My Space Liftout - 19 April 2024

Swim laps in your own backyard by summer.

YOUR HOME YOUR SANCTUARY

Swim laps in your own backyard by summer

A Bethlehem couple has found that smart choices lead to a ordable luxury.

In fact, by prioritising design features they held as most important, Jon and Louise were able to have the swimming pool they’d dreamed of within the budget they’d set and in a timeframe that suited.

In February 2023 they got a quote from TrueStyle Pools and Landscaping BOP.

Construction started four months later, and the pool was complete by November 2023.

“It’s not just the pool, it’s everything around it plus the ongoing maintenance that need to be factored in with the cost,” says Jon.

“I have to admit, though, I was actually really impressed by how quickly it happened once we hit go. It was done by Christmas and the kids enjoyed our new pool right through summer.”

Realistic idea

TrueStyle owner Logan McLaughlin understands that when it comes to swimming pools, it can be tough choosing sizes, colours and surrounds, so seeing the end result in person is helpful. “We have photos on our website, but also ve very di erent pools within a ve-minute drive in Pāpāmoa,” says Logan. “Taking a look at completed projects gives a realistic idea of how their nished pool will look and helps cement decisions. I’m always proud to show potential clients the quality of the work we do.”

Jon and Louise had been see-sawing between an eight metre and 10 metre pool.

“I’m glad we went for the 10 metre pool, because it sits on the site perfectly,” says Jon. “We’re very happy.

“It was a matter of guring out how much space we were going to lose and ensuring we stayed compliant with the fencing as well as the cost considerations.

“From an investment point of view, it was the right decision.”

Eight colours

TrueStyle BOP has a range of eight gelcoat colours that are smooth to touch, fade resistant and have a re ective nish.

“Jon and Louise chose ‘white shimmer’ which has metallic blue ecks that makes it appear a beautiful baby blue colour in the sun,” says Logan.

“It looks fantastic next to the white pavers.”

“I wanted something that looked fresh,” says Jon.

“ e shiny ecks make all the di erence. e water looks crystal clear and so inviting.”

Six pools

TrueStyle BOP has six di erent pre-cast drop-in breglass pools that are fabricated in Tauranga. Jon and Louise chose the rectangle with side entry steps.

“It’s a durable product that should still have the same crisp nish a good 10 years after it goes in,” says Logan. “A lot of our clients have kids, so the deep end depth of 1.8 metres suits everyone really well.”

“Our kids are 10 and 13 so they’re at a really good age for a pool and they just love it so much,” says Jon. “All their mates come round and spend the day doing bombs into the pool. It’s fantastic.”

Tiles

Jon and Louise already knew they wanted tiles around the pool.

“In my view, drop-in pools that are surrounded by concrete don’t quite look ‘ nished’,” says Jon. “So we knew a lot of our budget would be spent on stone tiles with a wooden deck insert at the back for sun loungers. It looks simple but as though it’s always been there rather than we bought a pool and then ran out of money to nish it o properly. at was a big decision and we love the result.”

Jon has done some landscaping himself and also chose aluminium railings to fence part of the area to o set the cost of the pavers. e couple chose to invest in a hidden pool cover to retain the clean line aesthetics.

Salt versus chlorine

“It’s in-ground and completely concealed because I didn’t want a roll sitting on top,” says Jon.

“ e other thing we spent money on was salt rather than chlorine, a cleaning system and heating because we wanted maximum use out of it.”

“I’m really happy with the whole feel of the space we created for Jon and Louise,” says Logan. “Apart from electrics and initial excavation, our team handles everything – from the pool installation, the lters, fencing and paving. We’re a one-stop shop.

“I love that this pool ts in the space so beautifully. It doesn’t look out of place.”

A good balance

“Logan’s a really nice guy and his team is great to deal with. ey’re awesome guys,” says Jon. “In terms of quality versus cost, TrueStyle has a good balance.

“We’re really pleased with the nal result.”

Debbie Griffiths

Upgrade your lifestyle with Bay Blinds’ motorised roller blinds

Transform your living space into a haven of comfort and style with Bay Blinds’ motorised roller blinds.

Meticulously manufactured by their skilled local team, these blinds seamlessly merge practicality with style. Easily controlled by the handheld remote or integrated into your home automation system and smartphone apps, Bay Blinds ensures that convenience is at your ngertips. eir commitment to quality guarantees that each blind installed in your home meets the highest standards. anks to modern battery-operated motors, these blinds can be e ortlessly installed in any existing home, enhancing safety with child-friendly features that eliminate cords or chains. Motorised blinds from Bay Blinds are an accessible luxury for every homeowner, o ering a ordability and versatility for any living environment.

Whether you’re seeking to protect furniture from sunlight, enhance privacy levels, help insulate your home over the colder winter months or manage blinds remotely in holiday homes, Bay Blinds provides tailored solutions. Choose from a range of control options: voice-activated, remote, smartphone, or chain control and select from an array of patterns, colours and textures to complement your décor.

To explore Bay Blinds’ extensive range and discover how these blinds can elevate your home’s ambiance while simplifying your daily routine, get in touch with the team today.

Stay ahead in home technology by contacting the Bay Blinds specialists at: 0800 229 254, visiting: www.bayblinds. co.nz or dropping by their Showroom at 8 Maleme Street, Greerton for a complimentary measure and quote. ey are really excited to be at the Tauranga Home Show from 3-5 May, come and visit them at stand 356. You will be able to see their motorised blinds in action as well as a wide range of their products, get to chat to your local sales consultants and take advantage of their 20 per cent show discount. e team look forward to seeing you there.

From bitsy to bespoke

An Oropi couple who’d been dragging their feet on modernising their ensuite are not only thrilled with the result, they’re now inspired to renovate their main bathroom and laundry.

“We had built our house 27 years ago,” says Jan. “We had changed the shower twice and done a few x-up jobs along the way so it was a bit of a mismatched mess. en, I dropped something onto the basin which chipped it.”

User-friendly

e minor damage worsened into a hole, prompting Jan to push ahead with updating the space with Bay Bathroom Design & Build. “Jan came to us wanting to make the bathroom more user-friendly,” says designer Vicky Gillespie. “ eir old ensuite was ‘bitsy’ with no real ow.” “I’m not a sparkly things kind of person, so I had a basic idea of wanting more neutral tones,” says Jan.

Custom stone vanity

“ eir choice of wall tile and stone work really well together, and the gunmetal and black xtures are a nice point of di erence,” says Vicky. “Jan and Peter also selected a basin that stepped away from the standard round or square styles.”

“ e biggest surprise for me was that a custom stone vanity was within my price range,” admits Jan. “It came as a three metre slab and I nearly didn’t get it, but when they o ered to hold onto the rest of it for future projects we realised it was a cost-e ective investment. I’ll be using the rest of it when I get my main bathroom and laundry done. I’m thrilled with the look. It’s beautiful.”

Jan was happy to nd the shower handle and touch-to-open cupboards were options with her

unique mobility issues in mind. “ e team also worked with me on getting the vanity and shelving at the perfect height for me.”

Atlantis Linea Quattro shower with Ellure panels complete the look along with beautiful long timber look vinyl that make the room appear longer.

Accommodating

“I was pleasantly surprised with how accommodating the team from Bay Bathroom Design were with everything. It’s a one-stop shop. “Now we have a true bespoke bathroom and I just love it.”

“We’re so proud of our hardworking team,” says Vicky. “ e complete process from the rst site visit right through to a nished bathroom requires everyone to do their part for a bathroom to come together. ere are always challenges with any renovation but having a team that can work through them and come up with solutions when required is a must – and we’re very fortunate to have that team.”

Debbie Griffiths

Getting creative with space!

Providing some of the key nishing touches to new builds and renovation projects across the Bay of Plenty/Waikato and Coromandel, NZ Wardrobes designs and installs high quality and excellent value options for wardrobe and storage solutions to keep homes organised and clutter-free.

NZ Wardrobes is a locally owned and operated business based in Mount Maunganui. ey specialise in wardrobe organiser storage systems and shelving solutions for new and existing homes, townhouses, retirement homes, and apartments.

Suit any space

O ering professional grade ventilated wire shelving systems, and New Zealand-manufactured decorative board, which is custommade to suit any space, NZ Wardrobes has the team and expertise to help bring dream homes to life.

“At NZ Wardrobes, we love getting creative with space,” says owner Norm Rusk. “We can turn existing

wardrobes into organised modern spaces, create bespoke laundry/TV/ storage spaces in newly-built or renovated homes, designed in a 3D CAD program for our clients to visualise the nal product and make adjustments.”

e friendly and professional team at NZ Wardrobes are dedicated to supplying a high-quality range of options for almost any room or storage space in the home to a growing number of builder partners, commercial projects and private customers.

Paddy’s big ideas

One such repeat customer is Paddy Shaw, a Mount Maunganui resident who worked with NZ Wardrobes to transform several spaces in his home from dream to reality.

“I had big ideas, and the team at NZ Wardrobes made it all happen,” says Paddy.

“It was great working with the designers to get everything exactly how we wanted, everyone was so e cient and the onsite teams were very professional.

“ at’s why we keep going back –they did our master wardrobe, kids’ wardrobes, storage spaces and linen

closets – even our bespoke storage for an attic bedroom!”

Various configurations

NZ Wardrobes’ range of epoxy coated ventilated wire shelving systems and organisers make the perfect storage solution for the wardrobe, laundry, or storage space. Ventilated wire kitset shelving systems are available in various sizes and con gurations to suit individual requirements, and can also be purchased online for the DIYers out there.

With the new NZ Wardrobe website up and running, customers can now purchase both ventilated wire and decorative board wardrobe and storage shelving atpacks online.

“Simply choose your layout option and input your wall-to-wall measurements. We dispatch orders daily all around New Zealand, with handy ‘how to install’ videos available on our website.”

Getting more creative

Norm says NZ Wardrobes and their customers are enjoying getting creative with their designs. “We o er LED lighting options, coloured or glass sliding doors, a wide array of colour options, and additions like hidden or glass top jewellery drawers. “People are evolving with their

interior design ideas and going away from the stock standard towards something a bit more special or usable for their needs. e range of available colours is extensive, and the options when designing with us are endless.”

Unusual space –no problem!

Paddy’s home is no exception. His family is all about the relaxed beach vibe “We did a light wood grain feel and white colour scheme for the wardrobes, with oor to ceiling inbuilt shoe storage shelves, and a makeup table with a recessed mirror and LED lights,” says Norm. “We also worked with Paddy to create a usable wardrobe space in the attic bedroom, which included drawers that pull out straight from the ceiling space, and a large pull out hanging rail wardrobe, which was designed specially to t in the unusual space.”

Norm says his company strives to go above and beyond for every client, working alongside them to ensure the customer gets what they need, when they need it.

“We pride ourselves on being a hassle-free, no fuss, well organised company, and we turn up when we are asked to.

“We make it happen,” says Norm.

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