your home_and_garden

H SHOP THEIR STYLE Classic choices and family treasures that will go the distance sit happily alongside modern buys for one-off style 3 2 1 4 6 5 7 8 10 9 1 Miffy Bundle of Light night light, $69, from Flux Boutique. 2 Olive wood spatula, $19, from Paper Plane. 3 Selena mirror, $299, from Nood. 4 The Poster Club Waiting print, $169, from Paper Plane. 5 Replica Tolix chair, $125, from Cintesi. 6 Menu Carrie LED lamp, $429.99, from A&C Homestore. 7 Mustard Lowdown locker, $599, from Shut the Front Door. 8 Mauviel tarte tatin pan, $399 (32cm), from Milly’s Kitchen. 9 Perk oak coffee table, $199, from Nood. 10 Quill face cloth, $22, from Baina. YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 51

DOWN TO A FINE ART Paintings and an eclectic mix of furniture live in harmony at an apartment that is both home and studio to Cecilie Hertz and her family 52 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

H PERFECTLY IMPERFECT Most of this pottery collection is made of Bornholm clay and was discovered by Cecilie and her husband on a visit to the Danish island in the Baltic Sea. The dining chairs are a mixture of Tolix, Wegner and Arne Jacobsen’s Ant. YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 53

Meet & greet The idea behind Atelier Absalon is Cecilie Hertz to present art in home spaces so potential buyers can more easily (visual artist and relate to the works and imagine how owner of Atelier they can be a part of a home. Visual artist Cecilie Hertz has always painted, Absalon). it has always been a part of her being. However, the organic forms she loves to paint come from her research studies, specialising in the immune system. Through this, Cecilie has looked at countless micro-organisms under a microscope and these forms have inspired the works she makes today. While on maternity leave, Cecilie took the plunge and opened Atelier Absalon, a decision that balances the role of motherhood and businesswoman in the best possible way. It’s a way of life that is working perfectly right now, with a daughter who is two-and-a-half years old. “I will start my PhD later, but right now it’s the most wonderful life, I could dream of,” says Cecilie. “When I create an art piece, it is a process that takes 54 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

H A HUNTER AND A COLLECTOR Cecilie enjoys hunting for treasures and the large House Doctor glass and iron display cabinet is crammed to near breaking point with found objects. The old floral armchair was bought at an auction. YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 55

“Our home must be dynamic, vibrant and changing.” CECILIE HERTZ KITCHEN The refined blue cabinetry is by Danish brand &Shufl with handmade splashback tiles from File Under Pop. Above the kitchen island hangs a leather and brass Long John lamp from Rubn. 56 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

H CLEVER IDEA Suspend lighting with a leather strap YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 57

WORKSPACE The table is designed by German architect Egon Eiermann for Please Wait To Be Seated, with one of Cecilie’s works displayed above. The silk with black cotton ribbons ceiling lamp is by Oi Soi Oi. LIVING (opposite) The Hay couch, like so many other things in the home, is secondhand. The Spanish chairs are by Danish designer Borge Mogensen and the red cabinet was bought at an auction. Over the stairs to the lower floor, Cecilie’s art is exhibited together with a lot of small old works of art discovered at a frame shop, which the artist likes to visit daily. 58 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

H a long period of time. I hang it up and take it down again BATHROOM Simple and beautiful, this wet area in the basement utilises until it feels just right. It is difficult to paint such simple industrial concrete and a white vanity, accessorised with natural design elements. organic forms that can harmonise well together.” Many of Cecilie’s works are blue, and when questioned why, we’re told that the reason is because deep blue is so beautiful and creates a nice contrast in a home. Cecilie’s husband is an engineer and contractor who originally bought the property his family now lives in for work purposes. The heritage building was once part of an old city museum that housed the administrative department. The couple moved into one of the apartments, and with a new floor plan and utilisation of the lower floor, it’s now the ideal home for a small family. It’s also the most beautiful backdrop for Cecilie’s art and studio space. Everything in the apartment consists of finds and treasures, explains Cecilie. “I love hunting and finding unique furniture. It’s fun to find treasures for just the right amount. On a trip to Bornholm (island in the Baltic Sea), we came home with everything, from ceramics to furniture.” Having lovingly restored the apartment in this historic building, the artist is accepting of any family or work-related wear and tear. “Our home must be open, dynamic and changing. There must be room for many friends and family here, and spaces to be in and live in. I have nothing against the many holes that come into our walls when I change exhibitions and take the works up and down. It’s part of the change and the process – and Polyfilla can cope.” YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 59

PERFECTLY GROUNDED The TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY LIVING INSIDE basement was renovated for living, so the apartment has a cosy lower floor, with sleeping area and bathroom. The bedspread is from Danish brand Tine K Home. “I love hunting and finding unique furniture. It’s fun to find treasures for just the right amount.” CECILIE HERTZ 60 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

SHOP THEIR STYLE H Rustic pottery, organic paintings and eye-catching furniture work 2 together to make this home a continually evolving one-off 1 3 6 5 4 7 89 1 Mayfield Kita table lamp, $349, from Harvey Norman. 2 Resene Astronaut paint, $4.90 (testpot), from ColorShops. 3 Resene Dust Storm paint, $4.90 (testpot), from ColorShops. 4 Leather sling chair, $995, from Coastal Style. 5 Oriental red gloss cabinet, $1970, from Mecasso. 6 Chirezza pendant light, $379, from Freedom. 7 Slab Ceramics loop mug, $42, from Paper Plane. 8 Mystery Creek Ceramics thrown bowl, $49 (small), from Paper Plane. 9 Byron 3-seater sofa, $2899, from Danske Mobler. YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 61

PERFECT MATCH Vantage joinery finished in Matt Flaxpod powdercoat connects this new build with its environment. Full-height sliding doors and picture windows maximise the lakeside views and bring in as much light as possible. MOUNTAINS When Craig Fraser came across a section in Wānaka OF APPEAL with expansive views of Lake Wānaka and the When a Timaru family built a holiday home surrounding mountains in picturesque Wānaka, space and views one morning, by the afternoon it was his. were what they most craved Then, he phoned his unsuspecting wife Natalie to tell her their good fortune. Photography Swell Productions “I fell in love straight away,” says Craig of the view out to Ruby Island in Lake Wānaka, across to the snow-capped Mt Avalanche and the Buchanan Peaks. To the left is Roys Peak, dubbed the most Instagrammable spot in New Zealand, and a place where ’grammers will find themselves queuing for two hours for their money shot. Fortunately, Natalie’s parents live in the town and she’d grown up having holidays there so she was very happy. It’s also only a three-hour drive from their Timaru home. The intention was to build a holiday place

YH&G + VANTAGE Meet & greet Craig Fraser, Natalie Cameron, Aggie, 10, Oscar, eight, Ellie, six, and Yogi the cavoodle. they could get away to for school holidays SHELTER ME The house is designed in a U-shape with a courtyard that’s sheltered from the wind. with their three children. The floor-to-ceiling Vantage sliding doors on both sides of the living area allows views out to the lake and the ranges. The glazing has a low e-coating, which helps with thermal performance. The couple engaged local Pete Barham of Open Architecture with the prerequisite of space as their renovated Timaru villa is only 130sqm. And, of course, to maximise the view. “With views like this, we wanted as much glass as we could to maximise the views,” says Craig. Subsequently, the four-bedroom home’s U-shape is built around a sheltered deck “so we can be outside when it’s windy,” says Natalie. The open-plan kitchen/dining and living is effectively a glass pavilion, fully glazed in Vantage’s Metro Series floor-to-ceiling sliding doors, so the view from the wood-fired hot tub on the deck is uninterrupted. On the other side of the deck in the children’s media room, the floor-to-ceiling doors across the length of the space means that jaw-dropping scenery is still in full view. In the hallway, the family never tire of looking out the full-height Vantage picture

HAPPY HOLIDAYS Full height windows capture the stunning vistas from the house, including the hallway and the laundry. window, perfectly framing Ruby Island. During winter, Wānaka is a legendary winter wonderland but the temperatures are often below freezing, so having low emissivity (Low E) glass was imperative for them. Then come summer, it gets hot. “We want to be able to push the doors back and open the whole front of the house up to the back. In summer, you can sit back in the children’s lounge with all the doors open and get a breeze flowing to keep it cool as well,” says Natalie. As a holiday home, they’re not in any great hurry to get wifi connected so they can make the most of the environment. Craig and Natalie love cycling the bike trails and hiking, but they admit it can sometimes be a challenge for the kids to get back into the rhythm of not being able to use their devices. “They have to come up with their own creative games,” says Natalie. “We try and get them out on their bikes and it’s a 20-minute walk into town, so we can spend all day wandering into town and having lunch.” In summer, they’re getting into boating but it’s the simple pleasure of being lakeside and skimming stones into the water and playing around with the paddle board says Craig, that makes the place so special for them. SEE MORE OF THIS HOME AT VA N TAG E .C O. N Z / M O U N TA I N S - O F -A P P E A L

“It was all about having glass along the front of the house. We wanted as much glass as we could to maximise the views.” CRAIG FRASER

66 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN PHOTOGRAPHYARE MEDIA SYNDICATION

EVERYTHING AND THE RENOVATION KITCHEN SINK Bold tapware 68 goes above and beyond in this striking space. Head over to page Gold standard 80 for the lowdown on refreshing Olympian the hub of every home. Eric Murray’s ambitious reno. 80 Kitchen refresh Update your space on a budget. YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 67

GOLD S TA N DA R D Text Shelley Tustin Photography Alice Veysey Styling Sjan Johansen 68 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

R In search of a new challenge, Olympic gold medallist Eric Murray turned a fast-flip house into one worthy of being a forever home KITCHEN Eric designed the kitchen by trialling and tinkering, When you’ve already knocking out a cabinet here and a pantry there to see what created the conquered the world, where do best flow and functionality, so by the time he sat down with a Mitre 10 you look for your kitchen designer, he knew exactly what he wanted. The result is airy next challenge? and open plan, with an island bench that can seat a small crowd. For two-time Olympic gold medallist rower Eric Murray, the answer was in the area of home renovation. It’s not quite in the same league as elite sport, but as any DIY renovator will tell you, it can be just as all-consuming. Prompted by a “change in circumstances”, as he puts it, Eric started looking for a project that would secure the future for himself and his son Zac, as well as giving him something to focus his considerable energies on. Project found The three-bedroom 1950s red brick Cambridge home he settled on was solid, if not much to look at. Eric, who wowed on the most recent Dancing with the Stars, has a more colourful way of describing the state of the house when he first bought it, but it comes down to this: “It was an old rental, cold, with the original sash windows and plain crappy wallpaper on the walls.” The aluminium windows used to rattle in their frames whenever a truck went past and would let in shockingly cold air in winter, but the house had the foundations of a solid family home. “I never used to understand what people were talking about when they said a place had ‘good bones’,” says Eric. “But it’s got native mataī and rimu timber flooring through the house, which I discovered as I was pulling up carpet, and all the framing inside is native timber, so it’s solid as.” Also among the home’s pluses was its 850sqm YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 69

70 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

R Meet & greet Eric Murray (business development manager and two-time Olympic gold medallist), his girlfriend Thea Lyle, and his son Zac, 10. BEFORE “I spent hours searching the internet and magazines, seeing what looks nice, and then putting together the spaces in my head.” ERIC MURRAY CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT section on the edge of Cambridge’s green belt. extension, Eric eventually made the smart decision As well as offering plenty of room for Zac to run to concentrate his energies on the smallest change Wooden shelving and around, it has a view across to an athletics track. that would make the biggest impact, adding an James Hardie It’s arguably the perfect situation for a sportsman. ensuite. He did this by moving the main entrance HardieGroove panelling of the home to the living room and turning the painted in Resene Cello Good, better, best entrance hall space into a bathroom connected to create a striking feature in the main bedroom, so the footprint of the house the kitchen; this was Eric’s First on Eric’s to-do list was making over the remains the same. first hands-on renovation long, skinny garage, turning half of it into a and he took on everything separate room, which can serve as an office, “It’s now a three-bedroom, two-bathroom from installing new studio, gym, storage space or sleepout, as needed. house, so for the expense of chucking in an alcove windows to knocking Practicalities covered, he turned to the fun bit, shower, wall-hung toilet and a vanity, the house through walls; the ‘50s exploring how he could transform the house jumps into another bracket of pricing.” Though house’s red brick frontage, itself. “That was where the planning stage started. resale value was his initial motivation, it has also with pale blue gable end, What needs to be done first? Do we want to made the house far more comfortable to live in was nothing to write home add an extension? I don’t know how many hours – plus it gives Eric’s girlfriend, Thea, a clean and about before Eric got to I spent on Pinterest.” serene bathing space, leaving the main bathroom work transforming it. to be a boys-only zone. While there was definitely space for a big YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 71

BEFORE Man of action Though he had made small changes in previous properties, this was his first hands-on reno. “This is my little baby.” Doing the lion’s share of work himself was a cost-cutting exercise, naturally – par for the course when you’re planning to flip a property – but, more than that, it was about rolling up his sleeves, taking on a new challenge and ultimately basking in the satisfaction of a job well done. Eric’s top tips for learning on the job? Watch loads of instructional videos and don’t be afraid to pump the pros for advice. “I’m lucky, I play golf with my builder, so I’d just ask him, ‘How do you do this?’, says Eric. His builder mate, Marcus Grayling, would tell him the pressure points – the parts that could trip him up if he didn’t get them spot on – and checked the work if needed. His EXTERIOR Now pale grey with warm white trims, the house is fresh, welcoming and far more charming. LIVING ROOM Light spills into the spacious living room through new French doors, illuminating Eric’s framed world championship certificates and mementos. KITCHEN NOOK With ample seating around the island bench and on the deck, Eric could ditch his too-big dining table and turn this corner into a peaceful sitting area with cane furniture and a pendant light. 72 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

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ENSUITE The tiny ensuite needed smart design to make the most of every inch. An open, box-style timber vanity allows enough storage without making too much visual noise for the room. MAIN BATHROOM Eric made over the bland main bathroom in Resene Waiouru after spotting a similar olive green at a bar. STORAGE Built-in feature shelving makes good use of a tricky corner. “For the expense of chucking in an alcove shower, toilet and vanity, the house jumps into another bracket of pricing.” ERIC MURRAY 74 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

R BEFORE advice also gave Eric the confidence to dive head-first into the unknown, tackling everything from installing new windows to knocking through walls, lifting tiles off the timber floorboards and constructing a flatpack kitchen. Fast flip or forever home? Even 2020’s Covid lockdown was a boon. “When Jacinda said we’d go into lockdown the next evening, I drove past Countdown, which had cars coming out every exit, and straight to Mitre 10, where we filled two trolleys with paint, paintbrushes, caulking – basically everything I needed to redecorate the house.” Instead of using that odd Indian summer to lie indolent, as many of us did, Eric (with enthusiastic help from Zac) used the free time and heaven-sent hot weather to busily strip wallpaper, skim-coat walls and paint almost the entire house in one epic YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 75

BEFORE BACKYARD Summer or winter, the backyard is the ultimate playground, with an in-ground fibreglass pool and spa surrounded by Eric’s lush landscaping. LAUNDRY AND BEDROOM Most of the house employs a calming white and wood colour combo. 76 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

R BEFORE effort. But Covid also brought uncertainty and space. He brims with boyish enthusiasm as he DECK The back deck is a subsequent shift in focus. Instead of viewing the describes its highlights: an in-ground pool heated built for entertaining, with home through a lens of what would appeal to by a solar-powered heat pump, a spa pool for a simple servery off the a future buyer, Eric started to question whether colder nights and, best of all (although his kitchen allowing guests to he’d be moving on after all, and asking himself, girlfriend Thea is less enthusiastic), an artificial sit and chat with the chef. if he had to stay, what did he want it to look like? turf putting green. GARDEN No home renovation is complete “When you’re renovating to sell, you look Now it’s all done, the house is a delightful without its very own at what’s most economical, but with all the family home and a place Eric would be happy putting green. uncertainty, I decided, no, I’m going to do this to live long-term – though it remains to be seen how I want it,” he says. how long he’ll actually stay, now he’s caught the renovation bug. So the kitchen ended up being constructed with higher-end finishes, better appliances and “I’ve never really been a creative person, but a wine fridge. Instead of leaving everything white, this became my hobby and turning the house Eric splashed around cheery colour – blue in the from what it was to what it is now has been kitchen and a bold olive green in the bathroom. so much fun,” he says, adding that he now finds And then he asked himself, what else did he really himself walking into other people’s houses and want from his house? The answer: a pool. imagining what it would look like if they knocked out a wall or similar. Gentlemen’s club But until the next project lures him in, the sun To turn the house into his dream home, Eric is shining on this Cambridge home, the water’s fine made over the backyard to be the ultimate play and it’s hard to think of a nicer place to wait. YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 77

SHOP THEIR STYLE Attention to detail and a love of natural materials add heart to this home 1 24 3 5 6 8 9 7 11 12 10 1 Koki fruit bowl, $29.95, from Freedom. 2 Eight-piece wall photo frame set, $17, from Kmart. 3 Boat vase natural, $89.99, from Home Lab Store. 4 Round placemat, $38, from Elle Maison. 5 Mellor weave throw, $49, from Nood. 6 Malo three-light pendant, $349, from Lighting Plus. 7 Koo Maddie round piped velvet cushion, $43, from Spotlight. 8 Marco bar stool, $149, from Freedom. 9 Home Republic Sumatra natural basket, $69.99, from Adairs. 10 Claire three-seater sofa, $2299, from Early Settler. 11 Living & Co kitchen block with drainage groove, $29, from The Warehouse. 12 Hubsch wave pouf, $629, from Home Love & Mette K. 78 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

R Honesty box Floor plan What area did you save on? 2 1 Buying products online: tapware, 4 sinks, toilets, shower units. There 36 are some great products, you just 5 have to spend time finding them. 2 And, of course, my labour was free. 8 3 11 KEY Where did you splurge? On some of 7 the tapware, rain-shower heads, the 6 1 Main bedroom kitchenware (bar fridge), also the 2 Bedroom finish on the cabinets and some of 9 3 Wardrobe the electrical work – being able to 10 4 Ensuite dim lights is nice, but it does come 5 Living at an extra cost. Definitely on the 12 13 6 Cupboard plants as buying more established 14 7 Hall plants helps. And large cavity 8 Toilet sliders; they do cost a lot more than 9 Bathroom doors, but for the space they save 10 Laundry – I’ve got six in my house now but 11 Entry they’re worth every penny. 12 Kitchen Best lessons learned? Having the 13 Dining right tools makes the job very easy. 14 Deck I had pretty much every tool I needed, either I bought them, or I “Buy an industrial wet/ would borrow things from friends, dry vacuum. They’re neighbours or my builder. Buy an pretty cheap and you industrial wet/dry vacuum. They are pretty cheap and you can use it to can use it to keep keep everything tidy. everything tidy all What would you never do again? I think I’d do everything again, just the time.” possibly some of the things which took some time, like stripping tiles ERIC MURRAY off the original wooden floors, I would have used a hammer drill ERIC’S RENO TIPS instead of hand tools. That was probably the most time consuming Budget + Research, research I spent goals was to create privacy and intensive. hours searching the internet and between neighbouring properties Any disasters? No complete Around $200,000, roughly half of magazines, seeing what looks by using greenery and trees, with disasters. Probably just like which was the pool, solar set-up nice, and then putting together a pleached hedge and some everyone else, cutting into sheets and landscaping. an idea of the spaces in my head. large specimen tītoki, which will of material and reading the wrong + Play with colour Colour is allow for privacy without using measurement, so having to redo Finishes easy. Test pots are cheap and large, boring fences. and hoping you have enough you can put them on bits of + Keep the place clean I always supplies to get the job done. Wall paint Resene Black White. wood and then just move them had a skip bin – for $350 they are What’s one thing you’d change Kitchen feature paint Resene Cello. around rooms to see them in the best thing to keep the place about your home if you could? Bathroom wall paint Resene different lights or to match with tidy in a demolition. Also, buy Apart from having an extra 50sqm? Waiouru. furniture. Most people don’t an industrial vacuum. I have a If I could, I would move the Exterior paint Resene Half Stack. know you can buy large test DeWalt Wet/Dry and it was meterboard (a big job), and then Kitchen benchtop Duropol in pots, so I’d have a few pieces of amazing. I was always keeping I would have made a scullery, Cody White. 600mm ply and paint it with the place tidy and clean as I had utility/laundry room off the Kitchen cabinets Mitre 10 Designer a few coats, then you can walk to live in the construction zone kitchen, which would have been range in Satin White. it around the place. at the same time. a nicer use of space. + Plan a good garden You + Level up I had intended to flip Most memorable experience in Contacts need to walk around the the property, but I didn’t want to the home? Ripping up the carpets neighbourhood and see what go stock standard. I chose better and seeing the beautiful native Builder Marcus Grayling, people have done. Take photos, products to make it look nicer timber floors. And seeing the look graylingbuilders.co.nz look online, and then spend and not date fast, but also on my son’s face when the pool Plumber Hamish Jones, High time at some garden centres – because I wanted to enjoy my was going in and how excited Level Plumbing take pictures of plants, and then time here. Now, with Covid and he was. Electrican Sam Bryant, Bo & Co Google them to see what they property prices, it looks like I’ll Electrical, boandcoelectrical.co.nz will look like over time. One of my park up for a bit longer. Pool Narellan Pools, narellanpools.co.nz YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 79



R K I TC H E N Design special REFRESH A kitchen renovation can take months and thousands of dollars, but a quick revamp is low-cost and near effortless. It’s the “I just woke up like this” of makeovers that will transform this busy space overnight YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 81

Update your appliances 1 3 4 (or hide them away) 2 5 Appliances like a toaster or kettle see a lot of daily wear and tear, which can drag down the look of your kitchen. Updating these gadgets for newer models acts like an instant facelift, everything is a bit newer and shinier. Plus, it’s your chance to insert more colour into your culinary space by opting for bright, bold kitchen accessories. There’s just something about a yellow kettle that makes our heart sing. If you want to save your money, consider making space for old appliances in your pantry rather than on the countertop. You can still love your 20-year-old toaster, but sometimes a secret romance is the best kind. 82 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

R SWAP OUT YOUR HARDWARE Trends come and go, leaving outdated kitchens in their wake. Thankfully, swapping out your cabinetry hardware is an easy, inexpensive hack as you transition from one decade to another. Maybe you want to switch out cabinet knobs for sleek bar handles or add aged brass for a touch of vintage elegance, the options are endless. Edge profile handles are currently a popular choice for their clean finish, the hollow channelled bars are attached to the drawer edge and you put your fingers in the hollow space to use it. Get the look of handleless cabinetry for a modern, minimalist-looking kitchen without the hassle and expense of bespoke versions. 2 14 3 “Swapping out your cabinetry hardware 5 is an easy, inexpensive hack.” 6 1 Argento kettle, $129.99, from De’Longhi. Tap into tapware 8 2 Breville the Toast Select luxe 2-slice toaster, $229, from Harvey Norman. 3 The Bambino There’s never been a better time to invest 7 espresso machine, $529.95, from Breville. in tapware. With so many options, the 4 Breville the Toast control 4-slice toaster, $249.95, choice between single lever, double lever, 10 from Harvey Norman. 5 The TempSet kettle, wall-mounted or monobloc design is 9 $199.95, from Breville.  endless. Pull-down or pull-out taps are loved by chefs for good reason, they offer 1 Tradco porcelain T pulls, $13.29 from Interior Effects. much-needed flexibility when it comes to 2 Corby cabinet knob, $5.73, from Sylvan. 3 3421 Victorian washing veggies or large pots in your sink. cabinet pull handle, $22, from Early Settler. 4 Mardeco Square-neck taps are perfect for modern 3802 cabinet handles, $14.21, from Interior Effects. 5 iron kitchens, while goose-neck taps extend fleur-de-lis pull handle, $22, from Early Settler. 6 Mardeco a classical sensibility to any space with its kitchen handle cup, $17.49, from PlaceMakers. 7 Phoenix timeless curves. With so much white used Tapware Deja pull out sink mixer, from $868.72, from in our kitchens, opting for a green or Swan Street. 8 Astra Walker Eden wall mounted sink set playful blue tap, can be the difference with blue & red handle, $1099, from The Kitchen Hub. between insipid and inspired. Water filter 9 Hedy IKT92 tap, $558, from Ikon. 10 Stefani black taps are a handy addition, perfect for filling designer water filter tap, $48.28, from Bunnings. up a sports bottle or a drinking glass. If you feel like splurging, opt for a model that comes with instant hot and cold water. It’s an everyday extravagance that’ll make you feel like you have a brand-new kitchen. Not to mention the precious time it’ll save you waiting for the kettle to boil. YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 83

Organise your pantry Sometimes the reason a kitchen can look tired is because there’s simply too much stuff wearing it, and you, down. There’s nothing worse than that feeling of despair that comes with opening your fridge or pantry and not knowing where anything is. Introduce storage baskets to your pantry and add order to the chaos, sorting your staples accordingly, whether it’s by cuisine or by usage. Spice racks can be proudly displayed on a countertop and a great excuse to throw away all those similar looking little packets that can add 10 minutes to any cooking time as you rifle through them trying to find what you’re looking for. Fridge shelves, utensil canisters and knife blocks are little things that can make a huge difference. 84 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

R 1 17 2 Let that sink in 3 4 Sinks have a habit of sneakily aging, and even the best ones can start to look tired. Updating your sink can lift 6 your kitchen into the 21st century with clever new designs 5 and colours. There’s topmount or undermount, alongside the classic farmhouse or butler sink we know and love. If WHEN IN DOUBT, PAINT IT OUT you’re primarily using your sink to wash large pots and pans, a single basin is best, but if you favour smaller dishes It’s true what they say about paint, it’s like a love story. If you and like to multitask between cooking, then check out want to fall back in love with your kitchen, you need to pay double basin options. As for the materials, enamel butler attention to your heart and pick colours accordingly. Whether sinks are perfect for traditional kitchens and stainless steel it’s a touch up or a full-on colour change, it’s the perfect way sinks are also having a moment, with good reason. Thanks to drag your kitchen out of the dated and into daring. Best of to a rise in striking colours such as gun metal, copper and all, there’s no need to replace your cabinets, painting them is gold, stainless steel sinks are also relatively affordable and durable to boot. Composite sinks are a sleeper hit, made an easy way of changing the look and style while saving from quartz, granite or resin composite, and enjoyed in money. It’s a win-win in our cookbooks. bold black and greys. For dark, edgy kitchens, you can’t do better than one of these bad boys. 7 8 9 10 11 1 Franke box centre BWX 220-5427, $3885.23, from Archant. 2 Mercer Duro Granite padua bowl & 1/4 with drainer, $879, from PlaceMakers. 3 Englefield Cabriole kitchen sink 1 1/4 bowl, $428, from Plumbing Plus. 4 Double country farmhouse sink offset bowl, $1495, from Farmhouse Sinks. 5 Blanco Silgranit Etagon 500-U single sink in white, $1029, from The Kitchen Hub. 6 Seba kitchen sink 550mm with overflow and rack, $692.90, from Abi Interiors.  7 Living & Co Naturals bamboo cutlery holder, $22, from The Warehouse. 8 Joseph Joseph compact tiered organiser, $34.99, from Briscoes. 9 Black wooden handle dish rack, $24 from Kmart. 10 Retro pedal bin 20L, $119.99, from Briscoes. 11 Living & Co stacking wire basket, $15, from The Warehouse. YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 85

CONSENT NEEDED Knowing what does and doesn’t trigger a building consent when you’re renovating can save problems down the track JEN JONES Aside from what it’s all going This is frustrating for homeowners and means Renovations expert to cost, one of the most what’s shared here can only be used as a starting burning questions you’ll point for your renovation. It is accurate now, want answered when but as the rules are constantly evolving, it’s always preparing for a renovation is recommended you start by seeking current advice whether or not it’s going to that is specific for your project. trigger a building consent. Ensuring your project is It’s always best to start by engaging an LBP compliant is important, but there does seem to (that’s licensed building practitioner) architect or be a lot of grey areas. In fact, it’s not unheard of to calling your local council to confirm whether or not call local councils twice in the same week and get the scope you have in mind will need a building a different answer to your question. consent. Here are some of the most common triggers in the home renovation sector. 86 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

ABOVE GROUND R Low decks are fine, but decks over 1.5m from the Anything structural ground – no matter the square metreage – will require a building consent. Your architect can The obvious trigger is an extension to your ensure compliance with things like balustrades and home – if you’re opening up the back and stairs when preparing the design documentation. blowing it out to create a large open-plan living, dining and kitchen space, then you’re Replacing all of your windows with new going to need a building consent. The only and/or double glazed? If you live in a three-storey form of extension that doesn’t require a home such as a terrace or townhouse, or your building consent, is the closing in of a porch windows have failed their 15-year durability under five square metres in floor area. requirement, then you’ll need a building consent to replace them. On a smaller scale, if your home is currently subdivided into a lot of tiny LEAKY OR NOT rooms with no flow, and you’re hoping to achieve the open-plan experience within Whether your home is leaky or not, any kind your current floorplate, then that’s going of reclad is going to trigger a building consent. to require the demolition of internal walls. If you want to refresh your exterior, and you’re If any of the walls coming out are load- not dealing with a leaky home or any other bearing, then you’ll need a building consent. consentable scope, then maybe consider other If your walls are double brick, they’re going options like a repaint? to be load bearing. If you’re planning to construct a new standalone garage, granny flat or kitset home and it’s over 30sqm in size, it’s a trigger. More importantly though, being under 30sqm doesn’t automatically mean it doesn’t activate a building consent because it still needs to avoid other triggering scope to avoid the rubber stamp process. YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 87

CONVERSIONS Throughout the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 there were plenty of homeowners wanting to convert their garage into an office, guest room, rumpus or new main suite. Notwithstanding any other triggers (removing load-bearing walls, adding a new bathroom), the reason a conversion like this might require a building consent is because it’s a change of use and needs to comply with the requirements for a habitable space under the Building Code. That might include but not be limited to things like the ceiling height, insulation, wall linings and so on. It’s best to get an LBP architect involved for this sort of project. “Bathrooms with tiled showers are a massive grey area for homeowners.” JEN JONES Plumbing and bathrooms When it comes to plumbing, the common triggers for building consents are either bringing a laundry inside the house from an out-house or standalone garage, adding a bathroom or ensuite, or adding a bath that is separate to an existing shower. The cause for these triggers is the additional sanitary waste to the interior of the home. Bathrooms with tiled showers are a massive grey area for homeowners, so it pays to be extra vigilant with this scope. The trigger is tiled showers that are classified as wet areas that are level entry, which essentially means the bathroom floor continues into the shower. If it has a lip or edge you need to step over or up onto to enter the shower, then according to the Building Code this shouldn’t trigger a building consent. However, plenty of homeowners who have called their local council have been told that it either categorically does or doesn’t in the same week by two different council operatives. 88 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

R FIRED UP SPLISH SPLASH If you love the idea of a wood burner, then When installing a swimming pool, you can not only will you require a building consent avoid a building consent if your pool sits on but you’ll also need to ensure the model or in the ground and is under 35,000 litres. you’ve chosen complies with both the There are also some ways to avoid a national regulations and regional standards building consent for above-ground pools but for air quality and environment. If you decide only if the capacity is under 16,000 litres. A to install a wood burner and you have no 10m x 5m pool that is 1.5m deep will have other consentable scope, the supplier can 75,000 litres, so as a rule of thumb you’re likely recommend an installer who will most likely to avoid a building consent on a spa complete the whole application for you, as or plunge pool, but nothing much bigger than well as procuring and installing the wood that. burner. Replacing or relocating an existing wood burner still triggers a building consent [email protected] due to the those compliance requirements. @renovatewithjenjones YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 89

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MIRROR IMAGE Introduce light MAKEOVER into even the darkest of spaces PHOTOGRAPHY ARE MEDIA SYNDICATION with a statement-making mirror. For all the intel, flip to page 112. 92 Oceans of wonder Art and heart fill this tiny home by the sea. 112 House of mirrors Bring more light to your life with some design magic. YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 91

OCEANS OF WONDER A lot of heart and a great deal of art fills this tiny, two-storey home by the sea 92 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

M Homeowner Lottie Consalvo with daughter Hester and their dog Bella on the stairs of their revived historic home. OPPOSITE The dining table and vessel on it was made by Lottie’s husband James. YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 93

Meet & greet Lottie Consalvo (artist), James Drinkwater (artist) Vincenzo, eight, Hester, five, and border collie Bella. HUB OF CREATIVITY Lottie and James with their children Vincenzo and Hester Early each morning before her family in their compact home, a jewel by the beach. The artwork is by the late Johnny rises, artist Lottie Consalvo walks her Warangkula Tjupurrula. BELOW The kitchen is small but perfectly formed. dog along the beach close to her home. It’s a daily ritual that never loses its allure: she loves the sea mist, the ocean’s many tones of blue, and the “sense of infinity” found in that wide horizon, where the silvery sky spills into the sea. “It definitely shifts something in me, being in nature each day, in a place that is beautiful,” she says. “I feel very lucky.” The beach is a magnet for the rest of the family, too – Lottie’s husband James Drinkwater, also an artist, and their children Vincenzo and Hester. In fact, the desire to live as close as possible to the water was the key reason Lottie and James purchased this two-storey home, one of a row of 1830s sandstone-and-brick houses, which they recently renovated. When they bought the property in 2017, it was feeling its age. Nothing apart from its location really spoke to the pair. “It was small, had a bad layout and it needed work,” says Lottie. “But the house was clearly structurally sound – it had been standing for almost 200 years. It just needed some love.” Family members were bemused by their choice, as the house, sitting on a block of just 80sqm, was not exactly child-friendly. “Our mothers couldn’t understand why we wanted it,” says Lottie. “But it was exactly where we wanted to live.” The couple traded a white picket-fenced home on a 500sqm block 20 minutes from the beach for this “rusty old sardine can by the sea”, as they affectionately dubbed it. “And it really is the best decision we have ever made,” she says. When they married, they travelled extensively and lived in Berlin for three years. When they wanted to put down roots they loved the feel of this coastal house. “I could picture a good lifestyle with children here,” she says. “I love being by the sea.” Pre-renovation, the house had two bedrooms, both upstairs. The bathroom was downstairs at the rear, disconnecting the living areas from the courtyard. “Strangely, the kitchen was the first room at the front, and the only space for a dining table was under the staircase,” says Lottie. To help untangle and reconfigure the layout, they turned to an architect friend. Their brief was... well, brief. “You always get the best results from an artist if you don’t give them too many parameters,” says Lottie. 94 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

M ELEMENTS OF SURPRISE Interesting, storied pieces appear throughout the home. The sofa and armchair were bought from an online auction and reupholstered. The works above the armchair are both by Patrick Francis; the terracotta vessels (above the door) by Jen Lanz; steel hanging sculpture by Braddon Snape and the painting above the sofa by Sarah Mosca. “I love all the details in our house. Your eye never lands on anything ordinary.” LOTTIE CONSALVO YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 95

“We said we wanted a three-bedroom house with a “There are so many lovely nooks. It’s bathroom upstairs and a connection to the courtyard.” a small house of wonder.” They assumed they’d need to extend the house LOTTIE CONSALVO to achieve this, but their architect took a different approach. “Instead of trying to turn our tiny place Not surprisingly, colour and art play a key role in this home. Recurring into a bigger house, he wanted to keep within the hues include white, dark green, red oxide and ‘Pompeian pink’, one of James’ existing footprint, be clever with the minimal space, favourite colours. Every room is like a gallery space – but not in a precious insert beautiful moments and create what he calls ‘a sense. Here, the walls radiate warmth, soul, comfort and stories. Art is part of jewel’,” says Lottie. “It’s a design we could not have the home’s pulse and fabric. “It’s mainly other people’s works on our walls,” imagined. He has squeezed so much into our house says Lottie. “James painted the dining room ceiling and I did the painting yet made it feel bigger. He is a very clever architect above the fireplace.” and thinks like an artist.” Lottie and James rent separate studios close to home, and take a disciplined Inside, this ‘jewel’ sparkles with a materials approach to studio time. “As our children are young, we both work a five-day palette of timber, steel, brick, bronze and mosaic week, nine to five,” says Lottie. For them, this area is the ideal place for tiles. Every room has its own moment of surprise and nourishing both their creative and family lives. “As artists, we love to be away wonder. In the new upstairs bathroom, for example, from [big cities] but we can dip our toes in when we want to,” says Lottie. a wall over the sink opens up over the staircase. In “This region has so much happening, and there are great artists and Lottie and James’ bedroom, the walls are deep forest galleries here. It’s stimulating without being too much, so you can just green – “I love dark spaces to retreat to from the focus on making.” sun,” says Lottie. Vincenzo, meanwhile, adores his bedroom which features an elevated bed (“two And when the couple put tools down, they can always head to the beach metres high in the sky”) and a huge dormer window beckoning on their doorstep. looking over a cityscape. The art of contentment Bespoke timber joinery throughout is complemented by upcycled furniture and vintage finds. Cleverly tailored details grace every room. “There are so many lovely nooks – it’s a small house of wonder,” says Lottie. The walls are all white, the perfect backdrop for artworks, offset by floors that have been stained in Black Japan finish. 96 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

M HOME GALLERY Original brick walls painted Dulux Lexicon Quarter form a textural backdrop for Lottie and James’ art collection. The sofa was sourced from an online auction and reupholstered. The floor lamp was a gift. OPPOSITE The shields are by Raymond Young, figurative sculpture by Leroy Chapman, white sculpture by Ramesh Nithiyendran and the painting on buffet is by Todd McMillan. The artwork to the left of the fireplace is by Christopher Horder and the painting above the fireplace is one of Lottie’s. YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 97

MODEL CHILDREN Hester and Vincenzo strike a pose. The console table is a vintage find and painting by Wayne Magrin. 98 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN

M SHOP THEIR STYLE White walls covered in art give soul to this small home full of upcycled and family-friendly functional furniture 1 3 2 5 4 8 6 7 8 9 11 12 10 1 Luana Asiata Freedom print, $89 (A3), from Endemicworld. 2 Hanna Peterson Green Guise print, $71 (A4), from The Poster Club. 3 Sahara Turkish distressed rug, $314 (180cm x 120cm), from Miss Amara. 4 Dale dining chair, $299, from Freedom. 5 Harrison floor lamp, $239.90, from Lighting Direct. 6 Kenzo knife rack, $34.90, from Abi Interiors. 7 Phoenix cushion cover, $79, from Home Lab Store. 8 Cast iron skillet, $95 (26cm), from Lodge. 9 Rattan and oak dining chair, $410, from Coastal Style. 10 Acaia chopping board, $49.90, from Citta. 11 Johar abstract figure, $415, from Souk. 12 Vitra Ronan Bouroullec drawing poster, $119, from Citta. YOUR HOME AND GARDEN 99

Social climber Building framed bunk beds and finishing with curtains elevates the bach classic. Kids also love them at home Photography Anna Briggs 100 YOUR HOME AND GARDEN