Ali Harper: Life on board
Cruising on the high seas, singing up a storm, marketing, and being a mum are all in a day’s work for Christchurch entertainer Ali Harper. Lynda Papesch chats with Ali about life at sea, on the road, at home, and anywhere in between. A sea day provides Ali Harper time in her busy schedule to […]
Keeping up with the kitchens
Renovations and rebuilds, porcelain benchtops, and kitchen islands, are among the top home interior trends for 2024, says the National Kitchen and Bath Association of New Zealand. Compiled using association designers and tradespeople, the results form a tangible reference point if you’re looking to upgrade your kitchen in 2024, especially in creating something of timelessness […]
Take a bow
Bows are back. From Simone Rocha’s runways to our local streets,they’re seen decorating hairstyles and shoes, some ribbons even tied into bows on singlet straps or the buttonholes of a shirt. Everything is circular in fashion, and bows are certainly coming back big. Feminine and sweet, bows add a subtly chic, yet youthful touch to […]
Have a heart
More than 175,000 New Zealanders live with some form of heart condition, and almost 10,000 people die from cardiovascular disease each year. Almost a quarter of those deaths are avoidable, according to the New Zealand Heart Foundation, which has for more than four years been lobbying for a national heart health action plan. Many of […]
Fashion with Kate Sylvester
Top New Zealand fashion designer Kate Sylvester was in Christchurch this month to launch her Gloria Gloria Autumn Winter 24 collection. Metropol Editor Lynda Papesch talks with her about trends, tailoring, and telling a tale with textiles. Surrounded by a sea of teal and orange, denim blues, plum, and cherry red, fashion icon Kate Sylvester […]
See colours, sea colours
Embrace warmer days while they last, and lean into the eclectic colours of the sea and sand. Cool greens and blues, turquoise and azure, complemented by sandy hues of gold and silver, and soft shell-like neutrals, come together as nature intended to create a subtle yet striking wardrobe.
Rhapsody in blueberry
At their peak, and in subsequent abundance, you might have noticed blueberries adorning the many fruit stalls of Canterbury this season. Small but mighty, blueberries offer powerful health benefits. Antioxidant-rich, and filled with vitamins and fibre, they’re a healthy fruit to add to your five-plus-a-day diet. The versatility of blueberries means now is a great […]
Productive propagation
From hobby gardening, to cottage industry, propagating your own plants comes with the satisfaction of creating new life. Growing up, my mother’s hobby propagating orchids for export fascinated me. Hers was a world of petri dishes, test tubes, flasks and agar whereas when my time came, I stuck with cuttings in potting mix, and in […]
Becoming a cushion curator
An interior trifecta, cushions combine comfort, style, and character. Distributed about your living and bedroom spaces evenly, cushions become the icing on the cake in interior design. If you like changing the style of your spaces from time to time, they’re relatively low-cost and so, a sustainable financial option to redesign without renovating an entire […]
Luxurious linens
Crisp and luxurious, hotel sheets have a reputation for being particularly top quality, yet anyone can have the same opulent feel at home with a bit of care about sheet selection. Cotton, linen, polyester, silk, bamboo, and in winter, flannel, microfibre and even more options are available. What is important to know when choosing sheets […]
