Following years of resilient growth, home values in some states reported falls over the final months of 2024, according to new data released this week by Corelogic. CoreLogic’s Home Value Index (HVI) showed values were down 0.1% nationally in December,…
If your New Year’s resolutions included eating fresh and healthy food in 2025, make it easy on yourself by planting a herb garden now. Growing herbs makes sense in so many ways. They smell good, taste (possibly) even better, are…
2024 saw some astronomical prices paid for real estate around the world, the Daily Mail reported this week, with the biggest sale raking in US$90 million (AU$144m) for Ellen DeGeneris’ Santa Barbara home. DeGeneris, who has expatriated to the UK,…
In a definite step-up from the regular porta-loo, German architect Nico Goebel has designed and built ‘thegoodviewloo’ – a translucent on-site bathroom offering scenic views of Cantabria, in Spain. Covered in corrugated polycarbonate sheets, thegoodviewloo provides a composting toilet and…
Australia’s population grew by 2.1% in the year to 30 June 2024, according to the latest figures released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). “Our population at 30 June 2024 was 27.2 million people, an increase of…
Following years of experimentation, a new fire-retardant paint formulated by engineers at UNSW Sydney to withstand bushfire, is now available for sale. Commercially branded ‘FSA Firecoat’, the paint has been designed to produce a thick layer of char which offers…
Christmas is a time of celebration and (often) excess, but that’s no reason our environmental footprint should increase, even though spending and waistlines might. Here are some tips for a greener Christmas – – Keep it real this year. When…
Not sure we would want walls of it, but Pantone has just announced that its Colour of the Year 2025 is PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse. Each year the Pantone Color Institute selects a colour that ‘captures the global zeitgeist, reflecting…
In the garden, all over the outdoor furniture, on the picnic rug or even throughout the house – ants can be a major pest when we want to enjoy a quiet meal outside. Ants marching into the house in lines…
The value of Australia’s homes rose by another $156.3 billion in the September quarter, according to data released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The figures show that the total value of residential dwellings in Australia in the…
