History repeats – and wins: Steve Brown Builders

The home at 12 Julius Terrace was an earthquake casualty requiring demolition. Once given the green light for a same site rebuild, the owner’s brief for both architect and builder was to create an exact replica of the original 1910 home, including its chapel.       And Steve Brown Builders, a […]

Striking gold in Central Otago

Built into schist, a stunning family home overlooking Lake Dunstan and the Pisa Range blends into the rocky hillside, its simple form creating a symbiosis between the built and natural environments.     Hunter & Craig Building & Design built this Registered Master Builders House of Year 2020 Gold Award-winning home. It […]

New undertakings

Making a comedy series about death is a bold move, but if anyone could pull it off it is Canterbury sisters Eve and Grace Palmer. The talented sisters talk to Metropol about having fun – and making television – at a funeral home.     Inheriting a funeral home may not sound […]

Fruits of love

February brings with it the last glorious month of summer, the peak of the summer fruit season and, of course, Valentine’s Day. Here are Metropol’s recommendations on how to celebrate all three in style via some fruity treats to spoil your sweetheart (or yourself!) this romantic month.       HEART BREAK(FAST) […]

Keeping Well

Starring on hit shows like Shortland Street and Outrageous Fortune, Kiwi actor Claire Chitham is one of New Zealand’s most recognisable entertainers. But behind the scenes, she was battling chronic intestinal disease, Crohn’s, and the pressure to live up to unrealistic beauty standards. After years dedicated to caring for her holistic health, […]

Lashings of volume

If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then do not dress them with faded, worn-out curtains. Instead, adorn your peepers with sky-high, healthy lashes. Beauty experts are predicting big things for eyelashes this year, so Metropol looks at lash-enhancers worth batting an eyelash over.     FALSIES Whether you need […]

The Influencers: Leeann Watson

Ngā mihi o te tau hou Happy new year! As I write my first Metropol column of 2021, I strongly believe the year ahead is full of possibility. We have come off the back of a tumultuous year, our lives upended by Covid-19 heralding a new normal in the way we live, […]

The Influencers: Lianne Dalziel

This month sees the 10th anniversary of the earthquake that changed our lives and our city forever. We will always honour the memory of the lives who were lost, and we will always ensure the lessons we have learned remain embedded within our city’s way of doing things for the future. Our […]

Time for recess

Carve out some practical and aesthetically pleasing space with a wall recess. Maximising wall cavities, a well-thought-out recess adds depth and interest to bathrooms, bedrooms and indoor and outdoor living.     In the bathroom, recessed shelving in the shower can sophisticatedly store otherwise cluttered-looking products without employing a caddy. In the […]