Magnificent Home Improvements: February 2013

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Home of the Year 2013 - the finalists

The Home of the Year judges have completed their deliberations, and the finalists in our 18th annual Home of the Year award have been selected. We're delighted to present them for you here (with thanks to our Home of the Year partner, Altherm Window Systems).

The six homes in this post will all appear in full in our Home of the Year issue, which will be on newsstands on April 4 - in which we'll also reveal which house has scooped the $15,000 first prize.

Huge thanks to our rigorous judges, Lance Herbst of Auckland's Herbst Architects and Cathleen McGuigan, the New York-based editor in chief of Architectural Record magazine, who accompanied HOME editor Jeremy Hansen on visits to all the shortlisted houses last week.

Here are the finalists, in no particular order.

This highly crafted home (below) by three-time Home of the Year winners Stevens Lawson Architects is on Waiheke Island, with carefully framed views of the Hauraki Gulf and Onetangi Beach. Photo by Mark Smith.

In Auckland, architect Jane Priest of Lochore Priest Architects deployed a warm modernist vocabulary in designing her own family home (below) to accommodate herself, her husband and their two daughters. Photo by Jackie Meiring.

In Christchurch, Duval O'Neill of Herriot + Melhuish designed a sensitive renovation of an early 1960s home by Ernest Kalnins (below) with incredible views of the ocean and the Southern Alps. Photo by Russell Kleyn.

The four architectural graduates from Patchwork Architecture designed and then spent a year building this charming, low-budget home near Whanganui (below). Photo by Paul McCredie.

Auckland's Glamuzina Paterson Architects devised a smart response to a huge landscape in creating this courtyard house near Wanaka (below). Photo by Patrick Reynolds.

Last but certainly not least, Wellington's Tennent Brown Architects designed this house (below) near Nelson (with assistance from landscape architect Megan Wraight of Wraight & Associates, who helped devise the sensitive terracing scheme for the home's pavilions). Photo by Paul McCredie.

We're delighted at how varied the lineup of finalists is, not only in their geographic locations, but in their budgets and the approaches their architects have taken, too. We can't wait to show you more of them in our Home of the Year issue. Our thanks to all the architects and homeowners who entered the competition and agreed to let the jury see their homes. We feel very privileged to be able to share these great works of architecture with you.

Style Safaris are back!

We're delighted to announce that our popular Style Safaris are making a comeback. On Friday May 10, we'll be taking a small group of readers on a day-long tour of Auckland's best design stores, where they'll enjoy exclusive briefings on the latest global interior trends.

Tickets are $75 and can be purchased at the link here. Numbers are strictly limited to 50 participants, so don't delay. We're really looking forward to the day, so hope you can join us.

Food for thought and for the soul

I got this massage in the Daily Kabbalistic Wisdom newsletter this morning from The Kabbalah centerand found it so beautiful that wanted to share with you. I'll try to translate it below. If you like it you can subscribe in English and get beautiful words like this every day.

Unique
We all are granted unique gifts to assist us to carry out the individual purpose of our lives. This is the reason why it is not worthy to compare ourselves to the person on our side.
Comparison removes you from being the best version of yourself.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

For the home: Black Kitchens

Of all the black kitchens I'm posting today this one, above is probably my favorite. It has a sort of personality that makes it very unique and real. If not for those reasons, then for the up-to ceiling upper cabinets with all-good benefits. I also love the touches of global-chic accessories on the counter top. The thought of a black kitchen would give anyone a disbelieving smirk face along with a swiveling shaking head but as you see it is very elegant. Most people are much more used to seeing bright white kitchens than anything else and the first thought that comes to their minds when considering black cabinets is a dark dysfunctional kitchen. It's all in the natural incoming light, use of material and contrast. Keeping most of the kitchen surface -walls, counter tops, ceilings and floors- in light colors would make for the right balance and contrast in the room. The finish on those outer layers also make a big difference; mirror and glass when used as doors, back splash or even walls bring in a lot of light into the space. Of course last but not least, there is also the option of installing artificial lighting that can go any where. Enjoy!

Lindsey and Kristen Buckingham house

Miles Redd added mirror to everything but floor and walls here. But the high lacquered walls provide an almost mirror effect. The floor is pretty beautiful.

Love the shiny white cabinets and the white grout on the floors in this kitchen by Tommy Smythe

Kelly Wearstler kept it all black, form back splash to floor and ceiling but, smartly she added mirror to the back of the inside upper cabinets which doors are made of glass so as a result there is still light reflection and brightness.

The ambiance in this kitchen is very romantic I think.

This kitchen photographed by John Granen makes of the range a focal point. The white trim on the black cabinets makes it a really nice detail.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Stylish Activewear: Going to the gym in style

Love this military-looking visor available here.

I've been doing pilates, well on and off to be honest, for more than eight years now and I have to admit that no other workout method works as well for me. At the moment I am looking for a private studio to start it all over again, after almost six months of doing regular gym workout and not even seeing a vaguely similar result. I wasn't always so interested in upgrading my gym clothing, actually I kept using the same sneakers for more than 4 years since I've never been a fan of heavy duty workouts such as a.k.a. running, climbing etc. Perhaps, because not until so long ago, much of the activewear clothing available was tide pants and tide tops and nothing else stylish enough to encourage me to get new gym clothes. But before we came to Sao Paulo I paid a visit to Nike and found really cool ones available. I know that stylish selection of gym clothes may not be a good enough incentive to encourage us to hit the gym but it doesn't hurt it either. Enjoy!

Bring the glamy shimmer to the gym in this awesome jacket by Stella Mccartney for Adidas

Love this pair of pants. Also by Stella Mccartney for Adidas.

The shimmery continues with these sweatpants by Thom Browne av. here.

This top doesn't even look like something one would use at the gym. It looks more like one of those cropped tops that were so popular just recently av. here.

Comfort and style is found in these cool pants av. here.

Here.

Gym shorts av. here

Keeping it cool while walking in this linen sporty top av. here.

This is proof that fashion is really hitting the gyms. Available here.

Happy and young attitude is good when combined with the gym. These colorful and stylish sneakers are available here. And don't forget hydration and calorie counting. After all, it's all about the calories.

Nike sport watch and hydraform handheld here.

Monday, February 25, 2013

The Oscars red carpet favorites

Hale Berry, boy was she beautiful. Loved this Versace dress on her. She can wear anything!

I have to say that it was kind of disappointing to watch the Red Carpet last night or should I say pink carpet. Was it me or wasn't the old Hollywood glamour missing from all the ladies so-so-pale and have-seen-before dresses. You see what I mean here? When the people we look up for fashion sense and style used to get us all going ooh...aahh...wow...amazing and then one day without further notice all starts to fail. We're left alone! At least all the movie nominees were great and I'm so happy Argo F.yourself won! Not only the movie was excellent but Ben Afleck is so haaandsome...! After squeezing and more squeezing here are my favs.

Sally Field was stunning in this Valentino dress. That's what I like to see on the red carpet elegance, allure and understatement.

Charlize Theron looked flawless in this Dior Couture white dress. Not a big fan of her hair cut though but she can look stunning no matter what.

Another Dior Haute Couture was worn by Jennifer Lawrence. I think I liked the back of the dress more than the front though.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Buenos Aires Review

The Park Hyatt Hotel in Buenos Aires all deck out for Christmas. A Buenos Aires review.

As I told you last week, if you haven't been to Buenos Aires you haven't seen Europe in South America. My first time in Buenos Aires was in December, 2012 where we spent our Christmas Holidays, I absolutely and instantly fell in love with the city. It has everything a savvy travel looks for when traveling. Stunning Architecture, wide boulevards and avenues, small and charming if not breath taking little neighborhoods inside the very walkable city, where all streets are pretty much connected. We would walk for hours without needing a taxi except for the times we would opt for safety and decided to grab a cab. Think of a walkable New York city. We stayed at a boutique Hotel called Casa Sur precisely a block away from the famous and exclusive Avenida Alvear. Casa Sur is a small boutique hotel with excellent service and rooms so comfortable and cozy that totally eliminate the chances of you missing home. The room walls are upholstered in gray linen fabric displaying black and white photographs and mahogany lacquered furniture. It gives you the feel of a sumptuous art-deco era. On our first day we walked on Avenida Alvear where chic shops are embedded in breath taking Neo Classical mansions. One thing that caught my eyes was how each building would display the name of the Architect responsible for its creation. The feeling of being in Europe instead of Latin America is blatant. Look below by yourself at just a few of the amazing architecture you can find at Buenos Aires.

A building in the Botanical Garden.

Avenida Alvear

When people think of Buenos Aires, Argentina the first thought that comes to their minds is Tango. And it should! Not until I saw my first Tango show did I realized everybody should see one in their lifetime. I'm not kidding! We decided to go to one of the best tango shows in town. It was our first impression and we did not want to ruin it. Not that I know if this is possible with such a climactic show dance. And so we went to Tango Rojo at the Hotel Faena located in Puerto Madeiro, one of the newest and chices neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. The show offers the option of pre-fixed menu which is very good and tasty. The show is electrifying!

Casa del Congreso

La Recoleta neighborhood

At the chic and artistic neighborhood of Palermo is easy to find a lot of restaurants mingling with small local designers boutiques. I loved sitting at one of the outdoor restaurants on one of the many cobblestone streets. The center of Palermo fashionable neighborhood is summed up to a number of streets from Armenia to Thames and from Honduras to Paraguay. Don't you worry these are just street names.

But there is one restaurant that I particularly love in La Recoleta neighborhood. Fervor located at the corner of Posadas and Callao where we try to go every time we are in Buenos Aires. My mouth still waters when I remember the tenderness and juicy of the grilled seafood platter we paired with a local Sauvignon Blanc.