Innholdsfortegnelse for December/January 2024-25 i homestyle

The anticipation of summer holidays is in the air, and with that at the forefront of our minds, we've curated our December/January issue with a focus on spaces to take a break. The concept of ‘Design Unplugged’ — coined as our catchphrase this issue — first came up when I interviewed directors Stacey Lee and Anthony Mathile about their home in Joshua Tree. Stacey, a Mount Maunganui local, has made America her home, and while based in Los Angeles, both she and Anthony craved an escape from their busy schedules in the film industry, so they designed and built one! Complete with a listening room (their remedy for tuning out the noise) and hot tub for desert star-gazing, the space they've created is the sort of getaway I can really…

While burnt clay and umber, along with a bullish red, are the shades most symbolic of Spain, this family residence located in the leafy outskirts of the capital, takes a softly-softly approach to colour that makes just as strong a statement. Ana Arana and Enrique Ventosa of Studio Plutarco fast-forwarded the 500-square-metre floorplan from traditional to today by employing an original use of colour and textural complexity in finishes and furniture. Elements such as dark ceilings and black herringbone floors play off unique marbles and oak woodwork to blend the classical features of the architecture with thoroughly modern brushstrokes. The use of pattern and colour in unexpected places is a confident move. Mottled slabs of quartzite frame internal doorways off the hall and splash purple, green and warm cream into…

EVERYDAY ESCAPE Moving from New Zealand to New York in their twenties, Gabrielle Mirkin and Luke Harwood were initially attracted by the amazing career opportunities. Arriving in Manhattan to take up the role of art director at Harper's Bazaar and then Vogue magazine, Gabrielle was in her element, and Luke — who had a fashion brand for many years — couldn't think of a better city to be in. In the years since, their journey has seen something of a sea change. Following the launch of their raw mānuka honey brand, Activist, the couple traded the bright city lights of NYC for a laid-back lifestyle in Topanga Canyon, where they're now raising their children — Cisco River (7) and Tallulah Blue (4). So, Gabrielle, how did you and Luke find…

It's not unusual to come across a reimagined villa in Westmere, Tamaki Makaurau/Auckland — a suburb rich in character homes — but there's something a tad different about this one. On closer inspection, it all becomes clear. This attractive family home is fresh off the blocks. Lauren Bainbridge had long envisioned a modern home with heritage charm to share with her husband, Glenn, and their children. Carter (8) and twins Jax and Arlo (7). Five years ago, when they bought a small bungalow on a 580sqm section, they were primed for a significant renovation. The couple was disappointed when builders advised too many compromises on their wish list. But not for long. Instead, they made the decision to remove the existing dwelling and build. “I couldn't let go of the…

Traditional Māori techniques meet digital milling technology in this classic, simple whare at Summerhill Farm, near Papamoa. The project, by Andrew Barrie Lab, Josh Bovill and Batchelar McDougall Consulting, was built by university students as a place of shelter and repose, and it overlooks a stream in a bush-dense valley. Set up as a charitable trust, the 126-hectare property is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts and supports educational opportunities within a working farm and forest environment. Using plantation timber grown and milled on-site, this delightful little building cost only $8000 to design, prefabricate, ship and install. It needed to be easy to construct by unskilled labour, so it adopts, and adapts, the methodology of post-tensioned heavy timber construction from pre-colonial times and draws on processes typically used on farms. A…

1 … SKINCARE essentials from Sans Ceuticals. I use their Activator 7 Oil, and Cellx 5 Lotion daily, so it's super handy being able to decant my full-sized products into travel mini's to use on-the-go when The Absolute Collection runs out. 2 … FOLDABLE ballet flats are my new favourite travel footware! I'm usually a sneakers and sandals person, but the flexibility of being able to stuff these JVAM Camille Flats from Head Over Heels into a carry-on bag is genius. 3 …CONTINUING with the foldable theme, I've been getting so much use out of this Svord knife from Frances Nation. Generally it comes on outdoor adventures, but it turns out it's just as handy in an urban setting — as I found out recently after visiting a green grocer…

CITTÀ — Product profile From laidback Hamptons-style blue-and-white cushions on a cane sofa to the multi-coloured mix of a deckchair on the French Riviera, stripes say summer in an international language. Elegant or exuberant, they bring graphic gravitas to indoor or outdoor rooms, and Città's new striped cushion range, inspired by, among other things, the colours of the Basque Country in south-west France, is no exception. Channelling a summer-esque vibe, the Gene and Riley designs are in clashing stripes that are not meant to be matchy-matchy or even complementary, but quite their own statement. Paired with Città's geometric Civic cushions and/or their new plain Alba and Ida cushions, these beauties have real joie de vivre. They cry out for convivial gatherings. Why not throw a cocktail party to toast the…

There's something undeniably charming about the lived-in aesthetic of a classic bach where layered hand-me-downs and the natural warmth of timber create carefree abodes full of character. This idea of decor evolving organically over time has inspired the design of this bunk room, where new paint introduces crispness and flair while still embracing that nostalgic feel. In this inviting space, we've added a playful touch with built-in bunk beds painted in the rich indigo of Resene Rulebreaker — a colour that subtly nods to the vast sea and sky here in Aotearoa. Inside each bed, the top and tail ends are painted in the cocooning brown of Resene Domino. For the way up, a contrasting ladder in the soft beige of Resene Open Sesame balances the bold with the serene.…

When tūī start to drink their fill of flax, kōwhai and flowering–cherry nectar, it's a sign that summer is in the air. It's nature's way of telling us to fling off the winter covers from outdoor furniture, dust the seats and surfaces, and get ready for the alfresco lifestyle we've been looking forward to for months. The new-season range of outdoor cushions and rugs from Baya will inspire you to bring directional design to your deck or patio, giving an easy refresh to spaces that, in the longer, warmer evenings, often works harder than our living room itself. Textiles in the great outdoors must work hard, too, and Baya's collections, which are designed in Aotearoa, rely on time-honoured craftsmanship teamed with cutting-edge techniques to make cushions and rugs that are…

When it comes to roofing, the design possibilities tend to be underplayed. Homeowners often deliberate long and hard over the function, but the form is a perfunctory consideration. What a wasted opportunity! Whether re-roohng or building new, your roof can be an expression of identity, keying into the architecture and giving as much to the occupants as it does to the neighbourhood. Architects talk of the roof as the fifth elevation, and personalising it by choosing a profile and colour that makes a singular statement or fuses into the fabric of the environment will help you to top off your project in the best possible way. RoofingSmiths are independently owned and operated teams of expert roofers who understand the interplay between these technical and visual aspects. As preferred installers of…

DIFFERENT STROKES Ocean swimming or, at the very least, loving the laps outdoors in a saltwater pool is an exquisite escape, a way to disconnect and de-stress for a curious club of devotees. Baina's limited-edition Busby and Willis pool towels pay homage to the rituals of the daily swim. Made of luxuriously soft organic cotton, the designs are driven by graphic grids. In the Busby towel, Ranch Red & Cloud chequerboard team up, while the Willis design makes a strong statement with a Sand & Noir design inspired by art-deco parquet tiling. With style and substance wrapped up, they're an easy way to discover your inner mermaid or merman this summer. shopbaina.com HEADS UP As any fashionista knows, there's no longer anything old hat about crochet, as evidenced by this…

If art is the finishing flourish on the walls, rugs are the aesthetic adhesive that holds together a room's layout, from the floor up; a touch-point that brings furniture together and defines more intimate spaces within an open-plan zone. Chunky, toe-curling rugs offer the ultimate in comfort and aesthetic wow, and Weave New Zealand's two new ranges in warm, earthy shades mellow the mood and blend effortlessly with interiors from country to coastal, mid-century to modern. Valencia, in colours such as Dune, evocative of desert sands, is handcrafted from 100% New Zealand wool. Its thick, plush pile is so sumptuous it's the underfoot equivalent of sinking into a bed of marshmallows. And yes, you can use it in the bedroom, but the rug, which comes in two sizes, is equally…

Often the most significant business ideas stem from personal need. When Dan Witten-Hannah, CEO of Fisher & Paykel, was building his own home, he wanted it to be carbon net zero. It surprised him how difficult this became. The technology was there, but the coordination across designers, trades and installers was so fragmented. Surely, there should be a more straightforward way to do the right thing, given the importance and urgency of reducing our carbon emissions? It's this thinking that led Dan to form Fisher & Paykel Home Solutions, part of the company's carbon-impact approach, and he shoulder-tapped Matt Orr to lead it. Residential and commercial buildings account for almost 40% of all energy-related carbon emissions globally. By rethinking home energy and comfort as an integrated system. Home Solutions can…

Garden room — DESIGN When architect Georgia Peacocke, of Edwards White Architects, designed a garden room to enhance this century-old residence, it was a site she knew well, as it was her childhood family home. With a now empty nest, her parents decided to make better use of the lush landscape, and who better to engage to oversee this architectural addition than their own daughter. Why add a garden room? On a 2858m2 section, this oasis in the middle of Hamilton was missing that crucial sheltered outdoor living space. The existing home was relatively internal, with a series of zones that lacked connection to the surrounds. A concrete patio already in place was unused but had great potential. This garden room enhances the functionality of the house and provides a…