BRIGHT IDEA
If you’re looking to brighten up your interiors, transform the atmosphere and move your family’s mood, let this case study of seven ADNZ award-winning homes enlighten you. Lighting, and why you need it Transforms a space: Strategic light reflection and washing is a clever trick to make small rooms feel more open and […]
What’s to come in colour?
Colour forecasts in 2027 reflect a world shaped by algorithms, endless content and digital noise. “As we become increasingly technologically sophisticated, many of us are also feeling more socially disconnected. In a world shaped by algorithms, endless content and digital noise, there is a growing sense of sameness and overstimulation,” says colour and […]
Dopamine décor
Inspired by Dame Trelise Cooper’s ‘dopamine dressers’, we invite you to oxytocin your interiors, Ōtautahi. Dopamine décor – the philosophy that heroes vibrant, personal aesthetics over rigid design rules – can boost your mood just as much as clothing that makes you feel good. What is dopamine décor? Decorating for your own happiness. […]
Dream kitchens: Dream Doors
You could have the kitchen of your dreams in just five simple steps. The Dream Doors five-step process guides clients through consultation, design, manufacturing, installation, and handover. This structured client-focused approach is designed to reduce renovation anxiety through effective communication. Managing director Adrian Kay emphasises the importance of each phase: “We focus a […]
Book smart
Metropol editor Nina Tucker dives into coffee table-core, on a quest to understand the art of the perfect stack-and-style. A few weekends ago, I spent hours inside my living room arranging and rearranging a precious selection of books, magazines and trinkets (all while my partner ticked off a long list of house chores). […]
Inside the eye of an interior designer. Ōtautahi interior designer Olivia Kennedy talks texture, styling small, and statement décor.
After building two homes in modern subdivisions, interior designer Olivia Kennedy was ready for something different. She found her answer amongst the leafy suburb of St Albans; a charming, previously renovated three-bedroom bungalow oozing classic old-home character. A young Olivia Kennedy was always found immersed in the idea of creating beautiful spaces. Before […]
On our radar
From the insights of local interior designers to takeaways from award-winning Canterbury homes, here are three homestyle features we can’t stop thinking about. 1. The statement sofa Vogue Living says this might be the piece of furniture to have in 2026. The statement sofa isn’t necessarily the one you sink into for a […]
Steal their style
From décor to statement details, we deciphered three key trends that came across in winning Canterbury homes from the 2026 New Zealand Architecture Awards. Award-winning homes are some of the best places to find inspiration for new ways to style or elevate your space. True to their status (each home must first be […]
Snug as a rug
There’s nothing like layering with a beautiful rug for creating warm and inviting spaces in your home during winter. While summer calls for minimalism, winter is the season for more – more colour, more texture, more layers to create cosy and nurturing interiors. Where to start? From the floor up. The right rug […]
7 reasons to invest in a wool rug: Carpet Binders
Investing in New Zealand-grown warmth underfoot is something you’ll wish you did earlier. Here’s seven reasons why. “We’re passionate about supporting New Zealand wool and the rural communities behind it,” says Michelle MacWilliam, co-owner of Carpet Binders on Hayton Road. “At the end of the day, no one ever regrets investing in quality, […]
