve next
year’s crop.
KEEP FRUIT trees free of weeds, which compete for
nutrients and moisture and can harbour pests and
diseases. After weeding spread a hefty layer of
organic mulch, such as peastraw, compost or leaf
mould, around the root zone but away from the
trunk. Mulching will also help the soil retain moisture.

I want to start a worm farm – how
do I make it a success?
It will pay to look into your options and
gauge how much space they require.
Standing worm farms are easy to use
and can be kept outside on the patio
or even a balcony. They produce both
worm castings and worm tea from
your kitchen scraps. When you first
set it up make sure you have organic
compost and the worms, which are
sold separately.

What are companion plants?
Companion plants are planted together
to benefit one another mutually. This
can include plants that encourage better
pollination in the area, attract prey
insects (for sacrificial/trap crops such
as nasturtium, which attracts veggiedestroying aphids) and plants that put
nutrients back into the soil.

YOU R HOM E A ND GA RD EN

135

CONSIDER THIS
GOOD GIFTS FOR
GARDENERS AND
G A R D E N PA R T Y F A N S

The Kew Gardener’s Guide
to Growing Vegetables
(Allen & Unwin, $29.99) by Helena
Dove, from Father Rabbit
Kew’s Kitchen Gardener Helena
Dove can do wonders with a few
packets of seeds. Helena shares her
secrets from growing rocket and
radishes through to unusual species
– oca, tomatillo or sea kale anyone?
And if you ever wanted to force
rhubarb or create an asparagus
border, or know someone who does,
this would make a great gift.

Be it an early morning orange juice
on the patio or a martini on the
veranda watching the sun go down,
a stumble, a slip of the fingers and
smash, there’s broken glass
everywhere. Which is why we are
keen on the latest acrylic and
polycarbonate “glassware”. It looks,
feels and pours like glass, but it
bounces. No one has yet managed
to catch it on the rebound, let alone
with the contents intact but we’re
working on it. In the meantime,
make this summer shard-free,
especially when children are around.
Elvira acrylic pitcher, $29.95, hi-ball
glass, $10.95, wine glass, $14.95, and
bowl, from $16.95; all from Freedom.

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YO UR H OM E A ND GAR DE N

Steal this look
It’s difficult travelling to foreign shores at the moment,
but we can easily bring the world to our gardens. How
about a touch of Morocco? Take inspiration straight
from one of its very finest, the Jardin Majorelle in
Marrakech, which was created by French Orientalist
artist Jacques Majorelle from 1923 until his death in
1961. There it lay neglected for nearly 20 years until it
and the villa was saved by French fashion designer
Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge.
Like many of the country’s numerous oases, the
garden is based around palms; its lushness augmented

by thickets of bamboo, extravagant bursts of brilliantly
coloured bougainvillea and scented jasmine and
datura, cooling weeping willows, tropical coconut and
banana plantings, structural agaves, yuccas and aloe.
The fabulous avenues of towering thuya, the
shrub-like, aromatic conifer, is indigenous to the area.
In the arid section, pictured, cacti of many shapes
dominate, their striking forms contrasting with the
softer smaller palms. Colour is provided by pots and
paint trims; cobalt blue in particular but also lemon,
pumpkin and mint green. Bold is back.

HOW TO… KEEP POINSETTIA ALIVE FOR ANOTHER YEAR OR SO
Along with conifers, Christmas lilies and amaryllis, the beautiful scarlet poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is
a much-loved part of our Christmas trimmings yet, despite being easy to grow year to year, inside or out, it is
commonly biffed once the festive season finishes. Indoors, it does best in a light spot out of direct sunlight. Keep
soil moist – but if the leaves start to yellow or drop reduce watering. Naturally, this Mexican native flowers in
winter, which is when their distinctive bright red bracts appear. To be ready for Christmas in New Zealand, they are
grown in glasshouses with heat and light controlled to mimic winter. This can be done at home by keeping them in
the dark for 14 hours a day for about eight weeks. This is possible but demanding, as any light will upset the cycle.
Rather, enjoy the green plant as a deluxe pot plant. Or plant outside in a sheltered spot with well-drained soil in full
sun to half shade, and protect from frosts, then let it grow and grow and grow.

we help you

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NURSER

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GROW WELL

TO
G R OW G UAR

At Kings, we love helping our plants and our customers grow. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro,
we make things easy every step of the way. With our exclusive range of top quality plants grown
with care in our own nurseries, expert advice from our team of plant specialists plus ongoing support
from our Plant Doctors when you need it, and a Sure To Grow Guarantee to back every plant,
we’re here to help you grow well.

kings.co.nz

0800 PLANTS

T
AN

E

ARBOUR VIEWS
The pretty vista from
the paved patio to the
garden beyond promises
adventure with the help of
stepping stones and a
braided tree archway.

G

Up the

garden path
There is so much more to paths than just perfunctory straight lines.
With long-distance travel out, it’s a great opportunity to go on
a journey without leaving your garden
Text Mary Lovell-Smith

YO UR H OME AN D GAR DEN

139

“Another joy of lawn paths is they can look lovely when viewed
from beyond, rather like a knot garden.”

U

seful as they are for
getting from A to B,
from the back door to
the washing line or the
front door to the gate,
paths need not be
purely practical. As
they say, it is as much
about the journey as the destination and
few patches are too small for a path. Even
simple stepping stones allow access to
another world. It is time to get a lot more
trails into your life.

A wide berth
Conventionally, main paths are broader
than lesser ones. One 120cm wide allows
two adults to comfortably walk along it,
side by side. Those with space can be more
generous with their main path; one to two
metres or so wide enable groups of people
converse and dally. Those who cannot
afford the space could let a narrower path
140

YO U R H OM E AN D GAR DE N

M A RY LOVE L L-S M IT H

open out into a bigger circle before
narrowing again – to a similar convivial
effect. Single width paths are not as
unsocial as they first might seem. Once
the person in front stops, those behind
have no choice but to follow. However,
there is something philosophically
satisfying walking alone down one, for
that is how we all essentially experience
our own journeys through life.
Paths along boundary hedges makes
trimming easier. It is rather like how not
having all the furniture of a room lined
around the walls makes the rooms seem
bigger. Having a gap (aka alley) of up
to 50cm between the garden and the
boundary hedges or fences gives the
heightened illusion of space, and offers
another perspective on the garden.

Through a lawn
Lawns, both petite and expansive, are
underrated places for paths and offer

possibilities limited pretty much only by
the imagination. First, map out in your
mind’s eye what sort of route or look you
want. If you have children, you might want
a grid with crossing paths to run and play
in. Or one long path to run down. You
might like a spiral to meander or a sunburst
– another joy of lawn paths is they can look
lovely when viewed from beyond, rather
like a knot garden. Next, let the grass get
a little longer than usual, then get out the
mower and carve out your path. The paths
needn’t stay the same all summer, they
may get wider as the season progresses, or
smaller as flowers, grasses and garden
escapees emerge.

A sensory route
Paths through a shrubbery or flower bed let
the wanderer in amongst it all. No longer
just a bystander or observer, they become
immersed – seeing, smelling, hearing,
feeling and sometimes tasting all the

G

WALK THIS WAY
Selecting colourful plants
with a fragrance is both
a visual and olfactory
invitation to take a stroll.
There are few things
lovelier than catching the
sweet perfume of a rose
in bloom or smelling the
aromatic leaves of an
old-fashioned geranium
while wandering in
the garden.

YO U R HO ME AN D GA R DEN

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YO UR H O ME A ND GA R DE N

G
garden has to offer up close. Better access
to tend the garden is a spin-off benefit.
Wind the path between, behind, around
under trees and smaller plants and don’t be
afraid of letting it go back on itself. No one
is in any hurry on this track.
When the paths through shrubberies
or woodlands are defined with distinct
materials and clear edges, the essential
differences between the path and the
garden are emphasised. The wanderer
may feel more secure on this obvious path
and by comparison the woodland or
shrubbery may seem wilder, any frisson
of anticipation or danger intensified.

IT’S ABOUT THE JOURNEY
Add a sense of adventure to
the garden with plants that
spill over the pathway and to
blur any hard lines. Adding
a bench seat will encourage
visitors to linger and take in
the surrounds.

Make it interesting
Should your paths be immutably in place,
clever planting at the least can help make
them more interesting. Consider an arbour
or arch over them – a tunnel, of some sort
to add to the sense of adventure and
journey. Having plants spill over onto the
path will blur any hard lines. One effective
ploy is to have a border, or hedge, of one
species, then leave a gap. Behind the gap,
plant another type of plant and let it grow
through – to give a slightly unsettling hint
that all is not as under control as one might
first think. A nifty trick used by garden
designers is to taper a straight path making
its end appear further way and thus the
garden longer.

PHOTOGRAPHY GETTY IMAGES

Get lost
A vague, ill-defined path through, one that
tapers off here and there, maybe even
with the odd dead-end makes the journey
a little saltier, lost in the wilderness. Or it
may make the traveller feel even more
embraced by the environment. If there is
room, pop in a simple bench seat to
encourage visitors to linger.
Sinuous paths give depth to a garden,
especially when they lead out of sight (and
even back in and out again). Seemingly,
more organic and natural, a winding
path tends to be most tranquil and usually
slows the walker – as does rough or
uneven surfaces – giving more time to
appreciate all. Having curves also increases
the anticipation (what is around the next
bend?) and offers a sense of adventure as
a new scene at each turn is uncovered.
Strolling the path should be replete with
pleasurable experiences, be they dramatic
or infinitesimal.

The destination path
Offering a reward at the end of the path is
like dangling a carrot at the end of the stick
for the nature lover. Maybe the path can

climax with something special – be it
a piece of sculpture, a bird path, a
particularly captivating horticultural
vignette, a seating area, or fine view.
Zigzag paths are commonly used in
traditional Japanese gardens. Apparently,
evil spirits cannot negotiate right angles so
these types of darting paths were seen to
be safer. The geometry of a zigzag suits
many modern gardens, especially if steps
can be incorporated. Never let a flat section
deter you from ups and downs. Artificial
alterations to path heights are easy and
inexpensive enough to achieve and hugely
effective in adding interest. Small bridges
are sometimes used, but seldom with
as much integrity as digging out an area
and using the fill to create a small hill or
mound somewhere else.
YO U R HO ME AN D GA R DEN

143

Don’t miss this inspirational guide...
L
IA N
EC TIO
SP DI
E

100

BE ST ROOM S

SPACES YOU ’LL WANT TO LIVE IN
ENTRANCES | KITCHENS | DINING | LIVING
BEDROOMS | BATHROOMS | LAUNDRIES

ON SALE NOW
AT ALL LEADING RETAILERS

D

Elderly Assist Ltd
Our specialities include:

R

We work in
the greater
Auckland area.

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•
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•
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Preparing your home for sale
Downsizing and decluttering
Packing and moving
Unpacking and layout assistance
Assistance with the sale of furniture
and belongings
• Estate dispersal.

Ph. 0800 839 874

Janice Willis
www.elderlyassist.co.nz

Makers of the famous
Adirondack chairs.
Stainless steel screws and bolts.
Pine cape cod $300, Macrocarpa
$365, freight from $25.

We’re all about adding a little gorgeousness...
Phone 021 536 788
www.thecowhidecompany.co.nz

An exotic
collection of all
things beautiful

Cape Cod Chairs
trelliscentre.co.nz
Phone: 06 368 4778 | Mobile 021680 968
Email cngore@xtra.co.nz | 21 Hokio Bech Road, Levin

MarigoldandAmber.co.nz

LUXURY
SCARVES

T h e L u n ch b ox Q u e e n
WASTE-FREE LUNCHES - MADE EASY
NZ’s largest range of bento boxes + beeswax wraps + drink
bottles + insulated bags + reusable yoghurt pouches
+ sandwich cutters and much more.

Dark Hampton
darkhampton.com

www.thelunchboxqueen.co.nz

Are you a fast and accurate typist?
Interested in working from home?
Book a qualified Interior Designer to help
you select the right colours for your home.

Study Online in 2022
Enrol Now
New Zealand Certificate in Medical Transcription
and Editing Level 4
NZQA Registered
Download our information pack from
www.computertraining.co.nz

Choose either:
Online Colour Consultation ($89 for 1 hour)*
In-Home Colour Consultation ($125 per hour)*

To book a consult visit
dulux.co.nz/services
or call 0800 800 424
*Average In-Home Consultation is two hours.
Online Consultations are best suited for smaller projects.
In-Home may incur travel charges. Residential rates
only, Colour Designers are not available in all regions.
Conditions apply. Dulux and Colours of New Zealand are
registered trade marks of DuluxGroup(Australia) Pty Ltd.

YOU R H O ME AN D GAR DEN

145

“The pure
excitement
and belief in
Santa, which
my children
still have
(just).”
G INA MAR IE R IL E Y

01
Ferm Living bowl candle
holder is style guru
Ginamarie’s go-to present to
give. $149.

F I N A L S AY

Give a little
Ginamarie Riley’s homewares
store, Ornament in Pt Chevalier,
Auckland, has a beautifully
edited gift selection. The stylist
shares some of her favourites
What’s going to be your go-to present to give
this year? My go-to present would have to be
Ferm Living’s bowl candle holder. A practical gift
would be our enamel gravy pot paired with a Natural
Dishcloth and pot scrubber. As a small Santa gift,
I adore the felted gingerbread man and woman set,
or the felted acorns along with a pair of twisted taper
candles. The books I’d give would be The Natural
Home and The Kinfolk Garden. My go-to for kids is
the Little People, Big Dreams range of books. The Big
Dreams Journal is the most gifted children’s gift of
mine. A girlfriend gift would be the Linda Tahija stud
earrings – we have a pretty good range now.
Best thing about Christmas? The pure excitement
and belief in Santa, which my children still have (just).
14 6

YO U R H OM E AN D GA R DE N

Setting the table a week ahead and changing
it three times before the day. My family used
to host a degustation on Christmas Day
where each of us kids did two tasting meals
each with matching wines. This all got a bit
hard once kids of our own came along, but
this tradition will return in time, I’m sure.
Sometimes we couldn’t finish the last
two courses.
Favourite tradition? My husband’s eggnog.
It’s perfection, light yet creamy and he makes
his drinks really strong, which I love.
Tree – real or fake? Ornament has a pretty
good fake tree but I, hand’s down, love a real
one. It just needs to look good by Christmas
Day, so it’s all about the wet sand and a good
set-up if you are opting for real.
How are you going to wrap your gifts this
year? Brown paper, string and mistletoe.
What are you hoping for under the tree
this year? A swimming pool – and some
new togs.
Best gift you ever received? My youngest
son, though he wasn’t born until the 27th;
he is my Christmas baby. Other than that
a miniature TV for my room when I was about
10 years old. It was cream, had a remote and
I felt like the luckiest kid alive.
What was the worst present? Some shoes
that weren’t my size.

02
The Kinfolk Garden: How
to Live with Nature by
John Burns. $98.

03
Enamel gravy pot paired
with a natural dishcloth and
wooden pot brush is practical
and thoughtful. $29.
All from ornament.co.nz