Innholdsfortegnelse for October/November 2021 i homestyle

“Who doesn’t love to think of spring as an opportunity to actively reset?” Do you ever find yourself marking time with meals? While producing this issue during the latest lockdown, my workdays were scheduled not around the usual office hours or midday meetings, but breakfast, lunch and dinner at home, which also became a major source of entertainment for my whole family — creating lists for my partner Nick to shop with (the perfect excuse to give his vintage Land Rover a run), preparing dishes with our son Ted (lessons in home economics for him and patience for me), exchanging recipes on WhatsApp with my mum and sister (it’s practically become a competitive sport). Eating every meal together around the table is one of lockdown’s little luxuries, and I’ve found…

For interior designer/colour consultant Nadia Olive Schnack, finessing her Copenhagen home with frosting was a matter of honouring her personal taste. What improves her mood isn’t the subdued Scandi styling her neck of the woods is known for, but something a little more saccharine, shown here in her lilac-walled dining room with a cherry bomb of a pendant light and fruit-flavoured artworks, and her study, where the floor’s sweetened up by a lolly-mix mural you could replicate with stencils and paint. It’s all expertly offset by neutrals, natural materials and quality craftsmanship. Put the icing on the cake at your place with treats like these:…

“Māori goddesses inspire my paintings and my palette for PPG Paints. They exemplify the beauty of Māori philosophy and are part of the natural world, from which all colour is derived. I choose these women of a higher dimension to highlight my significant appreciation of nature. I gain so much inspiration from nature, while the Māori language gives me clues to the deep relationship we have with it. My PPG palette of 11 paints was inspired by a sunset over the ocean off West Auckland’s Piha Beach [pictured on page 44]. I was amazed by how many different colours and tones exist in this spectrum, and how different they are once they’re drawn out of the sunset by the coloursmith. The orange and brown earth tones feel like a rich…

At age 18, Josephine Jelicich moved from Auckland to Wellington to study nursing. So far, so good, except that she ended up hating it, so she changed course to embrace something she’d always secretly wanted to do — go to art school. Enrolling at Massey University to study a Bachelor of Fine Arts, she became obsessed with making things, frustrated by her lack of understanding of how to do so and admiring of a particular art school technician who was a skilled woodworker — all of which led her to follow graduation with an additional year of study at Nelson’s Centre for Fine Woodworking. Now she’s back in Auckland, where she works as a technician at various galleries around town, a woodwork teacher at The Warren, and a freelance woodworker…

For the best part of four years, a car jack held up the kitchen sink at Julie Donaldson and Tim Woods’ place. If you overfilled the bowl, it’d start to sway, sending water trickling down the sides. “The house was very, very original!” says Julie of the century-old Auckland bungalow. “It was pretty bad for a while, but there wasn’t any point putting even $5000 into the tiny kitchen because we knew it’d eventually have to go, so we just had to suck it up.” Despite their literally rocky start in this Northcote Point home (whose many foibles included cramped, cold rooms; next to no storage; no shower; and even a disused outdoor toilet), the couple keep a framed newspaper clipping of the real estate listing they spotted more than…

Did you always want to be an architect when you grew up, Sharon? As a child, I loved drawing, and building houses out of a Lego-like set I had. My father was an architect, so I grew up enamoured of his drawing equipment and intrigued by drawings that became buildings. What’s one of the best career decisions you ever made? I suppose really it was deciding to go to architecture school. It was a wonderful education and so much fun, could have led to myriad careers and has given me lifelong friendships. You’ve now been practising for 35 years — do you have a team or are you at your most creative when working alone? I’m a sole practitioner at present, but I really enjoy working in teams and collaborating…

During even a minor renovation, you’ll feel as if you have decisions to make about everything but the kitchen sink — and we recommend putting that high on your list of priorities too. Stood over and stopped by umpteen times a day, it’s one the hardest-working elements in this space, so there’s a lot to be said for reframing it as an important asset on the form and function fronts. Aesthetically appealing, hygiene-enhancing, low-maintenance and long-lived, Blanco’s Silgranit sinks are among our favourites to get our hands on and in. They’re crafted from a patented granite-composite material expertly engineered to look sophisticated while withstanding wear and tear — and keeping things a whole lot cleaner. In a wide range of styles, configurations and colours, the smooth, non-porous stone resists heat,…

ALEXANDER HOUSE The HQ of Sydney design studio Alexander & Co, work-home-showroom Alexander House challenges the concept of the office in a WFH world through four storeys housing professional zones; kitchen (seen below), dining and entertaining areas; sleep spaces for out-of-town colleagues; and extras such as a steam room. Made truly beautiful through the blending of refined and raw materials such as cast concrete, plaster and stone — many recycled and reclaimed — it proves that breaking the mould with unexpected textural combos can really pay off. PROJECT R Part of a palette that channels the grasses, seaweed and sand beyond this coastal Belgian apartment, green is an unexpected colour for a kitchen, yet it’s not even the hue but the layered texture that’s the most striking aspect of this…

ON THE CASE Never not investigating the latest and greatest, here we bring you Karimoku Case Study. The brand is pretty unique in that it’s inspired by the iconic Case Study Houses (made by visionary mid-century architects as a response to America’s post-WWII housing boom) and its pieces are designed by architects as part of their own case study projects — thus far Norm Architects and Keiji Ashizawa Design are involved. Offering furniture thoughtfully made from quality materials, it also aligns with the values of the connoisseurs at Good Form, who’re now selling it in Aotearoa. goodform.co.nz THE INVITATION’S THERE Loved for its ‘build your own bundle’ concept that lets you mix and match beautiful bedding to form your ideal set, 100% carbon neutral outfit Bed Threads invites you to…

Sarah, your career has evolved from fashion design to magazine styling to designing for your own furniture and accessories brand, launched in 2017. Are you achieving what you set out to? If only I’d had enough foresight to have planned it all! Really, I’ve been fortunate that one thing slowly led to another. I could never have imagined when I started in my 20s that I’d be where I am today. [Co-founder Leigh McKeown] and I are also exceeding any expectations we had for [our brand] Sarah Ellison. We collaborate closely and have been able to create something we’re both very proud of. Sarah Ellison’s based in Byron Bay, Australia — what defines its aesthetic? I’d describe it as warm, eclectic minimalism with a nostalgic undertone. I’m inspired by vintage…

THE CAT Esmeralda is a tortoiseshell Persian who’s seven years old and full of mystique. Her only indulgence is eating six tins of seafood a day. For a small cat, Esmeralda has a lot of presence. She fits perfectly into this household, as she’s easygoing and not highly excitable — she’s content to luxuriate in her surroundings on her own. Of course, it’s not hard to maintain a relaxed disposition when you live in a modern farmhouse with a boundless ocean outlook. THE HOME Esmeralda’s owners wanted their home to be a simple structure with high ceilings and an orientation that would maximise every view. The resulting dwelling by architect Sue Carr of Carr has large windows that frame panoramic coastal scenes, which shift and change with the tides. Numerous…

In a little house in Mount Maunganui, not far from the beach, lives a pianist, a potter, a journalist and maker Josh Ford Taylor. Josh’s parents’ place is just up the road — and that’s where he works, keeps all his equipment and has his kiln in the back garden. So Josh, who were some of the people in your life who encouraged you to pursue a career as an artist? Early on at Mount Maunganui Primary School, I had some really great teachers who encouraged art and design. With one, Joanne Rye, we’d do a still-life drawing every morning, and I loved it. Today, artist and potter Laurie Steer is a mentor to me. We met when I was finishing college and did the odd bit of part-time work…

Slip into the spa at this breathtaking waterfront property and you’re practically at eye level with the ocean. Behind you, a thoroughly modern home for a thoroughly modern family rises towards the sky — a very special dwelling that reads like luxury yet champions everyday functionality and togetherness. Designed by architect Evelyn McNamara and built by Graham Mauger Builders for a tight-knit family of five, the three-storey masterwork is structured to make life easy and enjoyable, invite conversation and create cherished memories. It’s replete with inspired details that encourage connection and make its inhabitants feel like they’re on holiday at home — thoughtfully tailored inclusions like the four queen beds in the bunkroom that enable Mum, Dad and daughters to camp out in it together for fun. There are trios…

All is calm, all is off-white… it’s a backdrop to soothe your soul. Guiding light Let your scheme be swayed by the light in your bathroom. Low light makes a case for a moody mood — a space turned into a deeply serene sanctuary by dark hues and grounding accents in natural materials that get better with age. In a brighter bathroom or if you prefer clean, pale colours, use fascinating forms and textural finishes to harness the light to create dynamic shadows. This scene also swaps white on white for a warmer combo that teams snow with cream, beige, amber, timber and brass. Home of the brave Consciously invest in only quality essentials to help keep your space clutter-free. Wanting to try a different look to that of the…

When you’re an ensuite vying for attention in a capacious home with three living areas, six bedrooms and four other bathrooms, you’d better have something special going for you. Designed by Jane McAulay-Frame of Bespoke, Interior Architecture & Design to update an existing dwelling in Auckland’s Coatesville, this one more than holds its own — and not a single element is an opportunity missed. Responding to a brief for a sophisticated look to bring the ensuite into the present without being overly ‘now’, Jane expertly devised a layout that provides plenty of room for two to move around in and lots of hidden storage. Her minimal, cohesive colour and material palettes create an effect that’s simultaneously tranquil and inspiring. “With its natural finish, the sandblasted stone forms a sensational backdrop…

GODFREY HIRST —— Flooring Godfrey Hirst believe the quintessential easygoing Kiwi lifestyle should resonate in our interiors. They’ve built a reputation as one of New Zealand’s premier carpet manufacturers and hard-flooring distributors through consistently providing consumers with innovative, high-quality and stylish floor-covering solutions. godfreyhirst.com GOOD FORM —— Interiors Good Form is excited to announce the arrival of luxury rug-maker CC-Tapis. Founded on a commitment to tradition and quality, CC-Tapis offers beautiful hand-crafted rugs from some of the world’s leading creatives. Designed in Milan and produced in Nepal, each rug is handmade by Tibetan artisans, refining natural materials and passing down artisanal know-how from generation to generation. goodform.co.nz DULUX —— Colour design service With Dulux’s Colour Design Service, a skilled interior designer can help you select the right hues for your…

Woven together, the ordinary little activities we repeat each day create the fabric of our lives. Good design tailors it. The spaces we inhabit have an enormous effect not just on how we feel, but also who we are, how we show up in the world and even in our ‘becoming’. One of the fundamental building blocks of our sense of self is what psychologists call ‘place identity’ — how we define ourselves in relation to the environments in which we spend our everyday lives. A room isn’t just background scenery, it’s an active catalyst in a person’s evolving sense of self-worth. Our spaces give us an identity — they answer the question ‘Who am I?’ and give us meaning, connection, a sense of belonging. Our spaces mould and colour…

From a large, light, shared space in Wellington’s Anvil House, Kirsty Lillico creates amazing artworks using textiles as her main medium — cast-off carpet, to be exact. Sometimes she buys offcuts or end-of-rolls from carpet shops, sometimes she finds it on the street, and once, she scored a really good stash of white shagpile that was being ripped out of an apartment on the waterfront, got a trolley to load it onto and wheeled it back to her studio. Kirsty, how did your practice come to take this particular direction? I suppose it started during my Master of Fine Arts at RMIT in Melbourne, when I decided I was going to ‘solve’ fashion by designing a uniform. I started to make connections between clothing and architecture. Both are systems we…

Ten years ago, when Becky Little and Simon Codling called time on their lawyerly lives in England, they thought they might take a small step back from the full-steam-ahead pace. They didn’t imagine owning a cottage near the sea. The decision to vacate the bright lights of London for the gentler realm of Auckland wasn’t difficult (a holiday on the Milford Track and a return to Ol’ Blighty in the winter brought the contrast into sharp focus) but finding somewhere to buy was. Simon’s mum had a house in Devonport on Auckland’s North Shore, and it wasn’t long before the couple grew fond of its quiet suburban streets. They imagined their own children walking to the local school. Becky says this 1890s worker’s cottage was “the house that nobody wanted”.…

In the coastal town of Paekākāriki, an unassuming plot of land has had a major upgrade from its previous life as a driveway. Here, where the birdsong is all around, interrupted by the occasional whoosh of wings as tūī and kererū swoop between the trees, Wellington’s Pippa and David Werry reap the rewards of the design decisions they and Bonnifait & Giesen Atelierworkshop Architects made for their bach. Under an hour’s drive from the city and also on the train line, this beachy village is a hotspot for Wellingtonians seeking a sea change, and in recent years available land for building has become much harder to get your hands on. For this particular project, a section was secured when an accessway to the property behind it came up for sale,…

How to… 1. To recreate this gingham floor, paint the entire thing with two coats of your base colour — we used Resene Quarter Tea — then leave to dry. 2. Starting at a side wall, measure and mark the width of your stripes (ours are 44cm) using a pencil and metre ruler. Ensure flawlessly sharp lines by using painter’s tape to mask every second stripe before painting them with your mid-tone — we used Resene Sour Dough. Leave to dry, then remove the tape. 3. Repeat these steps with the same paint colour perpendicular to your stripes to make perfect squares. 4. Use painter’s tape to mask the squares that are created by overlapping stripes, then paint these squares with your darkest colour — we used Resene Dark Buff.…

The better we come to understand how much our home’s connection to nature can improve our wellbeing, the more we want to let in all the natural ambient light we can. The trick is to do so without sacrificing your privacy or allowing the sun’s rays to sap the life from your furniture and flooring, and one of the best-looking ways is with blinds or shutters, options we appreciate for the control they offer — plus a panoply of bonus benefits. Let’s roll Kitchens and bathrooms are key spaces in which we begin and end our days. Start yours as comfortably as possible in the company of your morning cuppa by diffusing or screening the sun with streamlined roller blinds. Our pick are Kiwi-made by Luxaflex, for their wide range…