News Blog @ Wellington City Libraries

Learn how to get the most out of everyday items, be inspired to decorate, collect household tips and wisdom — there’s a lot on offer this month for those interested in making a house a home. And as Luke Van Dyck of 101 Home maintenance says, “a home is the single biggest investment most people will make in a lifetime, so it is important to maintain it”. The following books can give you advice and inspiration to make your haven right for you. It’s not all about the house either. If you’re tired of waiting for someone to send you flowers, then why not grow your own? Laetitia Maklouf can help with her dummies guide to gardening. Have a browse!

Household wisdom / Shannon Lush & Jennifer Fleming.
“Household Wisdom, is a ‘mash-up’ of Shannon Lush & Jennifer Flemings’ successful books, Save and How To Be Comfy combined into one beautifully bound hardback edition. Packed with clever ideas to help you get the most from everyday household items – in the process you’ll save money, save time and save the planet! Shannon and Jen also offer tips on creating cosiness as well as advice on how to choose household goods, how to look after them and how to fix them. Just some of the things you’ll learn about, are how to fix a flyscreen, stitch a hem, replace a tile, select and store fruit and vegetables, and change a washer in your toilet cistern. Household Wisdom is your perfect guide and companion to saving money while making your house the place you want to come home to.” (Amazon)

Sweet peas for summer : how to create a garden in a year / Laetitia Maklouf ; with a foreword by Alan Titchmarsh ; photography by Jill Mead.
“For a decade Laetitia Maklouf did all her gardening in window boxes, a balcony and across every surface inside her flat. Finally, she moved into a house with her own garden. Beautifully illustrated throughout with Jill Mead’s acclaimed photographs, Sweet Peas for Summer is Laetitia’s own story of creating her first garden from scratch in a year and a bible for the gardening beginner. Irreverent, practical and funny, she sets out how to plan, plant and maintain a garden in ten easy steps. There are also over 100 plant recipes for spring, summer, autumn and winter, planting plans for every personality type and plenty of time left over for lounging on the lawn. ‘If you’re tired of waiting for someone to send you flowers, then why not grow your own? Laetitia Maklouf can help with her dummies guide to gardening … If you need to get rid of the grey, buy this book’You Magazine, Mail on Sunday.” (Fishpond)

Outdoor fix-it 101 : projects you really can do yourself / Steve Willson.
“Covers basic maintenance of the home’s exterior shell–its siding, foundation and roof–as well as maintenance and repair of driveways, walkways, fences, and other essential outdoor structures” (Publisher summary)

Home maintenance / Luke van Dyck.
“A home is the single biggest investment most people will make in a lifetime, so it is important to maintain it. This book: teaches you about your home – the different types of structures (eg. brick veneer, double brick, timber frame); tells you what basic tools you’ll need for simple jobs around the home; explains how to maintain the different rooms in your house, from the kitchen to the bathroom, floors and ceilings, doors and windows, walls, the roof, and outside; includes hints and tips on painting, energy efficiency, cost saving and water conservation.” (Fishpond)

Rooms to inspire by the sea / Annie Kelly ; photography by Tim Street-Porter.
“This is an unprecedented tour of breathtaking beach community and waterfront properties in idyllic settings such as Southern California, Florida, the Hamptons, and Puerto Vallarta is showcased in this alluring volume.” (Syndetics summary)

Fleamarket chic : the thrifty way to create a stylish home / Liz Bauwens and Alexandra Campbell ; photography by Simon Brown.
“This hunting and foraging how-to features collections of china, jewelry, kitchenalia, frames, mirrors, fabrics and furniture arranged in innovative interiors. Mixing, not matching, is extolled and family heirlooms mingle with IKEA. Clever tricks of the design trade are plied with confidence and skill as a home’s floorboards are painted with a tile motif from the Alhambra. Even a leather sofa is painted red: “if you haven’t paid much for them in the first place, then you have much less to lose.” Investment tips are shared on vintage and modern collectibles and there is sound buyer-beware advice on Internet purchases.” (Publisher Weekly)

Chinese style : interiors, furniture, details / text by Zhu Wen ; photographs by Liu Shenghui ; [translation by Yawtsong Lee, Jingwen Zhu ; edited and designed by the editorial committee of Cultural China series].
“This book teaches one how to combine the elements of Chinese style with modern concepts to create private and public spaces with beauty, harmony, and prosperity.” (Syndetics summary)

Convert your home to solar energy / Everett M. Barber, Jr., and Joseph R. Provey.
“This colorful volume presents information on all of the major methods of harnessing solar energy for your home. Intended for home owners and designed to cover most aspects of the solar conversion, the work walks the reader through the planning, installation and maintenance of solar hot water systems, pool heating, passive solar heating and cooling and photo-voltaic systems. Numerous diagrams, photographs, equations and technical tips are provided throughout and appendices for determining solar energy savings rates are included. Barber is a solar system designer and installer and Provey is a writer on solar energy topics.” (Syndetics summary)

Small space organizing : a room-by-room guide to maximizing your space / Kathryn Bechen.
“While we may admire the spacious rooms in large homes we see in magazines or on TV, let’s face it: most of us don’t live in rambling estates. Instead, we live in homes, apartments, or condos with small rooms and even smaller closets. But you can enjoy an organized, beauty-filled life no matter what the size of your space. In this practical book, you’ll learn how to perform a room-by-room audit of your space to see if it’s functioning at its bestmake the most of existing storage space and find clever ways to add more. Find creative ways to arrange furnishings and accessories that maximize space and bring harmony and style to the home live graciously in a small space with others (especially those who aren’t organized!) Whether you’re an empty nester who’s downsizing, a newlywed setting up your first nest, or someone who just needs some creative new ideas, you’ll love these strategies, tips, and solutions to maximize space and enhance your quality of life.” (Amazon)