When we talk about the French urban garden it conjures images of a courtyard with cafe-style iron table and chairs to sit at for a coffee in the sun.

The new Devonport Library has been shortlisted for the 2015 Public Library of the Year Award.

The light at the end of the building tunnel is growing stronger.

What if wine could talk back? What if the bottle you see on the shelf already knew what was going to happen before you put it in your trolley? What would yours say?

Glass lets the house be a part of its surrounds.

Good outdoor furniture can move your living spaces outside, writes Carol Bucknell.

The Block NZ 2012 winner Ben Crawford and his fiance Kylie are building their dream home. Share their proud moments and pitfalls every week.

Carpet makes it feel like a home.

After a long wait, work can begin again.

Saying goodbye is like losing a family member.

Three decks will bring the outdoors in.

The Block NZ 2012 winner Ben Crawford and his girlfriend Kylie are building their dream home. Share their proud moments and pitfalls every week.

A must-have feature has finally arrived.

Australian intellectual property laws are more lenient than those of Europe and the US, causing problems for NZ designers.

Sanding and painting are sure signs they're on the home stretch.

In the booming Auckland property market, most money put into renovations will add to a house's value. But spend well and you could get up to $4 back for every $1 spent.

Tailor your home to your electrical needs.

No one loves a dull home. Kirsten Matthew talks to four experts to find out how to avoid the seven biggest pitfalls of interior design.

Prefabricated homes offering up to 15 per cent reductions in building costs are gaining a powerful boost from a green think-tank seeking sustainable ways of tackling the housing crisis.

Temperature is crucial to a comfy home.

The house has come together over the past couple of weeks, literally.

The Block NZ 2012 winner Ben Crawford and his girlfriend Kylie are building their dream home. Share their proud moments and pitfalls every week.

Brushes and rollers are ready for action.

The living room pod has finally arrived.

The Kiwi bloke is a key part of NZ's collective self ideal, but new research shows it is now almost as likely to be his wife or daughter getting ready to roll up her sleeves.

Control heating and lighting with your phone.

Home renovating has become a $1.5b boom industry as a growing number of house owners turn their backs on trading up in a rampant property market.

As the build goes on, the house is feeling more like a real home.