Home Magazine's annual Home of the Year competition is underway, a fabulous showcase of top New Zealand design.
One of the five finalists is a home in the Hawke's Bay hills that could easily be mistaken for a farm building.
But on closer inspection, it's part residence and part art gallery.
Joanna and Nicholas Stevens wanted their farming background and their love of art reflected in their home, so they commissioned Dick Frizzel to paint their Parongahau sheep station.
"We transformed this rural language into a building that is really quite contemporary," Mr Stevens says.
The result is a contemporary, stylish home steeped in personal history.
Another of the homes vying for the title is a Waiheke getaway that definitely makes a statement.
The house is sanctuary to escape from the city. On one side, the guest quarters are hidden up the top like a birds nest and at the other end, the music room.
The house is designed like its owners - colourful, unique and full of character.
The third of the five finalists is a cosy little abode designed by architect Michael O'Sullivan.
For nearly two years he built it with the help of his neighbour iki and even used recycled timber from an old Onehunga warehouse for the floor.
It's a family home, but far from conventional. The bathroom has green Spanish marble from floor to ceiling, but all-in-all it's an affordable home that's comfortable and communal.