Innholdsfortegnelse for April/May 2025 i homestyle

We often think about sharing baches and getaway spots with you over the holiday period, but is there really any better time to start dreaming of your next break than now? As we settle into the year, I’m already planning for the school holidays, Easter, and any long weekends ahead. Most days, we could all do with an everyday escape at home, too. I’m intrigued by what draws people to particular places — beyond work, school and family, our connection to a location reveals much about who we are. Take our cover homeowners, Alex and Corban Walls. Many of you will have followed their home build in Tāmaki Makaurau and, this issue, we’re sharing an update of their bach in Whananaki. When they repurposed a container building here 15 years…

The Swedish creative who goes by the singular name of Teklan is known for her exploration of the interplay between geometric shapes and daring colour. In this installation at the Stockholm Furniture Fair 2025 — a collab with Scandinavian furniture design co Johanson, which has a legacy that stretches back 70 years — she crafted a labyrinthine series of spaces with an Art Deco accent, only modern. In these colour-drenched room sets there are architectural references — think portholes and stylistic outlines — that reference the Streamline Moderne era which emerged in the 1930s, a celebration of simplicity and beauty that was a precursor to Art Deco. Teklan also took aesthetic cues from the Grace and Garbo chairs, designed by Alexander Lervik for Johanson, that pay clear homage to the…

Green and grey — two timeless hues that define livability. Rooted in nature, these colours weave a sense of calm and tranquillity into a space. The holistic use of colour, applied to both skirting boards and walls, creates a seamless, soothing effect. Anchoring the scheme is the soft midtone Resene Off The Grid, with the deep, enigmatic Resene Exactly commanding attention on the foreground wall. The smooth flooring, painted Resene Tino Pai, provides contrast, while a plinth in Resene Top Notch adds a jewel-like pop. Layered green accents in textiles tie everything together and are an exemplar of how varying shades can coexist beautifully. The result is a space awash with colour, evoking the serenity of nature itself. Stylist’s tip For this seamless look, use Resene Lustacryl tinted to your…

Alex and Corban Walls are no strangers to hands-on home transformation. Their latest project — a renovation of their beloved bach in Whananaki — builds on their long-standing appreciation for design, durability and the art of making a house a home. Having previously built their Tāmaki Makaurau/North Shore home from the ground up, this time the couple took on the challenge of revitalising a space that has been at the heart of their family’s life for more than a decade. Whananaki holds deep significance for Alex and Corban. As the place where they first met, it was woven into their story long before they decided to build here. Their connection to the location made buying a property an easy decision and, when the opportunity arose to purchase the Mini Cooper…

A pen-and-ink sketch, where angular, tent-like forms are set against a scribble of trees and a felt-blue sky, engagingly depicts the concept behind this home. It’s a long way from the owners’ original thoughts. Returning to New Plymouth after years in Canada, Jemma and Ben Souness first came to architectural designer Kyle Ramsay with the idea of a North American ranch-style home, featuring deep overhanging eaves and charming steel-framed windows. “The brief was 20 pages long,” recalls Kyle. “And Jemma, in particular, had a very strong notion of what she wanted.” Fortunately, she was also open to the idea of being challenged. What Kyle calls “open and robust conversations” got them to a place they didn’t anticipate at the start of the journey — the intent of ‘camping’ in the…

As a one-time Prado owner, the recent opportunity to put the long-awaited new generation Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Hybrid through its paces on and offroad for two whole days was a rousing prospect. Our journey began with a breakfast briefing before we headed out of Christchurch toward Arthur’s Pass. In command of an Adventure grade in my favourite colour in the range — Smoky Blue (with two-tone Sand with a white roof coming a close second) — I sensed design cues from the original FJ Land Cruiser, with its strong, squared-off lines and heritage grille and badge. Inside the cabin, there’s a fitting sense of tough-luxe. Each control in the dash has a sense of purpose, rather than being hidden inside the giant singular display screen many new vehicles flaunt.…

1 … UPGRADING my outdoor kit — wouldn’t this just be the perfect kettle for a serious glamping set-up? Two-tone enamel with a walnut handle, I spotted this Barebones piece over on the Made Good website, and it has quickly moved up the list of desirable objects for luxe adventures outdoors. 2 … REACHING for Aesop’s latest fragrance — Aurner. Concocted in collaboration with perfume creator Céline Barel, this aromatic floral is a sensual blend with notes of Roman chamomile, magnolia leaf and geranium, paired with spicier, woodier cardamom and sandalwood. 3 … COVETING one of these Oval Chopping Boards by Emile Drescher. Made from a single wide piece of sapele wood, it would be the perfect replacement for my well-worn cheese board, which has lived through a good decade…

“Style is a form of self-expression. It allows us to communicate our personality, feelings, interests, quirks, and what brings us joy,” writes Sydney-based interiors expert Kerrie-Ann Jones. But if curating spaces doesn’t come instinctively, this book, showcasing highly individual homes from across the world, is your ‘how-to’ go-to. Overleaf are nine tips from its pages. 1 Consider reupholstering your existing armchairs, dining chairs and ottomans to refresh loved pieces. These Wassily chairs have been covered in a fluffy velvet fabric to create a playful, creative and unique touch. The unexpected textural element adds interest to the space. 2 Styling a room with oversized artwork above a sofa or on an empty wall provides a focal point and balances the furniture. Don’t be afraid to go big and bold with art.…

What role does creativity and design play in your day-to-day life? I’m a visual person; everything has to have a considered place. It’s a bit obsessive but it makes me feel happy when objects interact well with each other — the colours, textures and how the light falls. I’m more drawn to minimalism but in the garden, more is more! I love a maximum number of blooms and don’t see much point in a lawn. Describe your personal style/design philosophy. My home style is based around a few pieces that I know I’ll love for a very long time and that will age well. Recently I’ve been drawn to colour, which is directly linked to Kowtow. In our studio we create colours from scratch and can dip any colour we…

Sometimes, you don’t choose a place, it chooses you. A wrong turn, a shift in the weather, an unexpected pull: for interior architect Sophie Bowers and her partner Josh, a chance visit to Wānaka led to a life-changing decision — one that would see them designing and building a home that now feels more like theirs than any place ever has. The Sydney-based couple hadn’t intended to visit this lakeside spot at all. “We were in Te Anau and it rained for four days straight. On the fifth day, Josh said, ‘Let’s go chase the sunshine’,” recalls Sophie. As they crested the hill leading into Wānaka, they were instantly captivated. “We just looked at each other and thought, ‘This place is magic’.” After checking into an architecturally designed holiday home,…

ARCHITECTURAL BRICK Stacks of style Linearity is a strong theme in Alex and Corban Walls’ Whananaki bach. It’s evident in the timber-battened ceiling and oak-plank floors, but it’s also a geometric headliner on the interior and exterior walls. Viblock bricks, made in Central Otago using reprocessed aggregates, are the strong, quiet hero of the show. Slimline and lightweight, the veneers draw on a retro nostalgia for their appeal, but their architectural effectiveness isn’t stuck in the past. With thermal and acoustic efficiency, they’re a long-lasting cladding alternative that projects sleek style way into the future. For this project, the Walls chose Kawarau brick in Crawford, a colour that reflects the provenance of Crawford Hills schist. “It has some beautiful browns and golden chips that make for a softer look than…

You might have to be an engineer to truly fathom how Solatube DS skylights work, but homeowners will immediately understand the transformative power of a product that sheds light where once there was darkness. While conventional rectangular skylights usher in light directly (and can often make rooms feel harshly lit and hot), this innovative technology manipulates the physics of how natural light moves and reflects. Solatube DS captures as much light as possible on cloudy days and yet diffuses out the UV rays that can damage fabrics and furniture on a summer stunner. It sounds like magic and, when an internal powder room is suddenly flooded with a soft ambiance, a poky work-from-home enclave is made welcoming or a gloomy hallway becomes a passage of light, it feels like it,…

GO WITH THE SLOW Baloo the bear (well, a sloth bear actually) had his priorities right in The Jungle Book and, if you similarly embrace the art of mindful living, the bare necessities are where it’s at. The Sukho Robe is 100% pure European linen, no more, no less. It’s a conscious choice if you want a lightweight, breathable garment to throw on for a leisurely morning coffee or in the evening after a long, hot soak in the tub — just make sure to ditch your cell. The dropped shoulder and puff sleeve with buttoned cuff give this one-size-fits-all robe effortless elegance and, although it comes in classic white (Blanc), Dune (a sand-coloured neutral) and deep Ocean blue, the rust-toned Sienna colour option, so in keeping with trending mellow-brown…

The design credentials of commonplace objects often pass us by, but that wasn’t the case for Città’s Nikolai Sorensen, who drew inspiration for the Thao Basket from the street markets of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam, where he lived for a while with his young family. Here, locals plied their trade from stalls crammed with vessels laden with fresh fruit and vegetables, an evocative and enterprising scene. Traditionally made of bamboo, the modern iterations of these oversized, shallow baskets were made of plastic, but Nikolai determined to turn back the clock. In collaboration with Città designer Imogen Tunnicliffe, he crafted a basket in the same form but reverting to natural materials and threaded through with bamboo strips in vibrant colours. The shades chosen echo those of the fresh produce…

Your work is a form of contemporary portraiture — how did this begin? I grew up in a large household with seven siblings, Mum and Dad. Within this environment I was, and continue to be, what I call ‘the observer’. Outside the family home, however, this isn’t a constant: I change in response to different social environments like a chameleon. This isn’t unique to me; it’s something we all do to varying degrees. An awareness of reconfiguring oneself in relation to various social arenas is totally fascinating to me. I completed a double degree at the University of Auckland, studying Fine Art and Psychology at once. Although I didn’t know how that would work itself out at the time, it seems quite obvious retrospectively. As you can imagine, studying both…

Overlooking the ever-changing blues of Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour, Nuk and Christine Korako’s papakāinga stands as a modern expression of a time-honoured Māori tradition. Nestled in Rāpaki, it reflects the enduring understanding of home — one that is inseparable from family, land and ancestry. Designed with their four adult sons and their respective families in mind, the development embraces intergenerational living while honouring the ancestral practices of connection and collective care — a customary way of life brought forward into the 21st century. For Nuk and Christine, downsizing wasn’t about letting go; it was about making space for something bigger. “We don’t like selling land,” says Nuk. “If we can pass it on to extended whānau, that’s all good. That’s exactly what we did.” Their papakāinga development embodies this philosophy, creating a…

When did you know you wanted a creative career? As a teenager. I remember thinking about how I wanted to have children and be able to still work in a way that gave space to this. At that point, a creative career felt like the only option. How do you stay inspired? My Block Shrines practice: the practice of noticing what is drawing my attention and spending time in this space by then creating an arrangement and an image. Which daily rituals enrich your wellbeing? A slow moment first thing when I drink a cup of matcha. What’s your favourite meal to prepare for family and friends? Sourdough pizza is a crowd pleaser, with slow-made tomato sauce and mozzarella for the young ones and, for the adults, basil pesto and…