Rather than tinsel and mistletoe, try these 10 festive pieces for some sophisticated Christmas decor.

These ten dark pieces are a great contrast against white and neutral palettes, giving the room a touch of elegance and class.

An artist has decorated her parents home to create an epic haunted house for Halloween.

A sneak peek at this year's edible, fragrant, exotic and native finery gives Catherine Smith dreams, inspiration and determination.

Golden tones make for a perfect addition to whatever colour palette you're already working with. Here are 10 of our favourite pieces to give any room an easy update.

Innovations in the health sector, newspaper print and car safety are among winning designs judged over seven categories.

Pop star Taylor Swift has purchased a $25 million mansion in Beverly Hills. Take a look around.

Trust your judgment to find the right paint.

Everything from straw to steel feature as Kiwis take on their dream designs, writes Sarah Ell.

Four of the country's best designers talk to Kirsten Matthew about making beautiful furniture and homewares, New Zealand's place in contemporary design, and their most favourite things.

The council is planning to redesign Freyberg Place. This is one of our most urban public places but the vision we've seen in the Herald is for a bush walk.

The right barbie will make summer a squeeze.

An energy makeover helps a house go from ice to nice.

Gone are the days of using a garage just to store the car.

We kiwis love a good deck. They suit the design of most of our houses, are perfect for the casual barbecues we love so much.

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

Much fanfare accompanied the announcement of the Tamaki urban regeneration. But progress has not matched expectation and the Government has set about rectifying flaws.

The Auckland Chamber of Commerce is supporting a halt of work on two large wharf extensions into the Waitemata Harbour.

Don’t panic, Auckland can be fixed. Greg Dixon talks to the author of a new book on New Zealand urban design about the 10 things we need to do to make it truly liveable.

A legal challenge to the lawfulness of two wharf extensions in the Waitemata Harbour will be heard in June.

Artists' impressions of Auckland's City Rail Link include a new underground station at Karangahape Rd built to resemble a stingray.

Some of the biggest buildings of the new-look Christchurch are being put together virtual piece by virtual piece, thanks to remarkable 3D technology.

Heads could roll over Ports of Auckland expansion plans, according to a senior Auckland Council source.

Ports of Auckland is not ruling out a pause in construction on two massive wharf extensions into the Waitemata Harbour.

Fake grass, once considered a bit tacky, is making a kitschy comeback - popping up in backyards, apartment patios, commercial buildings, bars, schools and even inside some homes.

A small fibre-cement-board do-up cottage on a large tree-lined site in the Waitakere Ranges has been bought for TVNZ's new DIY reality show, Our First Home.

A Scottish-based Kiwi designer is flushed with excitement as her colourful and unique take on the humble toilet is turning heads in the UK.