Home New Zealand

Our cover story for this issue takes us back in time — to the Roman domus. In Arrowtown, Assembly Architects devised a contemporary amily enclave based on the ancient plan whereby most rooms in the house would open onto a central courtyard. They were introverted abodes — inward-looking rather than focused on what's beyond. Here, that plan evokes a sense of intimacy; a poetic pairing of old and new in a home that seeks to create a private oasis within. The introverted approach is something Rachael Piper explored in a very different project in Auckland: a family home designed on a tiny sliver of land carved off the section in front. Here, the aim was to consider what could be achieved with infill housing — not the kind the word…

DESIGN Painter Anna Stichbury's latest body of work considers the essence of colour in a mindful evolution of vibrancy and depth. As Anna puts it, it's “akin to savouring a sweet treat, taking time to fully experience and enjoy the richness of each shade.” Anna talks of intentionally slowing her process, allowing herself to fully engage with the emotions and sensations of each colour combination. In her large-scale floral works, she intensifies her focus on the interplay between colours, emphasising the potent language of each hue. Anna has also created a trio of works that present uplifting immersions into the seascape, expressed through a palette of azure blues. Conversing through an abstracted interplay of light and water, land and sky, these works continue herongoing investigation into the essence of colours…

THE DESIGNERS BEHIND this collection, which is available from September, found inspiration in a diverse range of places and materials — from the iconic mid-century cocktail parties of the Hollywood hills to moulding play-dough as a child — and the results are unexpectedly unified despite each piece having the power to shape the design narratives of a room. Two new additions to the Santiago collection are part of the latest release, including the Santiago ‘Conversational Table' by Morten Georgsen, who talks of the social appeal behind its design. “Everybody can speak to each other and look each other in the eyes,” he says of the table, which has a beautifully bevelled timber column base with a round ceramic top. The ‘Mid-century Santiago Sideboard' also designed by Georgsen offers beauty in…

THE POETIC COLLISION between art and furniture; the tipping point from function to form; sculpture on the edge of rational and reasonable. These are the themes that RTA Studio founder, Rich Naish, explores in an ensemble of three pieces on show as part of an exhibition at FHE Galleries entitled Almost. This initial trio, envisioned as the start of an ongoing series, is exhibited alongside abstract paintings by modernist Milan Mrkusich from his 1989 Chinese Elements collection. Rich calls it his “mentor and muse moment”, but FHE Galleries director, Kathlene Fogarty, can see parallels. She first met Rich as part of the Dunedin art crowd and soon had the talented graduate architect design a gallery for her: the G2 in Wellesley Street, a satellite to FHE, with Fingers gallery sandwiched…

“WE LAUNCHED NIGHTWORKS Studio in 2020 with the desire to push the boundaries of the local lighting design scene with exceptional pieces that define spaces. Because we are an independent studio, we're free to express our ideas and designs to their full potential. We design without constraint using the finest materials and best technology available,” co-founder and lead designer Ben Wahrlich tells us. La-De-Da became an 18-month exploration into a hero piece: a bold, large, statement that would complement the existing Nightworks range. “Early on, we decided we wanted to create a form that had a flowing nature to it; something that would hold its own as an iconic part of an architectural setting.” La-De-Da is that and more. As you move around it, it has a transient quality, a…

DESIGN THE FRAGRANCES ARE whimsical, eccentric, sometimes dramatic, and always expressive of the physical and emotional worlds in which we live. The brand's first collection of three perfumes explores everything from intimacy to theatre and fashion; narratives imbued with sensory experiences. Naked Dance, an olfactory expression of life at home — the bliss of intimate liberty to be ourselves. Warm, sensual, milky, and woody. Dead Air, in contrast, is a macabre fantasy of decadent shadows and drama; blurry black tones and exuberant flora. Resonant, the last of the trio, is a celebration of effortless finesse; ozonic citrus, hot iron, and zesty energy. Established in 2020, .Oddity is led by a design collective, with legendary perfumer Mark Buxton, who created iconic scents for the likes of Comme des Garçons and Le…