Tabla de contenidos para December/January 2023-24 en homestyle

The whirlwind that is the end of the year has our schedules jam-packed around here. A friend from the Northern Hemisphere recently noted that compared with the holiday season in her neck of the woods, the rush to the deadline of Christmas is a real thing in the Antipodes. I don't necessarily think it's the festive occasion itself that motivates most of us, though — it's more about the allure of the summer that follows and clearing our schedules to make way for a break. I'm definitely looking forward to some downtime, are you? As deputy editor Philippa, art director Juliette and I mulled over this issue's cover lines, the idea of creating ‘a place to land’ struck me as a heart-warming way to express what many people seek to…

When asked what she hopes readers will take from this titanic tome you need two hands and advanced core strength to hold, one of its five editors (Te Papa curators all) Rebecca Rice (curator of historical New Zealand art) replied, “I hope they'll take it home!” A very special book for your coffee table or bookshelf that you'll return to over and again, it's such a treasure that we wish that for you too. The aim of this celebration of all things botanical is for us to feel a sense of wonder at the plants that surround and sustain us. As such, 450-odd pages displaying art, design, photography, textile and fashion artefacts held at Te Papa invite you to connect with the natural world through a creative showcase of the…

Specialist profile WEBB'S A resurgence of interest in wine collecting is afoot worldwide, and at New Zealand's number-one auction house, Webb's, they've seen a pronounced uptick in the under-40 demographic. Along with the older and supposedly wiser among us, emerging connoisseurs are breaking the mould, exploring new flavours and becoming active participants in the auction scene. How does one go about that, though? We asked Head of Fine Wines & Whiskies at Webb's, Marcus Atkinson. So Marcus, where does Webb's get its wines and whiskies? Although Webb's takes pride in its well-established network of sources, two-thirds of consignors in each auction are usually new to us. These vendors range from retirees with a couple of old bottles of whisky that have been gathering dust for 30 years, to regular buyers…

THE PROJECT The expansive vistas surrounding Tāhuna/Queenstown make an enticing environment for a tree-change move. The Sydney-based couple who own this home were also motivated to relocate by the idea of their young sons being brought up in rural Aotearoa, like one of them had been. After landing on a 35ha farm in Speargrass Flat as the place in which to establish themselves, realising their dream continued with the engagement of their ideal design partners. Through admiring other work they'd done in the area, Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland's Sumich Chaplin Architects rose to the top of their list. From there, the expertise expanded to become a trans-Tasman collaboration between principal architect Matt Chaplin and interior designer Sarah-Jane Pyke, co-founder of Sydney-based studio Arent & Pyke. Early in the design phase, Matt flew…

Sunlight glints offtwo unassuming, galvanised steel-wrapped buildings standing side by side in a Wairarapa paddock. At first sight, you might mistake them for utility buildings, but as you draw nearer, it's clear some serious creativity has gone into them — namely that of Ben Mitchell-Anyon and Sally Ogle of Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington architectural practice Patchwork. The project began with the design of the main dwelling and garage (which you may remember from homestyle Issue 114). The homeowners always hoped there would one day be room in the budget for a separate abode to accommodate visiting friends and whānau, so they allowed for plumbing in the garage — today, part of this building has been turned into a guesthouse. Simple, airy and clean describes the aesthetic of this small-space beauty constructed by…

Outside in FIRST WINDOWS & DOORS What will the neighbours think? There's no need to wonder about this Kirikiriroa/Hamilton house — while adding a modicum of modernity to its environs, it's made itself right at home. In this leafy, older suburb close to town on the eastern side of the river, dwellings were built in quick succession in a period of rapid urbanisation in the ’70s — mostly of brick and set back behind presentation lawns and gardens. Many of these original abodes still remain, and now among them, a contemporary interjection has entered the chat. Although it stands out from the rest, it's sensitive to its surrounds — the architecture and landscaping allowing it to conform beautifully to its context. When lead architects Grant Edwards and Georgia Peacocke of…

Best Design Awards —— DESIGN BY SEEAR-BUDD ROSS RK RESIDENCE Crafted mainly from weathered timber and sand-coloured materials, this home settles softly into the landscape while placing a focus on restfulness. Inspired by the typical typology of the area, the stretched hip roof creates a wide, low-slung profile. This element was integral in the pursuit of a highly unified exterior, as it neatly encompasses the home and the garage, creating continuity and calm. The seamless exterior reveals little of the sense of volume within — a feeling enhanced by the arrival sequence. Clad in New Zealandgrown macrocarpa that emits a spicy scent, the entry nook is a cavelike space. It opens with a sense of release into the adjoining living pavilion, which features an exposed, vaulted macrocarpa ceiling; it's lofty…

THEN, AGAIN Belgian architect/designer Vincent Van Duysen has resurrected this Palinfrasca sofa and chair for Moltini & C's Landmark collection, paying tribute to the iconic couch of the same name by the late Italian architect/designer Luca Meda, who presented it in cherry timber at Milan's 1994 Salone del Mobile furniture fair. Luca's creation remained a prototype and never went into production, but now here's its successor with smooth teak forming the curved embrace of its warp-and-weft weave. You'll need to be sensible if it pours down, but these pieces can be used outside, so as such, their cushions have waterproof covers, which are also removable and recyclable. dawsonandco.nz OVER & ABOVE Bobbing about on a pool float has to be one of the most luxurious uses of time there is,…

CITTÀ Product profile The imminent reward of the summer hols has us wanting to reach for colour and functional finds you get a kick out of putting to good use while enjoying your favourite pastimes – doing stuff and doing nothing. These pieces by New Zealand design devotees Città exceed the brief in that they'd also make excellent festive gifts for the person who has everything or ‘to me, from me’. Getting out of here? Fold your capsule wardrobe into a cool, slouchy carry-all like the Marlo overnight bag in Blue-Black heavy cotton canvas with a bright Spirulina zip (pictured above) or Green with a spicy Masala zip. It's a rookie mistake to forget to put a bag within your bag and pack a tote for day trips, so not…

HOMES THE PROJECT For Jackie Ashley, it's the little things in a home that count. The co-founder of fragrance company Ashley & Co understands the emotional connection we have with our abodes — the well-known scent that greets us when we walk through the door, the comforting touch of the sofa we sink into at the end of each day. The renovation of the Birkenhead, Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland home she shares with her co-founder husband Ben and their children Will, Miller and Walt meant turning their red-brick house into a heightened sensory experience. Public reserve Wai Manawa/Le Roys Bush lines the back of this property, so the journey through the house culminates here, where birdsong is abundant. This lush backdrop seems perfect for someone who deeply understands how appealing to the…

Boundary-pushing design has always been a fundamental part of the machinery at luxury automotive brand Lexus, and since 2013, it's been encouraging emerging talents around the world to express their vision for forwardthinking products through its global Lexus Design Award programme. Aligning with the competition in Aotearoa, students of Industrial Design and Creative Technologies at AUT and Industrial Design and Design for the Natural Environment at the University of Auckland take papers that offer local participation. Mentorship is a critical part of the programme, and this year, Lexus ambassadors Simon James, Scott Bridgens and Tim Rundle of furniture and lighting company Resident were engaged to support students through the design process and contribute to the judging panel. “As mentors, we split our time between the different university courses,” says Simon.…

The finer details matter more than ever in a space like the bathroom that's designed for getting up close and personal. If you were to look more carefully at these basins, you'd not only admire their shapely design but also the unique material's subtle sparkle. If you were to reach out and touch, you'd be delighted by the smoothness of the surface. If opting to include little luxuries such as these in your home's most private spaces is a kind of ongoing self-care, we're 100% behind it. Local curators of an international edit of outstanding bathroom collections, Plumbline is a heritage business that recognises the same generations-long commitment to high standards in the UK brand, Claybrook, that crafts these creations. Plumbline brings to Aotearoa a selection of Claybrook's basins, which…

DESIGN —— One great thing When we think of styling our homes, it's our senses of sight and touch that are typically the priority, yet it's the finishing touches that can make all the difference to the way we feel. Paying attention to our senses of smell and hearing can add character and a feeling of completeness to the overall ambience of a space. I love using scent in the home I share with my husband and children. I avoid plastic whenever I can, and synthetic scents are much the same for me — I just don't want them in the air we breathe. Almost all home fragrances use synthetic perfumes and things like paraffin and formaldehyde in their formulas, so until we launched our 100% natural room spray collection,…

Paint trends RESENE Get the look - There once was a time when great outdoor furniture and homeware could be tricky to come across, but not so today. Almost all of the pieces we've used to set up this scene are contenders for outside and in, including the armchair, the side table, the rug and a couple of the cushions. - Crafting your own outdoor coffee table is an inexpensive project you can get done in a day. To DIY, pick up a piece of plywood or readyply from your local hardware store and have them cut it to your desired dimensions. Our tabletop is 90cm long and 60cm wide. - To make the unobstrusive table legs, we repurposed two 10L Resene paint buckets (with rocks placed inside them to…

It's hard to imagine that this storybook Tudor cottage was ever anything less than charming, although its renovation did come about through something of a fairytale romance. Interior designer Anna Baxter first met her roofer husband Adam in Wānaka one New Year's Eve. Anna was living in Australia's Byron Bay at the time and Adam was based in Ōtepoti/Dunedin, yet it was Wānaka that captured Anna's attention as a possible place for them to settle together. Close-ish to where she grew up in Balclutha/ Iwikatea, for her, it also had just enough buzz to balance its great outdoors. Trawling Trade Me, Anna had a hunch she'd met her match when she landed on this home. “I was sending my dad all the links all the time, asking what he thought…

WEAVE Product profile A deck that runs the length of the house, a patio that sprawls out to meet the lawn… The size of outdoor spaces can make them tricky to style and means defining the boundaries of your relaxation zone is essential. Anchoring an alfresco scene with a rug is a brilliant way to do so that also ups your comfort. An outdoor rug we love is Andorra, by Weave, currently available as part of the travel-inspired New Zealand brand's S/S 23/24 collection. Named after a country in the Pyrenees and hand-crafted in India, it offers a hint of wanderlust while grounding your set-up at home. In 100% recycled, UV-stabilised polyester, durable Andorra is ideal for use outside (and as a hard-wearing option inside — in your entryway, dining…