Trends New Zealand Volume 33 No 7 | Page 30

Time for living When building a new home, don’t just focus on functionality and aesthetics – consider the time you will spend on upkeep too search | save | share at By opting for low maintenance design and materials it’s possible to save time and money on the upkeep of your home – giving you free- dom to spend both in ways of your choosing, rather than becoming a weekend slave to chores. On the exterior of your new home, it’s about ensuring any ongoing maintenance required matches your budget and lifestyle. For example, the beautiful look of dark cedar weatherboard may not match the less attractive reality of higher maintenance, with an expensive stain- ing process required every few years. In fact, it’s often the exterior maintenance elements that