From the driveway the home of Janice and John Newell looks elegant with its schist stone and timber exterior. Tucked onto a central Rangiora section, the angular looking home has not a single window onto the street front. But looks can be deceptive. Step into the double width entry hall and the house opens out all around you – with its three bedrooms, two living rooms and large open plan kitchen dining area – it feels big.
Read MoreThis is a love story. It’s a story about a man called Chris who set eyes on a woman named Julie many, many moons ago. At the time, he swore that he’d met the girl of his dreams. But the timing wasn’t right. Thirty years passed before the two met again by chance and, then and there amongst the chip packets and ice cream cones of a corner dairy, Chris declared his intention to marry Julie and whisk her away to Paris for their honeymoon. And that’s exactly what he did.
Read MoreWhen Selese Rowe and her partner, Michael, first spotted their two-storey house in Timaru – it was the bedrooms that were the deciding factor. Bringing together a blended family – space was essential. But the location was a close runner up – near to school, the beach and the supermarket.
Read MoreFor many embarking on renovating an old home – there are a lot of unknowns. But for Martin and Anne Stewart who took on a church conversion in Totara Valley – there were also some daunting knowns – like earthquake damage, no running water and the very considerable challenge of transforming the church into a residential building.
Read MoreWhen Karin and Dale Mackay moved into their two-storey, four-bedroom house in Fernside in 2021 – it was showing its age. The mint green exterior hadn’t aged well whilst inside there were pink bathroom suites and a blue laundry. The single glazed doors and windows were old and draughty and the lack of any insulation meant it was pretty cold.
Read MoreFormer All Black and Crusader, Israel Dagg and his wife Daisy never expected to settle in the South Island once he retired from rugby. That all changed one day in Christchurch, when Israel’s career was nearing its end.
The Brand Mowers & Chainsaws store is a Husqvarna Crown Dealer and one of the busiest sales and service centres in North Canterbury. In 2019 the business was bought by Tony, Kerin, Simon and Emma Brand. As owners of Brand Logging, Brand Mechanical and Brand Earthmoving they invested a wealth of knowledge and experience to the store and a clear goal.
Read MoreAlopecia is a topic that is discussed on and off in the Essence office because about five or six years ago, I was unfortunately diagnosed with Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia (FFA) a form of scarring alopecia which is characterised by a slowly progressive band of hair loss along the front and sides of the scalp resulting in a permanent loss around the hairline.
Step into Kate McClelland’s newly built, North Canterbury home and it’s clear that plants count. A tall, elegant Bird of Paradise stretches for the ceiling, the voluminous leaves of an Elephant Ear plant draw the eye and a string of turtles cascades from a windowsill.
Read MoreAll too often the laundry doesn’t get the attention we give to the rest of our home space. Making the best use of what is often a small area, requires a little bit of thought and can make a huge difference to the tedious business of laundry.
Read MoreWhen you’re selling your home is often when it looks its best. Out goes the avocado bathroom suite and in comes the professional carpet cleaner. But it’s easy to get carried away. So what and where should you spend if you’re trying to sell?
It’s lunchtime, and a massive workshop at Ferrymead Heritage Park is alive with chatter as a group of men in their 70s and 80s, gather around a table laden with sausages, onions, eggs and bread.
Read MoreMaking friends with a friendly elephant, watching a hilarious monkey troupe perform, and being immersed in the exotic sights, sounds, and vibrant colours of India, are some of the wonderful childhood memories of 93-year-old, June Dalziel.
When the cabin you want is hidden away on the West Coast with no road access – well, that sounds like one for the ‘too hard’ basket. Not so for entrepreneur Nick McQuoid – who came up with a plan and had a Futuro home helicoptered out in pieces before transporting it to Ohoka.
When Rangiora locals Linda and Ron designed their dream home 20 years ago, they knew exactly what they wanted, but the developer of the land wasn’t so sure.
Read MoreGeraldine Mangos, grew up looking at her mother’s Australian House and Garden magazines and along with husband, Simon, has renovated a few homes over the years. But it was a move to the UK that opened her eyes.
Read MoreNot long after Caroline Hammond finished her very pretty She Shed she entered in a She Shed competition with a gardening magazine. The shed was highly commended which felt good she says.
Read MoreJewellery is the perfect ‘I love you’ gift, and with Christmas fast approaching, there is no better time to visit Marion & Co Jewellery, Rangiora’s newest destination store, which opened in early November.
Read MoreAfter studying journalism at the University of Canterbury, Broadcaster Brodie Kane went on to establish a career in television and radio - working as a reporter on shows like Seven Sharp and Fair Go and as a sports reporter on Breakfast.
Read MoreAs soon as you enter the tranquil tree-lined driveway at 83 Clyde Road, Ilam it is easy to forget you are surrounded by a busy university campus and have just stepped away from a bustling thoroughfare.
Read More
