“Your home should be an inviting sanctuary that reflects your personality and passions. With the right design, you never want to leave – and friends always want to visit.”

Elegant, livable luxury. Classic with a modern twist. I thought it was time for some traditional interior design. Not that I mean stuck in a time warp or old fashioned. No I mean attention to detail, flawless execution, never trendy but always stylish and elegant. Abigail Rizor & Hattie Wolfe, the design duo behind Wolfe Rizor Interiors.

Another project by Auckland architects Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects. I couldn’t help myself. I love their work. New Zealand is such a beautiful country with architecture that celebrates the land of the long white cloud. This alteration and addition to a Queenstown house sits comfortably within its stunning surrounds. Stone and glass and metal. Areas for communing and others for cocooning. Luxury and practicality and all with that view. God’s own country I believe.

It’s Tuesday, the perfect excuse for a virtual holiday. What? You don’t daydream of getting away from the rat race on a Tuesday? I do. We are headed to Hôtel Sezz Saint-Tropez, a piece of Provençal paradise with a contemporary twist. Opulence and simplicity, the 35 room and villa hotel is set in three acres of luxurious grounds. Outdoor showers, private terraces and courtyards and a design by Christophe Pillet that is modern and fresh against the charm of stone walls. I’ll meet by the pool for drinks, perhaps a little dinner. No rush. It’s only Tuesday. We have all week.

Hooray! Est Magazine Issue #7 – The Grand Tour Issue – is out today. Love Est. I think it has to be my favourite online magazine and not just because it is Australian. The Grand Tour Issue is a visual escape to far off isles and destinations. From a cliff top villa on Capri, to an idyllic sanctuary in Mallorca and an eclectic townhouse in Bordeaux – Est will have you conjuring up dreams of far flung places and lifestyles.

Lynda Evans, Creative Director, emailed to let us know that Est is moving to a new home.

“On Friday 16 we officially launched our new look website giving readers more access to inspiration, images and features to save, pin and share. Only Est subscribers will still be able to view all 7 issues in our archive – and the best part is its still free to subscribe! As the year comes to an end its time to start dreaming of far flung destinations (if only in our head) to regenerate for another busy year ahead – come join us.”

Photography by Julien Fernandez, Tara Pearce, Mindi Cooke and Robyn Lea.

Resting gently on the sand dune just up from a pristine beach on New Zealand’s Coromandel beach is a hut, a simple yet not so simple beach hut. Only 40 square metres it makes the most of every bit of space to provide a beach side getaway for a family of five. It can be closed to the elements yet with the turn of a wheel and the push of glass walls it opens to the view. Oh the view! Worth it don’t you think. What makes this little self contained hut even more special is that it sits on two sleds that, with a little effort from a sturdy tractor, can make repositioning the home in response to the ever changing beachfront easy. It sits lightly upon the land this simple, clever hut. Beach side living stripped back to its elegant basics. It was time to go back and explore the portolio of  Auckland based Crosson Clarke Carnachan Architects again. So glad I did.