In the swim for summer

brown and green surrounds, consider a contemporary green look for your pool to flow on from and blend well with the rest of the exterior of your property.’’

Smart pools

Finally, no one wants to give themselves more work or spend more money when it comes to installing and taking care of a backyard pool. Hedges knows that the one thing all of her clients can agree on when it comes to a new pool is that it must be cost effective and easy to maintain.

‘‘It is all about the selfcleaning pool nowadays and if there is one thing that everyone looks for it is a ‘lowmaintenance’ installation, as pools can be tricky to care for.’’

– domain-com-au

Angela Redfern is the woman behind Auckland’s Ripe Delis and three recipe books. Her brand is synonymous with fresh and delicious recipes, many of which are cooked up at her home in Red Beach, Whangaparaoa.

Describe your house in two sentences . . .

Spacious, relaxed and homely with glorious light and sea views. Full of artwork mainly created by friends and family.

Describe your style in three words . . .

Modern, relaxed and eclectic.

Where is your home and who lives there with you?

My home is in Red Beach, Auckland. I live with my partner, Greg, and our two children, Sam, 6, and Jessica, 4, plus two dogs and our cat.

Your favourite room/area in the house and why?

I love our lounge at the front of the house with the sea views. There is no TV distraction and plenty of books so it’s a pleasant place to sit and chat with family and friends. I enjoy my first cup of tea here every morning as I get real pleasure watching the everchanging expansive sky out of the windows and sometimes the sun rising.

Finish this sentence with an anecdote. ‘‘Once someone came to my door and . . . ’’

. . . got a surprise to find there was no door. It caused lots of confusion and shouting to explain how to get in. The joys of renovations for two years – there was no door for a few months.

Your proudest DIY moment?

Finding a partner who can do DIY. I’m a ‘‘jump in without thinking’’ DIYer – no patience and like to take risks. Such as, ‘‘Let’s just hope we are nailing this into a stud!’’

If my partner would let me, I would get rid of . . .

His hoardings in the garage. He gets great pleasure though when he can say, ‘‘See, it’s just as well I kept this.’’

Title of a book, film or television show that best describes the mood in your home?

Oh, the Places You’ll Go! – for being open minded about the journey of life.

Best money you have ever spent on the house?

Solar panels, the new deck at the front of the house and our large, double-glazed big sliding windows, which provide the view. Plus the large tanks under the deck that fill with rainwater.

Worst thing that’s ever gone wrong while entertaining?

My chocolate lab has been known to grab the steaks before they hit the barbecue.

One item I wish I had kept or not gotridofis...

One of the ducks in my set of flying ducks like you’d see on the wall of Coronation Street. It broke.

Favourite piece of furniture?

A beautiful outdoor table and benches. It comfortably sits 10 and has seen many a good evening for the past 15 years. It’s solid and has that beautiful aged wood appeal now.

If I had $50k, what I’d change about my house . . .

I would add a balcony to the bedroom we added to our house on the top floor so that you would be able to see the view better.

Which home habit annoys you the most?

Picking up everyone’s stuff lying around. Greg would say my bad habit of leaving lids not on properly is highly annoying and I get that.

What’s one domestic trick you’ve learnt over the years?

I love coming home to my bed being made and so try very hard to do this in the mornings.

‘‘Clients no longer want the backyard to be ‘all pool’, realising that it becomes a dead space in winter.’’ Vanessa Hedges