September 2010

Designer Rugs Evolve Awards

Posted by Alice - Art Director - 30/09/2010
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designer rugs evolve awards

In January this year, Designer Rugs announced their inaugural Evolve Awards, where a few local designers will be lucky enough to join the ranks of designers such as Akira, Catherin Martin and Dinosaur Designs with their very own rug produced for Designer Rugs. Over 850 designs were submitted by full time professional architects, interior designers and interior design industry professionals across Australia and New Zealand, with the opportunity for their rug design to be included in Designer Rugs ID Collection 2010 / 2011, as well as be in the running for more than $20,000 in prizes including a Trip to Milan’s Salone de Mobile 2011.

 

Designs by the Top 25 semi-finalists of the Evolve Awards can be viewed online and you can place your vote for The People's Choice Award. One lucky person who successfully votes for the design that receives the most on-line nominations will, (along with the designer of the most nominated rug) receive prizes to the value of $1,000.

 

Here are some of our favourites from the array of amazing designs that have been entered. Visit Designer Rugs to check out the other talents and place your vote.


 

Keep your eye out for the finalists in November.


For more information on Designer Rugs visit 73 The Strand Parnell Auckland or Phone 09 300 6116.

Designer Rugby

Posted by homestyle - 29/09/2010
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New Zealand textile designer Ingrid Anderson is showing her support for the 2011 Rugby World Cup with her official licensee Rugby World Cup Collection. Producing a series of distinctively Kiwi designs, which are then hand printed onto quality tea-towel and cushion fabric, these are the perfect designer memento of the impending competition; whether you are a rugby fan or not! Cushions and tea-towels are available online, from design and art store Clever Bastards.

 

 

 

Blanket Art

Posted by Lucinda - Editor - 22/09/2010
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Studio Makkink & Bey

Granny's favourite gift, no matter your age, was a mohair blanket - she believed that one could never have enough of them. Looking at the expansive collection I now have as a result of her gift giving, I think enough is certainly enough. But having discovered this stunning installation piece using mohair blankets I am sure I could find the space for one more!

 

In their first solo exhibition at HELMRINDERKNECHT contemporary design, Dutch design Studio Makkink & Bey have created a site specific, walk-through, three dimensional landscape of a rural village. Detailed mohair blankets hang on on simple wooden posts to give shape and definition, while individually woven patterns and lines highlight the home's exterior walls and add detail to the surrounding landscape. 

 

 

The installation explores notions of private and public spaces and draws the viewer into an intimate scene. While the blankets are the design objects through which the space is defined, the inner and outer mirror one another and like your house offer protection and warmth. The blanket is the roof over our heads, and tucks us in. Just like the blankets that Granny gave us. 

 

Studio Makkink & Bey's mohair blankets are two-sided and woven with different colours. There are a total of five patterns and ten colour combinations, with 20 blankets available per colour combination. They are available exclusively from the HELMRINDERKNECHT contemporary design store in Berlin. 

 

Sneak Peak - Oct/Nov Cover Home

Posted by homestyle - 23/09/2010
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home renovation auckland

Returning from a stint overseas, our Oct/Nov issue cover homeowners, Renee and Michael have crafted a bold interior using bespoke furniture inspired by designs they encountered on their travels. These items are enhanced with bold colour accents to create a stunning family home. Their son Oliver (3) was the perfect model and graces a cover which encompasses the vibrancy and fresh nature of spring. Photographed by Thomas Law this is a quintessential Kiwi spring issue and isn't to be missed;

on sale nationwide Monday 27 September.

 

 

 


Photography Thomas Law

 

A Match Made In Heaven

Posted by homestyle - 27/09/2010
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Paula Coultard, Sue Haldane, union furniture

 

Sue Haldane and Paula Coulthard are the designers behind the Union furniture range and having spoken to them for a profile in our Oct/ Nov issue it became immediately apparent that they are very talented ladies. Combing their talents from other ventures the two women came together to craft statement furniture pieces designed to evoke a notion of nostalgia and New Zealand history. Whether they are updating an item which has been in the family for generations, custom designing piece for a particular space or working on a new range, they are constantly gathering inspiration and mulling over ideas. "We have had some great road trips around the country searching for ideas which we then develop into ideas for coverings", shares Paula. Their latest range conjuring memories of camping, a late Kiwi summer outdoors, and stud farms.
 
Working together on both the Union ranges and bespoke pieces, this driven and uniquely Kiwi duo also operates and runs their own brand. "We create individually as well," says Sue, "although it’s more of a parallel to Union as while I am working on my own brand, The Boiler Room, and Paula with Coulthard, we are still talking and discussing daily ideas and materials for Union."
 
With Sue's talent and background in industrial furniture and custom made pieces, and Paula's delicate talent of embroidery, creative clothing and homeware design this Union is a match made in heaven.

 

 

 

 


Shots from the Union studio

Photography Thomas Law

 

Sustainable Design

Posted by homestyle - 19/09/2010
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Rakai is pictured here in front of the display wall which illustrates some of the stunning designs by Aroha & Friends.
Each work is available either a print for the wall or on a t-shirt. 

 

In our Aug/Sept we spoke to Rakai Karaitiana from Napier store Aroha & Friends, and their ongoing promotion of New Zealand Made. We continue the interview here. 

 

How did the eco-printing side of your store come about? 

I always wanted to set up a print studio and pestered my wife for us to make the move and make it happen. Late in 2008 I decided to just start with a basic set-up so we purchased some screens and a light which cost around $200 and started printing on a table in the shop. We had to hand iron the t-shirts to set the inks because we had no fancy flash drier, this was pretty labour intensive and the staff found themselves having to do a bit of ironing in those early days. During that summer we did well enough to look at buying a carousel and flash unit, and it just grew from there. 

 

 

Do you believe that consumers are more aware of sustainable items?

I would have to say that in general most people don't really care, it's unfortunate but it seems that eco friendly clothing is not really a priority. People don't know that most cotton contains pesticides, and GMO's to combat those pesticides; they also don't know about PVC's and Phthalates that are used in the screen printing industry which are also high in toxins. We try to inform people of what we do and why we do it and believe that in time it will become a priority in consumer decision making.

With that said we are always encouraged when we meet customers who really appreciate the approach we take. Eco friendly products will catch on, at the moment it's a small niche market, it's just going to take time to seep in to the mainstream.

 

How important is New Zealand made and sustainability?

One of the greatest things about using water based inks is the soft feel the print has, it is something that consumers are into and we have noticed this change in consumer attitudes. They are over the plastic, heavy feel of traditional screen printing and it's just a bonus that it's printed with eco friendly inks. Buying New Zealand means sustainability. We are sustaining the industries and people involved in our product and we know where everything in that product comes form.

 

Aroha & Friends is a family operated Napier based clothing store, art gallery and boutique printing outlet with a focus on New Zealand and sustainable design. 

 

How many designers do you have coming up with designs? 

Primarily it has been me and a french guy, Syvain. We have friends and artists who supply us with designs as well. At present I'm working with our local Kura Kaupapa to develop a Maori youth design group. We are looking at taking their work and applying them to various products.

 

What's next for Aroha & Friends? 

To keep expanding our ideas and range of products and keep growing. I don't want to give away too much but we are always working on new work and I have a heap of stuff already designed that I need to produce. We'll keep it coming and you'll just have to keep an eye out for it! 

 

Branching out into cushions there is always something new to discover from these talented designers! 

 

Canterbury Earthquake

Posted by Nick - GM - 09/09/2010
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Christchurch Earthquake Struthers Lane

A scene from Struthers Lane, not far from homestyle's Christchurch office - Image courtesy stuff.co.nz

 

To our relief the staff of homestyle’s Christchurch office is safe and well after the big quake on the morning of the 4th. Though the office remains in the cordoned of CBD area, there is a green-for-go sticker on the door and the site came off relatively unscathed – we were very fortunate. After grabbing our computers we’ve setup a temporary office, and are continuing on our scheduled print deadline...at this stage issue #38 October/November will be on shelves 27 September, as planned!
The phone line to this office remains down; but if you have any queries our main line number of 03 377 4272 has been diverted to mobiles, and our emails are running fine.
We wish everyone in the region the best for the days and weeks to come; hopefully those aftershocks have ceased so people can get some hard earned sleep.