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…

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…

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 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…

“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.…

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…