Mitchell Stewart

Mitchell Stewart
A motivated individual deeply passionate about making houses look good. We design, manufacture and install aluminium louvres and facades. If you are an architect, builder or home owner seeking inspiration, then lets talk. We're working day and night to make houses look good right across New Zealand.
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Recent Posts

5 outdoor design trends for 2020

Posted by Mitchell Stewart on Jan 16, 2020 3:01:18 PM

With a new year underway, now’s the time when many of us are planning our next outdoor project. Or perhaps you’re picking up where you left off at the end of 2019 and continuing work on new builds and housing developments for clients? Whatever the reason, it’s always handy to have a bit of design guidance for your outdoor area!

We’ve put together a list of five outdoor design trends we expect to see during 2020 – many of which we’re already seeing! Make your outdoor living space the best it can be with these top tips and ideas.

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Topics: Outdoor living, design inspiration, Patio, Shutters

Motorised louvres explained

Posted by Mitchell Stewart on Nov 20, 2019 12:44:53 PM

As louvre specialists we design, engineer, manufacture and install a range of different louvre and façade products to make houses look good. We often get asked about our range of operable louvres, and particularly motorised louvres.

From ‘are motorised louvres weatherproof?’ to, ‘can a rain sensor be added to my motorised louvres?’, there are a number of common questions we get asked, as well as dozens more which surprise even us! Read on to find out more about motorised louvres as well as answers to commonly asked questions.

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Topics: Residential louvres, Louvre, Motorised louvres

Exterior shutters: operable or fixed?

Posted by Mitchell Stewart on Nov 14, 2019 8:01:39 AM

While some design trends come and go, there are those that stand the test of time. Shutters are an example of a design element that is here to stay. Traditionally found on older properties like villas and historic buildings, exterior shutters have been used for decades to provide protection from the elements or as a window treatment to provide extra security. While shutters can still be used for these purposes we are now seeing more and more that these are added to the exterior of many contemporary homes as a unique design element, or as a heating and cooling solution.

Exterior shutters can have a multitude of uses and benefits, depending on what is required of them. Find out about the different types of exterior shutters, and what shutters will work best for your property or next project.

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Topics: Louvre, Shutters

Benefits of sun shading systems

Posted by Mitchell Stewart on Oct 18, 2019 1:45:55 PM

Keeping yourself and your home cool over summer can be challenging. At the peak of summer, temperatures can reach over 30°C in some parts of New Zealand and with particularly strong UV rays, having a shaded area at home where you can get out of the sun is very important for a lot of Kiwis.

There are also many other benefits to adding a bit of shade to the outside of your home which include ventilation for added cooling as well as saving on power bills. In this blog we’ll cover the benefits of adding sun shade to your home and the Aurae products that can help you achieve this.

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Topics: Outdoor living, Sunshading, Pergola, Louvre

Outdoor patio ideas

Posted by Mitchell Stewart on Oct 18, 2019 11:08:11 AM

Many of us can agree that nothing beats enjoying the outdoors on a hot summer’s night. If you regularly have friends and family over for meals and get-togethers then you’ll know the importance of having a suitable outdoor entertaining space.

An outdoor patio is a great way to extend your living area outside and depending on how extravagant you want your set up to be, there are many things that you can even do yourself to create a memorable space.

In this blog we look at what makes a patio, and a few ideas as to what a basic patio should include.

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Topics: Outdoor living, design inspiration, Pergola, Louvre, Patio

Create indoor-outdoor flow with shutters

Posted by Mitchell Stewart on Aug 1, 2019 12:53:55 PM

Everybody enjoys good indoor-outdoor flow in their homes. A cool breeze and the harmonious sound of birds chirping in the background can add so much to the ambience of our homes. However, designing a property with good indoor-outdoor flow can also encounter some problems. What happens if the wind picks up or your privacy is compromised?

External shutters can be an excellent solution for these situations. Available with numerous screen options, the shutters can be fixed, sliding or bi folding. In this blog we delve into how you can use a range of different shutters to not only maximise the use of your space and create indoor-outdoor flow, but to also make a statement.

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Topics: Outdoor living, design inspiration, Louvre

5 outdoor home trends to use in 2019

Posted by Mitchell Stewart on Jul 9, 2019 8:24:56 AM

Whether your backyard consists of a few acres or perhaps you’ve only got a small patio to work with, there are now endless options for outdoor home design. From outdoor rooms to mixed materials we’ve covered five outdoor trends to keep an eye on for the rest of 2019. Maybe you’re considering a few already for your next project or home reno?

Get inspired and find out how you can make the most of your outdoor space with these top trends.

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Topics: Outdoor living, design inspiration

Front entrance inspiration

Posted by Mitchell Stewart on Jul 1, 2019 8:30:53 AM

As the saying goes, first impressions count. People are likely to pass judgement on a home within the first few seconds of looking at it and it is highly likely that some of these seconds are going to be spent looking at the properties front entrance.

Make sure the front entrance of your current or future project creates the right impression. In this blog we’ve covered various aluminium louvres and features, designed to give you some extra inspiration. Read on to find out how you can use louvre screens and canopies to make your front entrance stand out.

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Topics: design inspiration, Louvre, entrance canopies

Our favourite louvre projects

Posted by Mitchell Stewart on Jun 10, 2019 3:32:37 PM

The imagination of the architects and builders we work with results in us having the pleasure of working on some truly amazing projects. From terraced housing developments to private estates, we’ve helped large and small projects stand out with outstanding louvre designs.

Instead of keeping these stunning projects under wraps, we've outlined a few of our favourite louvre projects below to help get you inspired for your next project.

If you are an architect or builder, read on to find out how you can add value to your projects using aluminium louvres.

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Topics: Residential louvres, design inspiration, Louvre, custom louvre

Gazebos vs Pergolas – what's the difference?

Posted by Mitchell Stewart on May 10, 2019 9:25:27 AM

When it comes to enjoying the outdoors, many of us can agree that having a shaded area to relax and unwind in is a great addition to any home. We’re lucky that nowadays we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing an outdoor structure. Common structures include gazebos and pergolas.

Gazebos and pergolas both serve similar purposes in an outdoor area – to provide protection from the elements and a space for entertaining. Both can be constructed from various materials and come in numerous designs. Though they're similar, they do have their differences.

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Topics: Outdoor living, design inspiration, Pergola

 

 

 

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