HOME covers the best New Zealand architecture, design and interiors. It features inspirational, ingenious and just plain breathtaking homes from all over the country – as well as new restaurants, exciting art and the latest furniture releases.
A FEW WEEKS AGO, I spent some time in Providenciales, a small island in Turks and Caicos. I was there during a week in September that was touted by American broadcasters as ‘peak hurricane week’ in the months-long season. The news was daily: “eerily quiet season”, “rapid intensification”, “super charged”, “formations to watch”. Being so close to the sea on an island just 24km long, with a land area that covers only 98 square kilometres, the threat was underlying and constant; main roads often flooded in heavy downpours are dotted with wayfaring signs for evacuation routes. While enjoying the crystal-clear turquoise waters and mainly calm weather, it was hard to imagine the impact of a major hurricane on this tiny island — although remnants of the last big event were…
At the table An unlikely decision saw Aucklander Anastasija Gavrilenko wrap up a successful career as a quantity surveyor to launch a designer homewares brand, Vaune Home. The online store promises to be a sought-after destination, with a red hot line-up of everything from Lumira luxury candles to cult favourite Melbourne brand, Fazeek, (pictured), to local favourites such as Father Rabbit and playful brands like Sucker Straws. It’s a feast for the senses, where colour, beauty, and sculpture come together. @vaunehome Mediterranean soul A new collection by Cosentino, Dekton Pietra Edition, brings the Med to Aotearoa with a range of six serene colours created by designer Daniel Germani. An addition to the existing Dekton Pietra Kode, the new offering adapts the aesthetics and detailing of travertine, Piasentina, Ceppo di Gré,…
MATT ENGAGED FEARON Hay to design a contemporary shepherd’s hut that would sit quietly on the 23 hectare site at the end of Roys Peninsula. It is purposely under-designed; there’s a refreshing simplicity here that allows for an intimate relationship between structure and landscape. Comprising a series of low-slung structures of cedar, glass, iron, and concrete, the fluid spaces allow for solitude and retreat; from within it is the alpine landscape that prevails with no other signs of the built environment visible. The home’s fluidity allows for spaces to become social and convivial on demand; once described as being like a Swiss Army knife, the zones unfold, surprise, and flex. The main home incorporates two master suites, each with Japanese onsen-style baths, linked by an open-plan living and dining area…
CAST IN MODERN pastels, the collection encompasses three playful hues: Aegean Blue, a harmonious hue reminiscent of Mediterranean summers; Verdant, a delicious mid-tone green; and Garnet, a Pinot red with warm brown undertones. The new release includes the Fall Side Table and Fall Coffee Table, each available for a limited time in the three new colourways. Mainstays in the Powersurge family, both pieces are decidedly minimal folding forms candid in their effortless simplicity; the liminal spaces they enclose framed with healthy doses of linearity and curvature. There’s a lightness to these pieces that belies their industrial weight. The originals, in Aged Brass and Blackened Brass, are further lightened here with the spirited colourways of the limited edition collection. Everyday object or sophisticated sculpture? You decide. We know we’ve fallen. powersurge.co.nz…
THE HOME ELECTRIFICATION SERIES WITH GEN LESS | PART TWO: HOME HEATING LAKE WHAKAMARU IS one of the largest hydro reservoirs on the Waikato River, with Whakamaru Power Station a major node in the North Island’s electricity grid. The electricity generated from Whakamaru and other hydroelectric power stations along the Waikato River, along with that created from geothermal power stations in the area, is transmitted across the Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, Manawatū-Whanganui, Hamilton, and Auckland. Most of New Zealand's electricity is generated from renewable sources like these, making it a cleaner and more sustainable energy choice for New Zealand households. "One of the biggest uses of energy in the home is heating," says Dr Gareth Gretton, lead advisor at EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority). When we think of…
LOCATED JUST one block from Britomart, The Pacifica is currently New Zealand’s tallest residential tower, comprising 273 apartments across 57 levels as well as world-class amenities that include a heated lap pool, a sauna, a steam room, and a spa as well as a private gymnasium, a library, a cinema, and a barbecue terrace. Floors 53 and 54 were originally conceived as one super-sized residence. However, developer Hengyi engaged Plus Architecture to reconfigure the floors into four distinct residences, and oversee the detailed interior configuration and design of two of the penthouses. The project is the result of a collaboration between Plus Architecture’s Auckland and Melbourne teams. “Our work on the tower, and specifically on the penthouses, showcases the firm’s commitment to delivering site-sensitive, innovative designs … Successfully navigating the…
