The Weekend Sun
Friday 9 October 2015
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Give new life to your home this season The arrival of spring brings with it the opportunity to de-clutter and spruce up your home and garden. A spring clean doesn’t have to mean downsizing your wardrobe or undergoing a complete renovation – the trick is to be innovative and maximise the space available. To declutter a messy room, national storage buyer for Bunnings Henry Tam recommends using dual-purpose furniture that offers a range of functions without taking up extra space.
a windowsill or sunny ledge in the kitchen and enjoy growing your very own delicious herbs such as basil, parsley and chives, to complement homecooked meals – while saving money spent on groceries! For instance, use a cube shelving unit as a bedside or coffee table, as it will hold your cup of tea and house your books, magazines and DVDs. Alternatively, you can keep table tops clear by mounting floating shelves to the wall to showcase books, picture frames and trinkets. Adding lightweight curtains and sheer blinds to the windows is another effective way to add new life to a room and block out the early morning sun. National window furnishings buyer Fraser Pinkerton suggests pairing Venetian or roller blinds with stylish lightweight curtains to channel spring vibes. Now for a touch of greenery – house plants are the perfect way to
bring nature into your home. Phalaenopsis (Moth Orchard), Cacti, Anthurium (Flamingo Lily) or Dracena (Lucky Bamboo), are all easy care plants able to inject a new look to help brighten up your space. And last, but definitely not least, why not turn over a new leaf with your very own herb garden? Simply set up your herb garden on
Quick guide to buying a healthy home It’s summertime and the sun is shining down on your home like a spotlight. It looks very welcoming. Homes can look more appealing under the warm sunshine, but Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority Energywise advises homebuyers to put some thought into how houses will perform in the cold depths of winter. Ideally a house should be north facing to get winter sun. Rooms with unshaded windows on the north-facing side of the house get more heat and light from the sun, making them warmer and more pleasant to live in during the cooler months. Remember the sun’s position is lower in winter, so objects cast longer shadows. Be aware buildings or trees may block sun during the colder months. Check the home for adequate ceiling and underfloor insulation too. If you’re buying a property as an investment,
tenants are more likely to stay long-term in homes that are warm, dry and easier to heat. Wall insulation and double-glazing are a real bonus to look for. Damp houses are unhealthy houses. Musty smells, mould or water stains on walls, ceilings or under carpets and dampness under the house are all problem signs. It’s worth getting the house inspected by a registered building surveyor for hidden moisture content. Look for extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms, which are important for managing indoor moisture effectively. Energy efficient heating, sized properly for the area you’re heating, is a real bonus. Clean effective forms of heating include some heat pumps, modern wood or wood pellet burners and flued gas heaters. For more details on what to look for when house buying, visit www.energywise.govt.nz/ your-home/buying-and-renting
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