Tessuti | Facteur Céleste

Tessuti is one of my favourite homeware stores to visit in Auckland. With a natural talent for curating beautiful products, owner Ali McIntosh is also passionate about creators, having recently started hosting a series of Meet the Maker evenings in store. Drawn to products that tell a story, Ali supports small artisan communities, with Tessuti introducing us to some incredible creative initiatives from around the world. One of these is Facteur Céleste, a range of black and white baskets produced by a group of women in the impoverished African nation of Burkina Faso. Striking to look at (and a dream to style), they are actually hand-made from plastic bags. A real plague for the environment, the Facteur Céleste workshop is not only helping to eradicate pollution through this incredible artistic recycling, it is enabling women in need. Set up by Delphine Kohler who founded the non-profit organisation Filles du Facteur in 2008, the idea came from the unique Facteur Celeste lifestyle boutique in Paris, where workshops were held to find creative uses for recycling plastic bags. By introducing the idea to Burkina Faso, Delphine has enabled the women to achieve financial independence as well as access to health and eduction.

As you can see the gorgeous monochrome baskets add a touch of texture and vibrancy to any room. Available in a range of sizes and unique designs, they are also really practical. Strong and durable, they are perfect for housing plants, but you can use them for all kinds of storage. I've used them here for my jewellery and office bits and bobs, but they'd also be ideal for the bedside, bathroom products or even as a fruit bowl in the kitchen.

Styling and photography by Michelle Halford for TDC

The baskets are available exclusively from Tessuti, both online and in store.

This is a sponsored post. I only work with products I love and all opinions are my own. For more information please visit my About Page.

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PAQME

New Australian brand PAQME has just arrived at online store LET LIV. Makers of beautifully stylish rainwear, their Anywhere Raincoat features impeccable detailing.  Super-light, it packs into a cute little pouch to put into your handbag or suitcase, making it a must-have item all year round. 

This is great news for anyone like me who has been caught out by unpredictable rain on many occasions, or has lost numerous umbrellas due to the wind! I keep telling myself I must invest in a good raincoat, and finally I've found one that I love the look of, that can go from casual to a little bit dressed up. 

The classic trenchcoat style raincoat has a detachable hood with a drawstring and snap button neck closure. Made from waterproof material with a concealed front closure, the standout detailing mentioned earlier includes branded buttons and a gorgeous contrast interior trim. 

The PAQME Anywhere Raincoats are available in four colours including black, dalmation, khaki and blossom. Keep an eye out for the next drop which includes reversible kids styles! 

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TheTwentyTwo

Launched in July of this year, TheTwentyTwo is an interior, design and lifestyle brand offering simple, yet beautifully essential items for the home. Based out of Australia, the online space brings simplicity, beauty, quality and affordability together, extending from the wardrobe to the living room, to dining room and kitchen. With over 500 unique products available, I had my work cut out for me selecting some to share with you today!

Co-Founders and sisters Vicki and Jennifer Lee created TheTwentyTwo to offer a new space that could enable their love of art, fashion, nature, cooking, pottery, ceramics and homeware to blend into one. Formerly a lawyer, Vicki's diverse career path led her to owning a women's fashion label before launching the family-owned online store. She also holds a strong personal passion for painting, developed and extended by her fiancé Tedd O’Donnell, featuring collaborations and further work due to be exhibited in the near future. Intelligent and creative, Vicky has a strong vision for TheTwentyTwo that is both beautiful and inspiring:

"The landscape of fashion and life is in constant flux, bombarding our visual horizon with aspirational imagery. A trillion snapshots of how life could be, how it should be, if only we could get there. Every now and then, we stop and breath release, and imagine a world in white - a world stripped of clutter and excess. This place I am describing is home of TheTwentyTwo.”

Understated yet carefully considered, TheTwentyTwo aesthetic is one that I was immediately drawn to. Their vast range of products are showcased across four different collections: Bottles, Mini Bake, Raw Wood and French Countryside. 

Vicki kindly answered a couple of questions for us today... 

Where does the name TheTwentyTwo come from?

The number twenty-two has a simple euphonious presence in our opinion. It is a beautiful sound in itself. We love the number twenty-two because it is so balanced, even and still.

It represents the brands aspiration of simplicity, consistency and beauty. We created TheTwentyTwo space for people to enjoy simplicity in all its immense power. TheTwentyTwo is a lifestyle brand where we see art as a way of life, a way of seeing the world around you , not as a canvas on the wall alone.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

Ted and I draw inspiration from each others work in the same way we learn from each other in everyday life. Our tempo's are pretty much opposite but after a small amount of time together we always merge into one strong pulse down the middle.

Ted's is like the big log you put in the fire to keep it going, consistently, all night long. And I am like the leaves and bark you put on the top to get the sparks going immediately but momentarily. Together, we make a pretty strong flame and inspire each other in our separate work as well as our work together. Ted has a precision and eye for detail that is annoyingly perfectionist.

Here are a few more of my favourites from TheTwentyTwo Living Section, where you'll also find luxurious bedding and many gorgeous gift ideas. 

Of course there is much more on offer! TheTwentyTwo ships worldwide, with free shipping on all orders over $200. Make sure you sign up to receive news and updates, and follow along on Facebook and Instagram. 

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Simon James Concept Store

Living in Auckland certainly has its perks, one of which is that it is home to the beautiful Simon James Concept Store. Located in the inner city suburb of Herne Bay, the boutique features an exquisite collection of homeware, fashion, design objects and the iconic Aesop Beauty range. For those who live outside of Auckland I highly recommend paying them a visit if you're ever in town. You will be taken back by the clean simple deign and beautifully edited display of products on offer.

Fortunately there is also an Online Store, allowing easy shopping for those living a little further away. The Simon James Journal provides additional insight and reading into the wonderful products and designers that the store represents. These include a mix of both local and international brands such as Areaware, Minimalux, Gidon Bing Ceramics, Eclectic by Tom Dixon, Benah Accessories, Simon James Design and Resident. For those planning a wedding or corporate event, there is also the handy Gift Registry service.

I recently visited the store in person, to check out the latest arrivals. The new and highly covetable range from the Scandinavian design company Menu exceeded all of my expectations. Two of my top picks are the Stone Storage Jars which come in lovely muted shades of sand and earth, and the Glass Teapot which is inspired by both Chinese Zen philosophy and modern Scandinavian design. Even though my husband and I are coffee drinkers, I would happily make the odd cup of tea just to experience the sensory delights created by the unique transparent design. 

The Stackable Glassware by Norm Architects for Menu, is beautiful to look at and hold and clever in style, making it is the perfect glass for any occasion. Each mouth-blown piece is unique in its own way with varying shapes depending on the size.  

Also designed by Norm Architects, the Menu Ladder is a versatile piece of furniture that can be used for storing towels and accessories in the bathroom, clothes in the bedroom, books and magazines in the living room and scarves and coats in the hall way. Available in two colours, black with dark oak rungs and white with light oak rungs, I absolutely love the understated elegance of this design piece.  

Here are a few more of my current picks from Simon James. 

01. Spar Floor Light for Resident by Jamie McLellan
02. Beach Towel by Maslin & Co
03. Multi-Basket by Menu
04. Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm by Aesop
05. Geranium Leaf Body Balm by Aesop
06. Geranium Leaf Duet
07. Triple Cube Planter by Boskke
08. Design Letters Bowl by Arne Jacobsen
09. Alessi Cups by David Chipperfield
10. Thermo Jug by Menu

Take a look at the entire online range here. For store updates follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

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Introducing The Foxes Den

Launched just last week, by husband and wife team Daniel and Marce Marshall, The Foxes Den is a new online store based out of Christchurch, NZ. Home to Mr and Mrs Fox and their two cubs, you will find a carefully curated collection of functional, everyday objects for the home. Inspired by the famous quote of William Morris "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful" Marce has searched the globe for products that are well-made, classic in design and where possible, crafted by hand.

Judging by the international brands on offer, some of which are new to the NZ market, the Fox family have exquisite taste. Design Fürs Heim is by talented German architect, Maike Timmermann, who is set on proving that pieces made with creativity, clever design and a personal touch don't have to cost a fortune.

Iris Hantverk began as a small brush manufacturer in the 1900s, in Stockholm. Every brush is still made by hand according to an old Swedish tradition. 

The inspiration from Mr Fox comes from Marce's great grandfather. Even though she never met him, she would often hear stories of how precise and detailed he was. His garden was neatly trimmed and lawns mowed. He was a true gentleman, slightly gruff, a bit grumpy but he had a heart of gold. Mrs Fox is based on a lady still alive today, who Marce greatly admires. Although she will remain anonymous, I've been told her home is beautiful, relaxed and nurturing. She lets her cubs run through the house, look for worms in the garden, and help her bake cookies. While she occasionally cringes at the mess, she still remembers to relax and let the cubs expand their minds, all while keeping her home tidy, organised and clean! 

And who are the cubs? Marce and Daniel's own two rascals!

I'd heard great thing about the range of BONDI WASH products so when Marce kindly sent me some of the BONDI WASH Bench Spray (along with a beautiful Turkish Hand Towel), I was eager to put it to the test. Bearing in mind that I'm quite particular about what I use on my bench top surfaces in both the kitchen and bathroom, this is hands down a winner. Look at it shine! Like all the BONDI WASH products, the spray is plant based, non-toxic and bio-degradable. Combining anti-bacterial power with the fragrance of Australian bush oils and natural ingredients, the spray is gentle but effective. Available in three unique fragrances, I got to sample the Tasmanian Pepper & Lavender. Marce warned me it would be addictive, and she's right. I can't get enough!

Atlas Linen is a range of beautiful 100% pure stonewashed linen from France, including duvet covers, sheet sets and comforters. All made from pure natural flax fibre and available in four colours, choose from pure white, dove grey, natural and soft taupe.

I've picked out a few more favourites from The Foxes Den.  

Links below images

1 Wooden Bird House
2 Herb Scissors
3 Freedom Cushion
4 Turkish Hammam Bath Towel
5 Concrete Salt Dish
6 Ceramic Serving Bowl
7 Stop The Water While Using Me (Coming Soon!)
8 Wooden Dip Spoon

This is just a taste! Lots more stock is on the way, and the range will continue to evolve, so make sure you pop over to The Foxes Den, and sign up to receive notifications and special offers.

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For Keeps | New Online Store + Giveaway!

For Keeps is a lovely new online store, founded by Catie Wilkinson. Living in the New Zealand city of Hamilton, Catie has a background in marketing and communications, which has led to us crossing paths several times before. It was such a nice surprise to learn that Catie had set up a new store, as this has in fact been a dream of hers for a very long time. Inspired by her travels (both around the world and online) and passionate about finding cool things for her home and friends, For Keeps provides the perfect place for Catie to share her finds with others. 

Offering a gorgeous collection of homeware, stationery, gifts, art and art prints, these have been sourced from some of Catie's super creative and talented friends, as well as some amazing suppliers from around the world. 

With beautiful textures and bright graphics, the colourful range of cushions and tea towels immediately caught my eye. 

In the stationery section you'll find a great range of cute cards like these.

For Keeps also have a fabulous collection of art prints, and are very kindly giving away two Scandi-style prints by the Norwegian brand Darling Clementine.

To enter to win either the Pear Print or the Lemon Print, firstly pop over to For Keeps and pick two of your favourite products. Email me at enter@thedesignchaser.com with either PEAR or LEMON in the subject line (the one you'd like to win) and tell me the names of your two favourite products. Please also let me know your full name. 

You have until Sunday, the 19th of January (12pm NZ time) to enter. The two winners will be chosen via random.org, and contacted via email on Monday 20th January and announced on the blog. Please note, this competition is open to New Zealand and Australian residents only.

There are also some exciting new product lines on their way so make sure you like the For Keeps Facebook page to stay in the loop! 

Update: the competition has closed, and the winners have been notified. Congratulations to Candace Joiner who has won the Pear Print and Tiana Howe, who has won the Lemon Print! Thanks to everyone who entered and to For Keeps for this gorgeous giveaway.  

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12 Days of Christmas | Final Giveaways!

Finishing off 12 Days of Christmas on a high note, I have two lovely giveaways for you today! 

The first is from Jamie Kay who I first featured here. The Canterbury-based online store stocks a gorgeous range of homewares from around the world, as well as Jamie's own growing collection of designs. A Mum of two little boys, Jamie has a great eye for stylish kids pieces, and many of her products are designed to suit both kids rooms and adult spaces. I particularly love her range of cushions (I own several myself) so I was very happy when Jamie offered to give away one of her newest arrivals, a beautiful vintage style Round Velvet Cushion, valued at $99. The lucky winner will get to choose from a range of colours including black, ivory, grey, vintage yellow and turquoise. 

Perfect for use as an extra throw cushion on a bed or sofa, I love the white one above which has been added to a mix of cushions in different patterns and shapes, some of which are also available from Jamie Kay, along with her Cross Blanket that I featured in this recent bedding post. Jamie Kay have also offered 10% off all round Round Velvet Cushions through to the 31st of December, so pop over here to buy yours. To be in to win one, email me at email me at enter@thedesignchaser.com with JAMIE KAY in the subject line, along with your full name.

The second giveaway is from Koko Classics, who I interviewed here. Specialists in industrial and vintage inspired furniture and homewares, they have two popular Auckland retail stores, one in Mt Eden and one is Ponsonby as well as an online store. With an incredible range of ever-expanding products, make sure you keep up to date by following them on Facebook and Instagram (@kokoclassics). 

Koko Classics are very kindly giving away a beautiful framed, Peruvian Blue Morpho (morpho didius) butterfly, valued at $86. 

To enter, email me at email me at enter@thedesignchaser.com with KOKO CLASSICS in the subject line, along with your full name.

Entries close on Tuesday 17th of December and the two winners will be selected via random.org, and contacted via email to arrange shipping. All winners will be announced on the blog at the end of the series. 

Please note that this competition is open to New Zealand residents only, and that we will do our best to ensure the prizes arrive prior to Christmas.

Before I go, I just have to say congratulations to all our winners so far. I feel a bit like Santa handing out presents right now! Be sure to check back over this week's posts, so that you don't miss out on any giveaways that are still open, and take advantage of our special offers from Paper Plane, Pop Motif, Pencil and Hammer and LET LIV. Why not get that last minute Christmas shopping done online over the weekend! 

Update: This competition has now closed, and the winners have been notified. Thanks to everyone who entered, and huge thanks to Jamie Kay and Koko Classics for their generosity.

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12 Days of Christmas | Tuturu Home Giveaway!

I recently discovered a lovely little online store based in Auckland called Tuturu Home. Its product range which includes simple, quality homewares from Japan and New Zealand immediately resonated with me. I've mentioned before how much I love Japanese design, and the strong similarities I see between the traditional Japanese and Scandinavian aesthetics. As well as having clean lines and simplicity of form, they both favour the use natural materials and show beautiful craftsmanship.



The owner of Tuturu Home, Yukiko Kyogoku, is Japanese and has been living in New Zealand for almost 15 years. Based in the Auckland suburb of Titirangi, she loves natural, organic products, arts and crafts, and collecting the iconic New Zealand Crown Lynn range of ceramics! She also loves Scandinavian design. She has run a website selling NZ products to Japan for over 10 years, and earlier this year Yukiko decided to start doing it the other way around! She loves both countries, and enjoys introducing products from one to the other.

Prior to September Yukiko had a temporary retail store, and is now on the lookout for a new space. Until then she's happy to continue selling her gorgeous products online, including two of her favourite brands Fog Linen and Noda Horo. She loves that Fog Linen has a Japanese style, but is also suited to the natural New Zealand lifestyle. Noda Horo have been manufacturing quality enamelware in Japan for over 70 years. "They make really cool retro style enamelware and are very popular among stylish people in Japan. Because they only make limited numbers and are not that keen on exporting (they are a very old fashioned company), they are not very well known overseas. The good thing is there are not many available in New Zealand!" 

Yukiko says she will be introducing new products regularly, particularly those that have not made it to our shores yet. Keep an eye out by following the Tuturu Home Facebook page, and shop the current collection here. 

For the 12 Days of Christmas series, you'll be pleased to know that Tuturu Home are giving away three prizes! 

The first winner drawn will win a Petite Kitchen 2014 Recipe Calendar, a beautiful collection of seasonal recipes, written and photographed by Eleanor Ozich of Petite Kitchen. 

The second two will each win a gorgeous Fog Linen 2014 Calendar Tea Towel. The first of these names drawn, will receive the black on natural, and the second will receive the blue on white.  

I'm sure you know the drill by now...  to enter, email me at enter@thedesignchaser.com with TUTURU HOME in the subject line, and include your full name in the email. Entries close on Monday, 16th of December and the three winners will be selected via random.org, and contacted via email, to arrange shipping. All winners will be announced on the blog at the end of the series. 

Please note that this competition is open to NZ residents only, and that we will do our best to ensure the prizes arrive prior to Christmas.

Update: This competition has now closed, and the winners have been notified. Thanks to all who entered and thanks to Tuturu Home for their lovely prizes!

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Kylee Davis Knitwear | Interiors Launch

I recently had the pleasure of crossing paths with renowned New Zealand knitwear designer Kylee Davis. When she mentioned she was working on an interiors line, I knew it would be something to watch out for. The new collection has now been released and features a range of striking homewares including sumptuous blankets, stunning cushions and cool knitted hanging pendant lights. Kylee's unique aesthetic translates beautifully to interiors, and this range will definitely appeal to those who appreciate quality, New Zealand-made design.



During Kylee's illustrious career as a fashion designer, stylist and manufacturer, she has achieved an impressive amount of commercial success, including winning the prestigious Benson & Hedges Supreme Award and Air NZ Export Development Award. Her first knitwear label Insidious Fix was stocked throughout Australasia and select boutiques in Denmark, the US and the UK, gathering a cult-like following. Her second label Stitch Ministry went on to win further commercial success, and in 2011 Kylee launched her self-titled knitwear label with Browns Fashions, one of the world’s premium retailers and a fashion landmark in the English capital, becoming the world’s first stockist of the exclusive New Zealand made label.

As with the Kylee Davis Knitwear fashion line, the homewares are all made locally in New Zealand using the finest-quality natural yarns, including cotton, linen, angora/lambswool and merino. "For each product we work closely with textile technicians to develop a knit that is unique and exclusive to the Kylee Davis brand."

The cushions come in a range of patterns, including aztec, jacquards and owls. The blankets, available in shades of red, navy and beige are available in super king, as well as a throw size which is perfect for single beds or couches. The knitted lights come in a variety of fun and playful colours such as pink, orange, green and blue. Prices range from $550 for the king size blankets, down to just $49 for the pendants, so there is something to suit all budgets. 

I'm also happy to report that the Kylee Davis Knitware pop-up store has recently opened up, just in time for Christmas! Located at 9 Mt Eden Rd in Auckland, it stocks the new interiors line, which will also be available online soon. Keep up to date by following Kylee Davis Knitware on Facebook. 

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