Homewares

We love a good market, especially one with the word 'Christmas' attached! So hop in the car, crank up the Mariah (your secret's safe with us) and head along to one of these incredible Christmas markets coming to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland this holiday season.

Welcome to 2024, where advent calendars are as big of a deal for adults as they are for children, and filled with so much more than cheap choccy. We're talking beauty products, booze, and even treats for in the bedroom (there's a reason Santa has a naughty list).

Forget what you know about the Southern Lights. Aurora Australis? Please…we have something much more exciting for you! Come Queen’s Birthday weekend, Queenstown’s waterfront is set to transform into a magical forest wonderland, lit up with interactive light sculptures and illuminated art installations.

There simply isn’t an occasion that doesn’t call for a beautiful bunch of flowers. 

Shop our selection of the best Christmas gift ideas this side of the North Pole.

Pampering yourself doesn’t come much better than a sleek set of nails. 

Who doesn’t like getting surprised with a bunch of blooms? They’re pretty, smell delightful, and make you feel oh-so-loved. 

Whether you'd love to spend your weekend gazing at art-adorned walls with a quizzical look on your face thinking ‘what the heck is that!?’ or simply elevate your mind by marvelling at stunning artwork then we have found the best places for you.

When it comes to finding beautiful gems, trinkets, and treasures, look no further than New Zealand’s best jewellers. From a little to-me-from-me piece to finding the ring for your loved one, there’s a shiny keepsake waiting to be uncovered. 

It's official whānau, IKEA is finally coming to Aotearoa New Zealand. 

From statement earrings and sleep-supporting tea to illuminating skincare and cosy knitwear, shop our thoughtfully curated list of Mother's Day gifts.

Shopping sustainably is becoming easier and easier, with more local NZ brands being launched all the time specifically developed to be way better for the environment than their predecessors. We've filled our list with some of the lesser-known brands, so you can support small business while you build your more sustainable life.

We might be biased, but one thing is for sure; Aotearoa punches above its weight with our homegrown music talent. 

Double double toil and trouble, fire burn and cauldron bubble. The most frightful night of the year approaches—it’s time to get spooky with these actually good Halloween costume ideas. 

We’re a tiny bit (read: a lot) obsessed with the work of Tom Gould. Born in Aotearoa and based in New York, the director-slash-photographer has won the world over with his emotive visual storytelling. 

With her beaming smile, a flick of eyeliner and a strong coffee in hand, there's no stopping SAMMIE in her tracks.

Receiving gifts never gets old, but when you're the one trying to come up with something new and exciting to give—it kinda can. Enter the following companies, who together offer a slew of unique and thoughtful goodies to show that someone spesh that you care.

Aotearoa is home to incredible talent. Music, art, design, hospitality—it's fair to say we have creative inspo in spades. 

Oh, home isolation. So much free time, so little motivation. Whether you’ve ended up feeling under the weather or you’re just starting to get stir-crazy, we’ve put together some affordable additions to make life stuck at home more bearable.

We all know how important good sleep is, just like we know how important quality bedding is for obtaining that sleep nirvana. Since it can feel a little daunting to navigate the many options on the market right now, we’re here to help. Whether it’s cotton or silk that tickles your fancy, we’ve got something for you!

Artweek is just around the corner and 2020 marks a massive ten years for the week-long festival. Once again, it's time to celebrate all the dynamic, abstract and awe-inspiring pieces right here in the City of Sails. We’ve narrowed down our top picks for some of the best events this year's programme has to offer, so come along to appreciate all the wonderful art that has flourished while the city has been in lockdown. 

Blessing users with soft, tangle-free hair and smooth, nourished skin, switching to a silk pillowcase is like investing in a long-term spa treatment. Lucky for you, we’ve got the buzz on where to find the best ones available in NZ. Kiss your bedhead goodbye, you’ll be waking up feeling pampered in no time!

We all know the struggle of trying to find the right pillow. Getting a good night’s sleep is essential for a healthy lifestyle, so we’re here to guide you in the comfiest direction.  

With Plastic Free July coming to an end and Conservation Week on the horizon, being mindful of our consuming habits should be our way of life. With the average Kiwi consuming 31kg of plastic per year (yikes), reducing our environmental footprint is something we need to consciously strive for every day.

We Kiwis absolutely love our coffee. In fact, NZ is one of the top coffee consumers globally. But how many of us actually know how to brew our own coffee, or master the art of the barista?

Fun fact: Having pot plants around your home can benefit your breathing, increase your immunity, deter illness, and boost your overall mood! Plus they look nice and add 10+ adult points to your home. We’re sold!

The winners of The Circle Awards AUS & NZ 2021 have officially been announced, and our carts (and hearts) are full of sustainable swaps we never knew we needed.

Gerrick Numan is the director of Millé - a hospitality design studio that’s proving an absolute force to be reckoned with. And while you might have never heard of them before, you’ve almost certainly revelled in their work - the team of hospitality obsessed interior architects and designers are behind the look and feel of some of Aotearoa’s most iconic bars, cafés and restaurants. 

The team behind the talented design and construction team Babylon Gardens—who have been creating beautiful landscapes in Auckland for over 10 years—have just opened the Babylon Store to help all plant-lover wannabes.

We hate to break it to you, but summer is well and truly over—cue the ugly crying GIF. But in good news, the season for snuggling by the fire—hot chocolate in hand—is upon us and frankly, we couldn’t be more ready. 

When it comes to creating a sanctuary at home, it really is the small things that make a difference. But, there's much more to it than simply adding a few new decor pieces to your collection. And, while we don't believe there's a strict prescription for designing your perfect space, there are a few universal concepts you can follow to help guide you in the right direction. 

It’s been dubbed the world’s most Instagrammable exhibition—selling out stints in Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Boston, Las Vegas and Philadelphia—and is now coming to Auckland.

Now you'll be able to have your own Emily In Paris moment as the full-scale, indoor exhibition will be touring stadium-sized venues in Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland next year. Yep, get ready to snap up those tickets.

If one thing’s for sure, indoor plants sit in a very special place in our hearts these days. You know, those cute, spiky little cacti sitting on the windowsill, or those stunning, draping string of pearls hanging on the wall. Many of you will agree that having plants around the house just makes life better.

Load Up your boot on covetable botanical goodies at Auckland Plant Market happening on March 21 at Smales Farm. Expect botanical art, live music, cute planters, colorful pots, jewelry, and skincare so whether you’re looking for adorable little succulents or kokedamas, you can find it all here.

We're pretty blessed here in NZ to get groceries—and even alcohol—delivered direct to our door, despite being in the midst of a nationwide lockdown. But after a bit of digging, we've discovered there's actually a number of other sweet products you can score online, that aren't milk, bread... or gin.

Paint your mate to resemble a resident of Pandora at Paintvine’s awesome new painting experience. Held this February 14 at Auckland’s Platform 8, why not skip the fancy dinner and get up close and personal with your partner to spice up your Valentine’s day.

Be the ultimate host with absolutely minimal effort. 

Lacking inspiration for what to do on the weekend? We understand your pain and that’s why we are here—to give you the inspiration to make this weekend the best you’ve had in a while. Sometimes all you need is a little time spent with nature to make you realise the good things in life are right in front of you. 

If you would love to spend your weekend gazing at art-adored walls with a quizzical look on your face thinking ‘what the heck is that!?’ or ‘I could do a better job than that’ then we have found the best places for you.

Aucklanders, you’re in for a treat. The Auckland museum is set to host the tallest LEGO brick model in all of the Southern Hemisphere as part of the Brickman Awesome LEGO exhibition.

With the temperature rising, it’s officially time to sort your outdoor space for the season. 

When it comes to advent calendars, why should the kid have all the fun? Well they don't, as it turns out—because a growing number of brands are cashing in on the festivities with their very own boujee versions that, quite frankly, are a whole lot better than the choccy numbers of our youth.

Auckland Art Gallery is offering free drop-in figure drawing sessions on Friday lates. As the name suggests, you are free to come and go whenever you please. 

Imagine all the fantasy and magic from Night at the Museum, and spice it up with some fire, pole dancing, and eccentricity. Brace yourself for an evening of unconventional entertainment at WTF?! 2020. 

Glow up old glass jars or transform tired plant pots.  

Let’s face it—we all have too much stuff.

If you’ve been binging ‘Get Organized with The Home Edit’ on Netflix, this one is for you. 

Scroll any Instagram feed and you’ll realise the indoor plant trend is here to stay. No décor gram is complete without lush foliage and cute pots.

2020 is officially the year of the staycation, and we can't think of a better spot to spend our next getaway than in the heart of the city itself, at the newly revamped Britomart precinct.

Wellington is the first city in the world to host the sell-out exhibition in the great outdoors.

Life is about to slow down a whole lot, so why not spend your time inside discovering a hidden talent. Paintvine has you covered with virtual art classes to keep you going and give you some contact with the outside world.

Unlike other sneaker-streetwear collabs, rather than only producing a pair of limited-edition kicks to covet and shop, this creative meeting-of-the-minds is more about sharing design know-how in the name of sustainability, and skilling up in all things DIY-style in the era of iso.

If you’ve got an Instagram account, chances are you’ve seen the sublime works of Paul Milinski at least a few times in your feed. The Melbourne-based graphic designer and creative director has gone from 300 to 300k+ followers in a matter of months, and with good reason. 

Your kitchen countertop is about to receive the glow up it deserves after all that lockdown cooking. Kenwood have released a limited-edition range of kMix kitchen machines in rose gold, chrome, black chrome, and yellow gold.

With nothing but wintery weather ahead of us, here’s what I’m shopping for to embrace the big chill, indoors and out. 

Commercial Bay will not only be home to some of the city's hottest new bars and eateries, there's also a tonne of top-notch retailers joining the ranks. Mixing up brands new and old, from here and abroad, one thing's for sure—you're going to want to bring along a whole lot of self control with that wallet.

If last weekend was anything to go by, it's time to face the hard truth that winter is most definitely on its way.  With lockdown due to continue for a wee while yet, we've put together the ultimate list of winter warmers you can get delivered to your door.

Winter has officially made itself known while we've been in lockdown, with snowy, rainy and windy days ahead. We've put together some tips for buying firewood and where you can order it from in Auckland to stay on top of winter and be prepared for anything.

While the regular influencer might be grounded by influenza, it’s our DIY YouTubers that are coming to the rescue. While the makeover majority are typically LA-based, twenty-something and of the bougie variety, New Zealand still has its own corner of content creators that are showing us the way of the craft, laser-cutter, and cosy living. 

Here’s a list of awesome things to do in New Zealand this weekend.

Not to toot our own horns or anything, but us Aucklanders are a talented bunch. There’s a variety of shakers and makers right here in our city that we’re proud as punch to have around. From a perfect addition to your home to gifts worth giving, you’re bound to find art, design and fashion that’s nothing short of perfect created right in our shores. It’s time to discover what our wonderful talent has to offer—here are the perfect places to find local artists and designers so you can shop ‘til you drop!

Not a lot of natural light at home? No worries. We've checked in with the pros to find out the best way to help your plants live their best life, without a lot of sun. 

If you’re a millennial living in New Zealand, chances are you have some indoor greenery. And it’s not just us who are plant-obsessed; the hashtag alone has two million posts on Instagram. These days a trip to Palmers is more common than hitting the shopping mall, and the craze doesn’t seem to be going anywhere soon. Here are some of our favourites.

Hot off the press this morning comes the news that Samsung’s sick new foldable phone has been released in New Zealand.

Finally, Auckland is getting a David Jones and we can’t WAIT!

Fancy getting inked? Why not do it for a good cause at Ink Me at QT. Oh, and did we mention celebrity tattooist Lauren Winzer? She’ll be there.

For all the wannabe plant parents out there, consider this your indoor plant bible.

Hubble bubble toil and trouble baby, October 31 is the perfect day to be a little extra and transform yourself into something spooky and we’re here to help you prep for it. We've found the freakiest and most skilful make-up artists on the 'Gram to scare you into shape this Halloween.

Newmarket, you’ve got it going onnn. There’s no shortage of things to see and do in this happening suburb.

My house, as they say, my castle. Dressing up your home is something we take very seriously and get super excited about. It is, after all, a reflection of who you are. The word ‘homeware’ itself has us squealing with joy. There’s little we enjoy more than navigating our way through stores, falling in love with half the display items, picking out dream pieces for the home none of us can afford.

With The World Of Wearable Art (WOW) exhibition just around the corner, Auckland finalist Ian Bernhard is gearing up to send his daring designs out on the stage. We had a chat with Ian about what inspires him, his design journey, and all things WOW.

Over the years tattoos have evolved from a symbol of the criminal underworld to a universal art form used as a form of self-expression and tribute. Portraits of family and idols, homage to favourite cartoons and video games, religion and various sub-cultures… the possibilities are as endless as your imagination.

Glow at Artweek is returning for another year to charm us all with a little bit of magic in our lives. If a wander under the moonlit and gleaming art installations sounds like a bit of you, keep on reading for all the deets to get you to your fluorescent paradise.

With sustainability as the theme at NZFW this year, both familiar favourites and brand new labels took to the runway with thoughtful and responsibly-made collections. 

Whether you’re looking for that one-off piece or the trendiest, must-have item of the season, we’ve scoured the racks to bring you all the must-visit boutiques in Christchurch.

It’s pretty well established that Auckland is full of cool, hip and unique things to do. So it’s only fitting that us Aucklanders are kitted out for the occasion, right?

Over the years tattoos have evolved from a symbol of the criminal underworld to a universal art form used as a form of self-expression and tribute. Portraits of family and idols, homage to favourite cartoons and video games, religion and various sub-cultures… the possibilities are as endless as your imagination.

Do you find yourself missing out on potential romantic entanglements with artists just because you can’t tell a Manet from a Monet? Or maybe you just want to buff up on your art terminology for when the next cool exhibition hits. Whatever your reason for wanting to up your culture game, we’ve got you.

Instagram is the ultimate directory of up and coming artists. Here are eight artists you should absolutely follow (and sometimes shop) on Instagram.

Aucklanders, you have been treated as the World Press Photo Exhibition hits the streets of our city once again.

Hands down, these are the most extra outfits from the Met Gala 2019 red carpet. 

Hygge is Danish for ‘a mood of cosiness’ and here's everything you need to nail this Nordic winter trend. 

Celebrating International Women’s Day, the Auckland Art Gallery's newest exhibition, Guerrilla Girls: Reinventing the ‘F’ word—Feminism, is a must. 

Heads up team, this is your culture bucket list the next time you’re in town for tea with the queen.

Have you ever wanted to jump into The Little Mermaid and witness the underwater world full of magic for yourself? Well, now you can stop imagining, book flights to Shanghai and make your dreams come true.

After you’ve binged Tidying Up and discarded what doesn’t give you joy—now what? Here’s the five storage rules we live by

New Zealand's biggest sculpture event to experience art on a spectacular grand scale returns this March.

Gather around flatmates, it’s the new year and it’s time to tackle adulting head on.

In what will be one of the biggest Supreme auctions to date, Fuller is selling his collection of Supreme decks – did we mention he’s collected every single one?

You open a door. There’s three doors ahead. Behind each of those doors is another door, which creeks open to reveal an abundance of doors.

It’s common knowledge that Japan is the coolest place on the earth—think robot restaurants, cherry blossoms, Harajuku and the birthplace of ramen.

If you lack a certain flair when it comes to hosting people, don’t stress, we’ve got you covered. Say goodbye to basic backyard barbeques, together with Mitre 10 we're bringing you eight essential home buys to level up a summer soirée with minimal effort (that won't break the bank either). Do it for your friends, and if not for them, do it for the ‘Gram

While I could say this collab is ‘highly anticipated’ or ‘the best of the year’, frankly I’d be lying. Why? Because Virgil Abloh seems to be on a hot streak and is dropping fire collabs on us left, right and centre. Truth be told, they’re all amazing. 

It’s that time of the year again where Auckland artists crawl out of their studios and share their masterpieces with the rest of the city and we couldn’t be any more excited.

Let’s face it, Auckland’s housing market is tough. So the truth is we’re probably going to be stuck living with our flatmates (or parents) for a while yet.

It’s pretty much the largest-scale piece of awesomeness artist Nick Cave has ever done so we’re hella thrilled it’ll be open for business Down Under but to top it all of, there’s actually a heap more for you to see.

 Ancient lava caves lurk beneath Auckland...with more than 200 entrances, you can find them in private backyards, under roadside manholes and even behind garages.

Set to launch during next month’s New Fashion Week—when else(?)—iconic fashion and beauty house, YSL is levelling up once again, opening a hotel dedicated to all things YSL beauty. Seriously, we can’t make these things up…

There’s nothing quite like a fabulously fabulous couch or sofa to make a bold statement in your home.

Famous for her luxury bags and quirky accessories, iconic Brit designer Anya Hindmarch has been responsible for many an ‘it’ bag in her day. But, in a huge plot twist as part of her AW18 collection, Hindmarch has released a limited-edition range of candles, aptly named ‘Anya Smells’.

Living your best life is expensive, right? Wrong! You can live it up large without breaking the bank thanks to The Warehouse. The one-stop shop has it all with everything from books and vinyl to pot plants and champagne flutes. 

Us kiwis are one creative nation. Separated from the rest of the world by vast amounts of water gives us a unique perspective on things… not to mention our stunning surroundings are an endless pool of inspiration!

Thinking small? Here’s just a few tiny houses we love, that you will desperately want to live in.

​We’re back, you gluttonous culture vultures. Ready to tear into another month of art, theatre, dance and nude bike rides (we’ll explain below). There’s actually a lot going on in June. Melbourne’s kicking off its huge NYC Festival, Sydney’s still rocking Vivid, and Auckland is celebrating something called Winetopia. The mind boggles.

Let’s face it, most of us are probably living in a rental at the moment and will continue to do so for years to come – even if we cut back our so-called outlandish spending on life’s very important necessities like smashed avocado on toast.

Just when you thought it was safe to put away your monocle, we’re busting out the best shows, productions and exhibitions you need to catch this month. Here, there and everywhere. We’ve got new opera in Melbourne, Viva rocking into Sydney and talks by the legendary David Sedaris (you’ll have to fly to LA for that one, but you know...)

When you think about how much time we spend inside our homes it doesn’t make sense to be haphazard with the décor. It doesn’t need to look like the Guggenheim but acknowledging the power of a well-placed cushion to transform a room is the first step to becoming an interiors god… The second step is having a creative breakdown when the internet yields an utter lack of interior inspiration.

It is time for all art enthusiasts to get excited, because a cardboard city—literally—is set to rise.

If you think culture is something that comes from yoghurt, this guide’s for you. Presenting a hand-picked selection of the coolest and easiest-to-understand cultural events in Australia, NZ and the world. Mime and post-modernist theatre definitely not on the list, we promise. Only the good stuff.

So, a thing happened. A ridiculously talented artist is replicating people’s real-life homes into miniature LEGO® versions. That’s right, from interior to exterior, brick by brick, this artist will recreate your very own home into LEGO—the resemblance is uncanny and we are in awe.

That Zuckerberg character, usually everyone is getting stuck into him for jamming up your news feeds with rubbish, influencing elections, and letting your data get breached—but every now and then he goes and does something right.

You'll also find crafts, bric-a-brac, art and clothing...they are a true treasure trove! And, sometimes you'll find things that you didn't even know you needed.

Home to deep dish pizzas, hot dogs and that weird bean, it’s not all that surprising we’re kinda obsessed with Chicago—if it’s good enough for Oprah, it’s good enough for us! 

We’ve handpicked the best of local tattoo accounts, so click follow and get your mind blown by the state of current-day tattooing on the daily.

The world will come to Auckland this month with the Auckland Arts Festival in an exceptional line-up of theatre, dance, circus and cabaret.

We set out to solve this life mystery and share with you a video with step-by-step instructions of how to fold a fitted sheet. 

Get comfortable, guys. We’re back with another high-brow look at the world of Culture. And no, for the purposes of this list, Netflix doesn’t count. Keep reading if you want the latest on al things performance, theatre, galleries and nouveau meta-art installations, Snoopy Museums, terrifying pig-babies and thousands of lanterns filling the night sky.

Let’s face it: the probability of any of us owning a large lavish home in the ‘burbs of Auckland is slim, very slim indeed. However, as we adapt to our teeny shared flats and just-big-enough-for-a-double-bedrooms, living in cramped quarters is becoming bearable. Dare we say almost enjoyable, it’s cosy. 

Bet you can’t scroll through your Insta feed without seeing a perfectly styled apartment featuring a giant Monstera, Pilea or Fiddle Leaf Fig (so 2014). Our thumbs get greener every year and 2018 is set to see trends move on from your average garden variety greenery. Here’s what we’re digging...