Warm up your kitchen

WARM UP YOUR kitchen for winter

Cosy kitchen warmth is the haven most people look for when winter bites. So, it’s important to plan carefully when a hibernation transformation is on the drawing board.

To help renovators achieve kitchen comfort here are some ideas from leading UK kitchen retailer, Wren Kitchens. They are aimed at enhancing style and adding flair to that all important space.

GREY AS A TEXTURE

Grey is an iconic and timeless kitchen colour; however, we’re talking about a new dynamic, textured shade which comes in the form of grey woods, stones, steels, concretes and aged metals, offering a vigorous finish to kitchen space.

Wonders of the natural world offer a moody range of greys to suit industrial or glam style kitchen designs. Grains and textures such as washed concrete, metallic slate and smoked oak are on-trend especially when paired with stainless steel units.

A mix of colours, such as rose reds, greens, blues, oaks and rich woods, can bring the design to life. Try accessorising with concretecoloured crockery or grey, textured soft furnishings.

STANDOUT FEATURE UNITS

Who doesn’t need plenty of good storage? A bespoke feature dresser can act as an extra station when more storage is needed and can be a display cabinet too! Designed with plate racks, deep cupboards or feature glass shelving, this example is practical but also creates a real focal area in your kitchen. On trend are metal framed units with textured glass coloured in a contrasting shade so it stands out from your other units.

Cabinetry lights create a cosy atmosphere – ideal when you wake in the mornings and can’t bear bright lights or you are winding down on an evening.

KEEPING IT CLEAN

the kitchen is an essential space to keep uncluttered and clean. As worktops make up a large proportion of the kitchen, it’s important to get it right.

Non-porous designs create a hygienic surface and will inhibit the growth of bacteria or its transfer on to foods and objects. Sleek, handleless kitchen designs offering a sense of minimalism are easier to clean – with no grooves or handles you’re done with one clean swoop!

Integrated appliances such as induction hobs and hidden extractors create a sleek look and the flush design means they can be wiped them down effortlessly.

HOT WATER ON DEMAND

As chilly mornings and dark evenings bring a sense of urgency, upgrading to a boiling hot water tap will be a life changer – instant cuppa! Energy efficient, they free up worktop space, removing the need for a kettle and they save precious time for those with busy lifestyles.

THE NEW MOODY BLUE

Classic blue was the colour of the year for 2020 and is still a very popular kitchen option. In particular, we love the new blue. It’s deeper and darker with more focus on deep teal hues.

Creating a sense of grandeur and calm in any space, this colour palette offers a crisp, clean look and works beautifully with a strong contrast of marbled quartz worktops and brass taps and handles.

The bolder hues are perfect for classic kitchens, but the season also sees interesting mixes of blues with greys and concretes in industrial settings. Grey units are the perfect backdrop for deep blue walls or splashbacks – for the ultimate look, add a rustic brick feature wall.

Partner, Rod Ewen from Wynyard Wood explores a snapshot of the basic concepts around the process of redundancy.

Redundancy through an employer’s or employee’s lense can be an unwelcome challenge.

The last year has been a difficult one because of the effects of Covid-19. Subsequently many businesses must restructure. While it has always been a fundamental right of employers to undertake restructuring, there are restraints on the process.

The Employment Relations Authority and the Employment Court rules have remained unchanged in the last 12 months. The two basic rules which apply are: • Redundancy must be for genuine reasons and the Court is entitled to look beyond what appears to be genuine and determine whether or not the employer is applying an objective standard of what a fair and reasonable employer would do. In other words, the

Court is entitled to enquire into the merits of the redundancy business decision but in doing so the genuineness of the redundancy remains the key focus. • There must be a fair procedure followed by the employer. When employers are exposed to a real risk of a personal grievance it is mostly because they have not followed the proper procedure. Therefore any employer looking at making employees redundant would be wise to seek legal advice before embarking on the process. What is fair in one circumstance may be different in another. Essentially the process requires: • Consulting with the employees in good faith • Giving the employee an opportunity to comment on information before a decision is made to make any position redundant • That that opportunity to provide feedback should be real and open discussion is vital • The employer should explain the rationale for the proposed redundancy and then have a second meeting at which the employee can provide feedback • The employer must have an open mind and consider that feedback and allow time for reflection • The employer, if still wishing to proceed, should meet again with the employee and also consider (normally during the feedback period) any opportunities for deployment such as reduced hours, other roles, whether that employee may go onto an independent contract, job sharing and other options that may be available depending on the particular industry and the employer’s situation.

BILL POTTER — The Maverick Thinker. Global Speaker. Personal Power Mentor. Bill has already made personal presentations in 57 countries. http://www.speakers.co.nz/our-speakers/allspeakers/bill-potter/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToRhF22nARM

First of all, let me confirm... what the world needs now. It is so simple, it’s embarrassing, because the world is still waiting! Go to https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=YUaxVQPohlU and check this out. Make sure you browse through some of the comments. This ‘message’ arrived in 1975. Hello.

You already know that ‘what you and I need now’ is also what ‘the world needs now’ and then some. So, I’m listing some of the core needs, hopes and dreams both ‘the world’ and ‘WE’, need now! Do it like this. Read through the elements. Decide which needs are vital for You, now!

They are: real love; hope; validation; equal opportunities; support; fulfilment; water; food; clothing; shelter; security; continuity; acceptance; respect; belonging; employment; friendships; confidence; selfesteem; competence; freedom; knowledge; justice; co-operation; kindness; awareness. Understanding; communication; caring; values; community; trust; peace; faith; resilience; family; thoughtfulness; fun; truthfulness; civility; courage; responsibility; loyalty; courtesy; neighbours; spirituality; fairness; patience; compassion; stability; generosity; thankfulness. Commonsense; logic; co-operation; humour; service; honest perspective; optimistic attitude; self-acceptance; good citizenship; tolerance; integrity; productivity; self-reliability; self-discipline; pro-good change; innovation... and chocolate. This last one... is for medicinal purposes only, you understand.

Yes, there are many attitudes, behaviours and results that will keep Planet Earth at #1 in the Universe (Do I hear any challenges from Outer Space? Thought so!). Finally, review your life, and discover how many elements from the list above, you have personally ‘activated’. Go!

My newly upgraded international Course... LeaderSpeak©, is now ready to go. It is for achievers who can learn to lead and inspire, but who may not feel sufficiently confident to do either, yet. My Course is a ‘maverick’ experience, because I ‘do it differently’. Most leader courses do not! If you’re courageous, you know what to do. Contact me. Cheers. Bill.

duitdammit@gmail.com

REDUNDANCY?

Whether you view redundancy through either an Employer’s or Employee’s lense, it can be an unfortunate and unwelcome challenge. Wynyard Wood is available to guide you through the redundancy process. Contact us today for advice.

wynyardwood.co.nz/redundancy Tel. 09 969 0126

YEAR OF THE VIRUS MAKES WAY FOR YEAR OF THE VACCINE

Despite a sudden shock for financial markets in March 2020, and the continued challenging pandemic situation in many countries, the global economy is learning to live with Covid-19.

As 2021 gets underway, we see positive signs for investors. While some sectors remain hard hit (e.g. education, tourism, hospitality), others have thrived (aged care, healthcare, technology).

Economic conditions in New Zealand should continue to improve through 2021 given the combination of low interest rates and increased household savings through Covid-19, with a booming housing market and strong construction demand contributing to improving consumer and business confidence.

Likewise, most economies have navigated the pandemic better than initially anticipated, supported by huge policy responses from central banks and governments.

In terms of emerging trends, a broad global shift towards climate change focused investment stands out. This is taking a number of forms, including increasing pressure on companies to reduce emissions and a growing demand for emissions-reducing technologies such as batteries and solar.

This type of climate change investing, to date, has already had a meaningful impact on the performance of some sectors and some companies both globally and domestically. In New Zealand for example, Meridian (MEL) and Contact (CEN) recently experienced significant price gains due to their presence in the S&P Global Clean Energy Index.

As investors anticipated, with President Joe Biden rolling out his clean energy agenda, huge amounts of money flowed into Exchange Traded Funds (ETF’s) that map this index. These stocks have subsequently re-rated downwards when their respective weightings in the index were reduced, forcing the same funds to reduce their holdings.

The increasing signs of economic recovery has led to many predicting activity returning to 2019 levels by the end of 2021. However, investors should still be mindful of risks –significant unexpected events can and do happen.

The most apparent risks are issues with vaccines, most notably: potential issues of speed and scale when it comes to their mass production, people being reluctant to take them, their durability and new strains of the virus which are potentially resistant to developed vaccines.

Economic risks include factors such as a pick-up in inflation, interest rates increasing, and bubble-like conditions as investors look to deploy cash reserves from lowyielding investments.

It is in environments such as these that the importance of having a well-diversified investment strategy becomes apparent. Appropriate investment strategies offer investors both the opportunity to benefit as things ‘return to normal’, but also a degree of protection, should economic conditions deteriorate in the coming months and years.

Local focus, global view

At Forsyth Barr, our Investment Advisers offer tailor-made investment solutions that meet our client’s specific investment objectives, taking account of the opportunities and challenges of the interesting times we live in.

For a no obligation discussion contact your local Forsyth Barr Investment Adviser, Pam Cussen, David Morgan, Esha Puggal or Mark Steele, on (09) 368 0170 or 0800 367 227, or visit their new office at Highbrook Business Park, 60 Highbrook Drive, East Tamaki.

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If you are considering your current investment arrangements and want professional local service, backed by leading international and New Zealand research, market data and investment experience call David Morgan, Esha Puggal, Mark Steele, or Pam Cussen This column is general in nature and does not take account. For personalised financial advice, contacton (09) 368 0170 or visit their office at Highbrook any of your personal circumstances into Forsyth Barr for an overview of the services we can provide. Fees and charges will Business Park, 60 Highbrook Drive, East Tamaki.apply if you elect to have a continuing relationship with Forsyth Barr.

BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR BUILDER!

Smith & Sons Pukekohe owners, Lane and Melissa den Brink talk about the importance of the builder/client relationship.

We recently sat down with a client after finishing their project and discussing the outcome. It spurred us to think about why this conversation and the client/builder relationship is so important.

We believe it makes for a more successful renovation. When we look at back our successful projects a good relationship with our client was one of the key elements.

A home is one of the biggest investments that Kiwis make, so it’s important to ensure this investment is in good hands when taking on a renovation project.

Trust is a key feature in a good relationship, so it is important to check out your builder before signing up to a project. Check how long the builder has been in business, check his references and ask if you can see some projects.

Whether you are about to embark on a small project or building your dream home, your main point of contact and the person you will mostly deal with throughout is the builder. So, why not work on building a positive relationship with this person?

From day one, always be open and honest with your builder. Talk about what you want to achieve and what your budget is. You may not initially feel comfortable having these conversations, but if you get into the project and issues start cropping up, you’ll feel even less comfortable talking about them. Communication is the key to any great relationship.

At the end of the day, a good builder knows his greatest advocate is you, the client. We really try hard here at Smith & Sons to have great relationships with all our clients. We want to ensure that we give every client a positive experience and that their lives are better when we leave their home.

So, if you’re thinking about renovating, give us a call and let’s make your life better together!

THINKING OF RENOVATING? WE MAKE IT EASY WITH OUR THREE SIMPLE STEPS...

Let’s start the conversation Call Smith & Sons Franklin on 0800 764 846 or visit smithandsons.co.nz 19 Manukau Road, Pukekohe