Beautiful baches

From beachside cottages handed down through generations to cosy caravans, custom built hideaways and fold-out designer container homes, baches are part of the Kiwi psyche. Long weekends, holidays and overnight breaks are all excuses to up sticks and head for a bach.

Usually located by the sea, river, lake or forest, baches are all about relaxing and enjoying nature. Here are some ideas for keeping your home away from home walk-in ready all the time.

Light equals bright
No matter what age or style, white always looks good on interior walls. Use light colours for accents and furnishings too, and your cosy hideaway will always look fresh and clean. Blues look great at the beach, along with serene green and most pastel colours. Remember too that dark colours absorb more heat than lighter colours, indoors and out.

Keep it simple
The idea of a relaxing getaway doesn’t include heading down there to do the housework and ground maintenance 24/7 so factor that in. Keep gardens and lawns low maintenance, and interiors user-friendly. Think wooden or vinyl floors with scatter rugs inside, with grasses and natives outside or no landscaping at all.

Stock up on supplies
Fit-out your holiday home with its own bedding, towels, linen, kitchen utensils, and a small pantry full of basic cooking essentials. Keep a holiday wardrobe there too. That way there’s no need to waste hours getting ready to go away on holiday; just grab a few fresh supplies and head off, knowing most of what you need will be there already.