Habitat magazine issue 3 - coloured by Resene - summer 2005/2006

Sit back, relax and enjoy all the articles from Habitat magazine - simply click on the story below of interest and read the full article or use the search function for a particular topic. You can also buy a copy of the latest Habitat magazine online.

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	A family affair Hosting a hoard of children and grandchildren at the beach house may not be everyone's idea of a relaxing holiday, but for Sally and David Hansen, there are few things they'd rather do. When they commissioned Auckland architect Brent Hulena to design their home at Shoal Bay, the major requirement was that it be large enough for the entire family... more
	Back to basics This unconventional bach shows how stripping back a design to the bare elements can create a more authentic and relaxing holiday experience, as well as accommodating a carefully defined budget... more
	Beginner's guide to flooring When it comes to flooring, it seems the options are endless: carpet, tile, stone, concrete, wood, cork or laminate. Where do you start?... more
	Beginner's guide to one room four looks Changing or updating the look of a room needn't mean spending a fortune to replace each item and start afresh. You can still achieve the style you're after on a limited budget by retaining some key elements and choosing a selection of accent pieces that complement your desired theme... more
	Chez moi - For the love of art - Karen Beckett Self-expression isn't enough for muralist Karen Beckett - she also enjoys helping others discover the artist within. Ever since she was a child drawing on her mum's wallpaper, Karen has loved art. And with a mother keen on photography and painting, and a father who was a renowned Maori bone carver, it runs in her blood... more
	Chez moi - Sense of adventure - Melissa Stadler They say a change is as good as a holiday. And for restaurant-owner Melissa Stadler, holidaying resulted in changes that took her all the way around the world. Now she combines a strong entrepreneurial streak with a passion for hospitality... more
	Choosing and using an architect A good working relationship between client and architect is a vital ingredient in the success of any building project. It's therefore essential to choose an architect whose design approach and practice philosophy best fit your requirements... more
	Close to nature It's a fairly safe bet that a beach house bathroom is going to come into contact with some sand every once in a while. However, when designing his parent's beach house at Muriwai, Jason Bailey of Bailey Architects came up with a novel approach to stop sand being trekked from one end of the house to the other: the shower in the downstairs bathroom has an exterior door that opens directly onto the lower deck... more
	Country haven Built seven years ago, the cottage sits on the banks of the Selwyn River near Garfield. The original owners commissioned architect Gavin Willis to design a simple, compact house. Their budget, including the purchase of the land, was less than $100,000... more
	DIY Kidz Activities to keep little hands busy - quiz, word find, colouring in, jokes and a Marble Run project to try... more
	Eating out Alfresco dining is a concept enthusiastically embraced by us and spending summer evenings around the barbecue is now a national pastime. However, running inside every five minutes to get another drink from the fridge or grabbing a forgotten condiment can wear thin after a while. That's why some homeowners are cottoning on to the American idea of the outdoor kitchen... more
	Finding your perfect match Despite the profusion of home-renovation programmes on TV, many of us still lack the confidence to mix and match colours in our own houses. Here are some suggestions to help you move away from cream and beige. The home colours people tend to select are similar to those they feel comfortable wearing... more
	Garden by the sea The beach is a great place to live and it's so quintessentially Kiwi. Seaside homes enjoy an outlook that's constantly changing. We might love such a variable and unpredictable setting, but many of our favourite plants do not... more
	Going green - Cleaning up In 2004, Resene trialled a recovery programme for unwanted paint and paint packaging on Auckland's North Shore. The idea was to provide homeowners with a way to recycle or dispose of their paint or paint packaging. Thousands of cans of all brands of paint were returned, some empty and many partially full of paint. The project has progressed rapidly with a permanent service... more
	Hey, Habitat Habitat answers reader questions about decorating... more
	Off the shelf Innovative products new to market... more
	Responsible renovating - Age of consent Embarking on a building consent project can mean learning a whole new language. The key to unraveling the mysteries of consents, standards, building to Code, and what to do when things go wrong, is to develop a working knowledge of the Building Act... more
	Step-by-step - Planting a lawn Learn how to plant a lawn in six easy steps... more
	Step-by-step - Tiling a bathroom Learn how to tile a bathroom in eight easy steps... more
	Testpots Find out what new products have recently been launched into the decorating market... more
	The hard truth about sun damage It's a popular misconception that it's the UV in our sunlight that fades our furniture and soft furnishings. In fact, not a lot of UV manages to come in through window glass, which is why we don't get a tan sitting in the window seat... more
	Tips and tricks - Decked out for summer So, what kind of state is the deck in? How's the patio looking after winter? Surfaces that were non-slip when dry last summer might suddenly have become a slippery slide when water or wet feet are now added to the equation, especially if there's moss or mould involved... more
	Web wise What happens when you type www.resene.co.nz (NZ) or www.resene.com.au (AUST) into your web browser? Heaps! You instantly find yourself in a virtual library of colour, paint and decorating advice. What's more, if you are out and about, you can still visit the Resene website on your WAP-enabled cellphone... more
	Habitat is printed on environmentally responsible paper using environmentally responsible ink. From issue 8 onwards, copies flow wrapped and sent to Resene ColorShop Cardholders are flow wrapped in environmentally responsible material from epi-global. This product when discarded in soil in the presence of microorganisms, moisture and oxygen will biodegrade decomposing into simple materials found in nature, as described in ASTM D6954-04.