Introducing Vertone

Today I’m excited to share my latest venture, Vertone, a new furniture brand launched with my close friend and collaborator, photographer/graphic designer Kirsty Dawn. Presenting our inaugural collection, Aperture, the duo of pieces—a versatile low-level table and a side table—is inspired by architectural lines and the desire to simplify and refine.

Initial ideas began brewing during the pandemic when Kirsty decided to cut short her move to London and return home to New Zealand. With a shared appreciation for understated interiors that blend sensory elements and a respect for natural materials, our discussions centred around versatile furniture and timeless design. We aimed to fuse architectural simplicity with a refined aesthetic, crafting pieces that exude a subtle yet impactful presence—setting the tone for the spaces we aspire to live in. These core elements of versatility and setting the tone led us to the name Vertone, and our first series, Aperture.  

Crafted with precision in New Zealand using natural materials, the Aperture series explores balance, scale, and proportions, seamlessly blending structural solidity with an airy lightness. This delicate equilibrium is achieved through a thoughtful interplay of planes, drawing inspiration from both architectural forms and traditional Japanese woodworking.

Anchoring the space while allowing light to permeate, the Aperture tables offer a canvas for arranging objects and an invitation for tranquility. Each table is designed to transition across different settings and homes, to be treasured for years to come.

Aperture is available in two finishes, natural oak and smoked oak.

Visit vertone.space to find out more about the new brand and debut collection, along with our first journal post where I showcase the tables in my home and provide tips on how to style them.

With thanks to Porters Paints—the interior space above features French Wash Double Rubble over Egg Shell in Rubble.  

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37th Dulux Colour Awards Winners Announced

This year’s Dulux Colour Awards winners, announced last week in Melbourne, demonstrate the capacity for colour to transform our built environment through innovative design, ambitious scope and masterful execution. Chosen from 113 finalists across New Zealand and Australia the winning projects were applauded for their exceptional use of colour across a vast range of scales and typologies.

Residential Interior Commendation 

Project: Mount Mac

Architecture/Design Practice: Williams Burton Leopardi

Key Dulux Colours: Dulux Wigram and Te Kuiti

Photography: Caroline Cameron

Two of the winners I'm sharing with you today are from the Residential Category, where I was drawn to their beautiful use of dark and moody hues. 

In recognising the outstanding designs, the judges acknowledged the people at the heart of each project – those creating them and those inhabiting them.

“Colour is universal but it means different things to different people,” says Dulux Colour Specialist Davina Harper. “This year’s suite of award winners epitomises the capacity for colour to transform spaces and elicit emotion in everybody.

“The level of ambition in each brief and the sophistication in the palettes designed to realise those architectural aims increases every year,” says Harper. “From a tiny apartment to a multi-storey community hub or a modest storage shed to a heritage theatre, the originality and brave employment of colour is outstanding.”

Residential Interior Commendation 

Project: Mount Mac

Architecture/Design Practice: Williams Burton Leopardi

Key Dulux Colours: Dulux Wigram and Te Kuiti

Photography: Caroline Cameron 

Congratulations to the prestigious New Zealand Grand Prix winner, Shand Shelton, for their remarkable restoration of the St James Theatre in Wellington. A celebration of craftsmanship and collaboration, taking cues from descriptions of the auditorium in 1912, the project was a testament to the power of colour to enrich and enliven.

Grand Prix New Zealand Winner

Also, a commendation in the Commerical Interior - Public and Hospitality category

Project: St James Theatre, NZ

Architecture/Design Practice: Shand Shelton

Key Dulux Colours: Dulux Rosewood, Waiau Bay Half & Vintage Gold

Photography: Paul McCredie

Bringing a wealth of design-industry expertise to their endeavours, the respected panel comprised: Andrew Piva, Director of B.E Architecture; Brahman Perera, Inter-disciplinary Designer and Director of his eponymous studio; Lisa Lee, Senior Interior Designer of Snøhetta; Sarah Carney, Project Director of CTRL Space; and, Byron George, Director of Russell & George.

Residential Interior Winner

Project: Alma Road Residence

Architecture/Design Practice: Studiofour

Key Dulux Colours: Dulux Fernhill & Mt Aspiring

Photography: Shannon McGrath

As far as noteworthy directions, sage and blush hues emerged as a strong colourway in a range of projects and there were also numerous outstanding examples of commitment to a single colour. This demountable bookshop within the century-old Postal Hall at the heart of Perth’s State Buildings complex, is a wonderful example.

Commercial Interior - Workspace and Retail Winner

Project: Postal Hall

Architecture/Design Practice: Trower Falvo Architects with Alessio Fini

Key Dulux Colours: Dulux Mist Green 

Photography: Ben Hosking

Find out more about the Dulux Colour Awards, and see the full list of winners here. 

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Last Minute Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Are you feeling indecisive about what to get for Mother's Day? I’ve rounded up a selection of beautiful pieces from some of my favourite local haunts, including a few coveted pieces from my personal wishlist. Whether you're seeking last-minute gift ideas or simply looking to indulge yourself, I hope this curation inspires... 

Clockwise from Top Left

'Farmhouse in Basque' by Phillipe Long (1872-1957) from John Stephens & Company

Freddie Crew Sweater in wool cashmere by Juliette Hogan

Milly Bag in aubergine lambskin by Yu Mei

Neue Pearl Earrings by Sophie Buhai from Simon James

The Design Chaser x Città Terrace Vase in beige from Città

Solitary Set 07 in moss by Baina

Warm Nordic carved wood tray in walnut from Good Form

Motomu Oyama Plate with foot large & medium from Public Record

Eight Homes: Clements Design from Lamplight Books

Incense Burner in blackened bronze by Studio Henry Wilson from Simon James

Black Anise Eau de Parfum 50ml by Abel 

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RK Residence by Seear-Budd Ross

RK Residence by New Zealand-based architecture and interiors studio Seear-Budd Ross was designed for clients who were relocating from a rural setting to a coastal site in Eastbourne, Wellington. The clients wanted a home that embodied the coastal environment and facilitated a peaceful, relaxed lifestyle that was synonymous with beach living. To achieve this, the essence of the project was distilled into a few words: light, airy, informal, and calm. While the brief included programmatic aspects such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, conversations during the design process often came back to these four key words. The brief also called for a home that could flex and transition depending on the seasons, and allow for a casual flow for the owners' entertaining lifestyle.

The resulting design features two pavilions, living and sleeping, with a courtyard and glazed link in the middle. The front of the home is exposed and connected to the street and harbour, while the courtyard and sleeping quarters are progressively more private. Beginning with an entry sequence clad entirely in New Zealand-grown macrocarpa, a timber that omits a fragrant, spicy scent, the enclosed nature of the entry nook gives a cave-like feel. In contrast, the adjoining living pavilion has a vaulted ceiling, also clad in macrocarpa, that provides an immediate and freeing sense of spaciousness. A feeling further enhanced by generous views of the ocean and plentiful natural light, the understated space is airy and inviting. Textured flooring underfoot encourages one to be barefoot straight from the beach.

The project is located along Eastbourne’s Marine Parade, a street that straddles the native-covered hills to the east and the beach and harbour to the west. The existing housing stock along this coastal stretch is mainly one to two-storied, timber-clad homes with strong hipped or gabled roof forms facing the street. The hipped roof and existing floor level of the existing cottage that sat on the site became key drivers when developing the design. The hipped roof has been stretched to create a wide, low-slung profile. This roof structure was integral in the pursuit of a highly unified exterior, as it neatly encompasses the garage and the dwelling, creating a sense of continuity and calm in keeping with the landscape at its edges.

The pavilions have been crafted largely from weathered timber and light, sand-colored materials to reflect the native surroundings through texture and tone. The exterior is wrapped in New Zealand pine with a grey-toned and band-sawn finish that allows the house to feel like a piece of weathered driftwood one might find along the beach. Blue-grey stone inside and out with tumbled edges and honed surfaces feel like an extension of the stoney beach across the street. Internally, macrocarpa linings and rafters inject a lovely scent into the home while providing a warm counterpoint to the grey-toned exterior. Honed stone elements appear again in the kitchen and bathrooms, where entire vanities are beautifully crafted from stone.

Sustainability was very much a priority in this project. Construction was carried out using locally sourced materials such as heat-treated NZ pine (Abode) for cladding, and NZ-grown macrocarpa used for the rafters, sarking and timber wall linings. The house was also designed with high thermal performance, low-usage electrical fittings, low VOC paints, and NZ wool carpets.

In addition to the beautiful design and sustainability features, there are also a few moments of surprise within the home. Carved out from behind the garage sits two small rooms. Carved out from behind the garage sits two small rooms. One is a stone cave that serves as an outdoor shower, providing a refreshing respite after a hot afternoon swim. The other is a timber cave built from the same material as the exterior cladding, but retaining its original rich brown hue. This cosy and dimly lit room makes for an ideal sauna experience during chilly winter evenings.

Photography by Rory Gardiner

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