A two-storey home in a garden setting creates a perfect light and tranquil space with white walls, rimu accents and colourful collections.
Read More
This elegant Timaru home combines an elegant colonial style with a treasure trove of mementos collected on world travels.
Read More
From Rangiora High School Student to global baking magnate - we caught up with North Canterbury born Dean Brettschneider to find out the secrets of his success.
Read More
We’re starting to feel all spring like and we’re loving some of the fresh and breezy pieces we’ve been spotting around North Canterbury.
Read More
We all love our smartphones and nearly 95% of adults in New Zealand own one. But they’re very personal. We load them up with our favourite apps and use them in different ways. In this new series we ask North Canterbury people to share how they use their phones with us.
Read More
When it come to art you can hang almost anything on your walls says Hamish Noster, Christchurch-based professional art installer. He shares a few tips with us.
Read More
Fashion retail can be fiercely competitive but one young entrepreneur from Fairlie opened his first store at just 18 and now he’s expanding his range. We caught up with him to find out what he loves about the business of retail.
Read More
During World War II over 4000 women joined the NZ Women’s Land Service and helped to manage the country’s farm whilst the men were overseas. Here one of those women, Sadie Lietz, shares her fascinating memories with us.
Read More
There’s no end of advice on renovating your home. Be prepared, be organised, have a budget, maintain good communications with all your contractors, remember that old houses can uncover some nasty surprises.
Read More
When Andy Westland gets up in the morning he puts honey on his toast before heading out to tend to his bees. Wife Amy uses honey to sweeten her Milo and their school age children both eat honey straight off the spoon. The family behind Westlands Honey clearly love the business they’re in.
Read More
Affectionately known as ‘The House’, the boarding hostel is turning 100 in 2021 and is calling Old Girls to celebrate from April 16th-18th 2021.
Read More
Down-to-earth mum Gabi Barlow thought an Essence makeover would be like The Devil Wears Prada. Was she right?
Read More
We all love our smartphones and nearly 95% of adults in New Zealand own one. But they’re very personal. We load them up with our favourite apps and use them in different ways. In this new series we ask North Canterbury people to share how they use their phones with us.
Read More
When lockdown hit rather than slowing down, the owners at Rangiora’s Five Stags decided to fast forward a new business venture. Within weeks Fresh Chef was up and running.
Read More
We have always loved some of the incredible places in our backyard here in Canterbury. This month we rediscover the charms of Kaikoura.
Read More
Cantabrian Matthew Dickie went from scrubbing pots in an Akaroa restaurant to cruising the Mediterranean and working on a super yacht.
Read More
Bonjour de la France! By special request of the Essence team I am writing about the circumstances Covid-19 has inflicted upon us as residents of Europe and the experience here in France.
Read More
Lockdown was proof, if we needed it, that technology can be amazing when it comes to keeping in touch with family and friends. And it’s just as useful to senior citizens – increasingly we’re finding that grandma has an i-pad and our great aunt is playing poker on her tablet.
Read More
If you are thinking of adding some fruit trees to the garden, now is the perfect time to do it.
Read More
The winter weather is certainly here and there’s nothing better that a pot of hot soup simmering away on a wet cold day.
Read More