Trends 42-01

Strong of form and materials, this bold, board-formed concrete home is a perfect response to an often stormy coastline – serene, sculptural interiors balance views and privacy

In keeping with its coastal setting yet bold in its design strokes, this Japanese-style shou sugi ban-clad home stands strong on the skyline – a kwila boardwalk path leads to the front door

Passive house design responds to sun, wind, rain and land-forms to optimise energy savings and indoor living quality – for this scenic Queenstown home, Altus Window Systems played an integral role

Strong coastal winds and an overly hot summer sun – potential negatives are turned into strong positives in this sculptural home that also boasts 'honest' materials and heroic architectural moments

When Ian Gare, Operations Manager of PlaceMakers Alexandra and Cromwell, and wife Lynda decided to design their new home they chose the bold look of the Dimond® Roofing’s economical, tray inspired metal cladding profile DP955®

Check out the Winners, Runners-up and Finalists 2025 TIDA International Home of the Year awards – New Homes and Renovations from around the globe

These three-storey townhouses, all served with lifts, are designed for the upmarket marketplace – merging clean lines outside with layered texture and materiality inside, for an air of enduring refinement

Capturing both the dramatic alpine views and the sun path, this Queenstown home also relates to its breathtaking landscape through cladding choices and interior tones

Double or triple glazing and thermally broken frames reflect dramatic advancements in window insulation – now the Window Systems Pacific52™ Thermal Recessed Frame by Altus® Window Systems has upped the game again

With a nod to the desert forts of the past, this sustainability-focussed home features an entry rotunda, a shaded courtyard, and a view frame overlooking the surrounding sprawling landscape

Constraints can bring out the best in a design and this project had a few – a steeply sloping site and multi-generational occupancy were both addressed along the way to creating a warm, connected and refined home

This dramatic Piha beach house is right on point – the seemingly impossible cantilever inspires wonder while the solid floating form itself references wartime coastal bunkers

Offering a fresh take on the gabled home, this sculptural, sustainability-minded residence nestled amongst the trees connects dramatically with its expansive natural setting

This kitchen – part of a reshuffled/revamped space, offers light, warm cabinetry finishes and the refined coolness of stone benchtops and splashback

Refined touches abound in this coastal kitchen – a waterfall oyster stone benchtop; dark, touch-to-open cabinets; and fluted glass-fronted upper cabinetry all finely balance the elegant and the practical

Calacatta sintered stone surfaces, a grooved oak island, and reeded glass cabinetry are just three refined design elements in this now storage-rich, well-connected kitchen

Winners, Runners-up and Finalists in the 2025 TIDA International Kitchen of the Year – top new and renovated kitchens from around the globe

Rich, dark timber cabinetry meets stone benchtop in this upmarket yet pared back penthouse kitchen – high end appliances complete the sophisticated picture

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For this coastal kitchen, warm oak cabinetry combines with a veined stone island benchtop and splashback – both wood and stone echo the home's exterior and are in keeping with the seaside location

Designer Celia Visser talks to TIDA awards chairman Paul Taylor about how the kitchen in her Auckland villa extension can all but vanish or open up to dedicated work stations

Featuring liquid metal surfaces, bespoke joinery and hidden technology, this refined, function-rich kitchen also connects in material terms with its wider environment

Architects Eva Nash and Kate Rogan talk to TIDA judging panel chairman Paul Taylor about open plan, island design, materials and subtle symmetry in Eva’s own kitchen

This kitchen is a picture of harmony, with surfaces, shapes and economical layout all closely considered – the design is arranged to look great from all angles including as viewed from the living spaces

Designed along biophilic principles, this show home kitchen/scullery connects with nature and radiates positive energy – inviting visitors to linger

Check out the gallery of 2025 TIDA New Zealand Kitchens winners, runners-up and highly commended entries

For this bathroom, a hero tile with dramatic patterning is reminiscent of nearby sandy shorelines, while the floor tiles and skirting follow suit – a coordinating Flaminia basin also picks up on the Black Dahlia tilework

A Spanish quartz vanity, ceramic plaid wall tile and grass cloth wallpaper combine to create a sense of luxury in this powder room with optimised privacy – custom pendants complete the picture

How to achieve the look of a refined primary bathroom while keeping to a holiday home budget – here, marble-look porcelain sheet and a shell-look feature wall are just two luxury-feel elements

Winners, Runners-up and Finalists 2025 TIDA International Bathroom of the Year awards – top Bathroom, Suite and Powder room designs

When your powder room is on show from your living spaces, good looks, connections and quietness are all important – this powder room addressed all three elements in style

A biophilic approach to this bathroom gives it a sophisticated coastal vibe – ridged subway tiles evoke the sandy shore, accessories hint at soft sea creature forms 

Once a sole-use laundry, this edgy design transformation results in a high-end laundry and guest bathroom combo featuring Infinity Brazil tiles, shou sugi ban cabinetry, and clever spatial optimisation

This bathroom is designed not to shout, but to settle into its context – drawing on local tones, industrial textures, and timeless forms it offers a place to pause, recharge, and feel grounded 

Designer Kate Gardham talks to TIDA awards judging panel chairman Paul Taylor about creating zones in a renovated bathroom with extensive glass walls

Designer Natalie Du Bois talks to TIDA awards chairman Paul Taylor about the challenges she had to overcome for a bathroom design that brings a natural balance to an urban setting

Dramatic and easy to clean, tiles of all sizes, shapes and textures can transform your space – here are some stand-out examples

Three units are merged over two levels – a double-height living space opens to a sea-facing balcony while undulating walls and a sinuous staircase echo cliffs and beach boulders below; coastal hues/textures abound

Check out the Winners, Runners-up and Finalists from around the world in the 2025 TIDA International Interior of the Year awards

'All the world's a stage', wrote Shakespeare and this interior design takes heed with colour, form and materiality emerging as distinct characters with black ceiling above

A sculptural staircase leads the eye (and heart) in this penthouse interior project – walnut panelled walls ground the soaring double-height living space while artworks punctuate the design

Check out the Winners, Runners-up and Finalists from around the world in the TIDA International Interior of the Year awards

This coastal garden celebrates privacy, calm, and filtered light, along with soft tones & textures – the private space connects naturally with the home's interior living spaces

Thoughtful plant selection, mass planting and material harmony are essential when designing with New Zealand natives – this landscape project is both ecologically grounded and architecturally refined

Inspired by Orewa's subtropical climate and the homeowners’ appreciation for natural landscapes, this restful garden design draws influence from tropical resorts and contemporary outdoor living spaces 

Paths aren't just a way around the garden without getting your shoes or feet dirty – they can lead your direction, inform the house or garden architecture and add texture – along with colour and form

A 90s home is reborn as a Cape Cod retreat, featuring 10,000 hand-stained shingles, raked ceilings and a new slate roof with character internal archways retained

Rooms are shuffled, spaces reallocated and a lift extended to set the scene for an interior that brings space and light while marrying to the industrial tone of its penthouse setting

A classic facade is faithfully restored while behind it a contemporary extension with a colourful presence and modern flow connects with the garden at rear

A large circular skylight floods natural light into the wood-lined entry of this renovated home – as the sun travels over the skylight, so the light play changes in character through day

A modest rural brick abode expands into a light-filled farmstead complete with pool house and an interior fit-out that merges relaxed rustic with opulence