Lately, I’ve traded in after dinner tv-watching for listening to Radio New Zealand Concert. Yes, I know that’s all rather refined – and truth be told, a digital device is usually still within arm’s reach – but I’m doing my best to try to reduce the ‘visual noise’ at home.
As winter is a season often associated with introspection, we thought this a good time to share with you the different ways different people simplify their home environments. The homes we visited for this issue all vary in personality and style, but they share a certain quality – the laid-back lifestyle of each household’s occupants. Whether it’s a bungalow renovated for a young family in Auckland; an international base for an expat living and working in Marrakesh; a rental where a couple are busy pursuing their art-making; or a new build to make the most of life beyond the city limits, each of the abodes you will find within these pages are made for living and experiences, rather than just places to fill with things.
The experience of entertaining is one of my favourite ways to while away a winter weekend afternoon, and this issue we’re sharing recipes from not one, but two local foodies. Gretchen Lowe and Eleanor Ozich are both well versed in the creation of effortlessly stylish gatherings. I implore you to try Gretchen’s Spicy Chickpea Soup with Sumac and Yoghurt – it’s the sort of meal you can prepare on a Sunday and take to work for lunch for the rest of the week! And how simple is that?
Another life simplication suggestion: take time out of your usual routine to give your interior an edit. Simplifying doesn’t just have to mean having fewer things, it’s also about making certain that the items in your home are well considered.
And so in this issue we piece together a picture of what keeping it simple looks like to us in the hope that it helps you create a calmer place to call home.
Alice Lines @lineslikes
