We round up six of our favourite homeware and interior stores from across the country that are worth adding to your destination-shopping list.
To see some of the chicest New Zealand homeware stores scroll through the gallery below:
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The well-curated selection of beautiful pieces handpicked by the owner makes Sunday the perfect destination for interior lovers. The lure of the beach, a love of New Zealand design and a belief in the power of a relaxing Sunday inspired the opening of Alana Broadhead-Fryer’s new homeware store, Sunday, in Waihi Beach. The boutique stocks a stylish selection of lifestyle goods, with cushions by You’re Welcome and ceramics by the likes of Renée Boyd alongside gorgeous art prints, artisanal food products, coffee-table books and more.
The founder of the design blog Fancy – which has featured local and international brands, makers and inspirational interiors for seven years – Alana says she never dreamed of opening a shop, although it ended up being a perfect fit. “I have been discovering, sharing and celebrating the best in New Zealand and international design for years, so in hindsight, it was probably a given that I would create something like this!”
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After 10 years as landscape photographers and the owners of a commercial studio, Sarah and Todd Sisson launched Folklore in 2016, with the adjoining Sisson Gallery opening last year to display the pair’s photography.
The stars of Folklore are a host of New Zealand-made pieces designed by Sarah and Todd which feature the pair’s photos of Central Otago and the wider South Island. As well as linen cushions, cashmere scarves, note-cards and furniture, there is a range of soaps, skincare and candles packaged in their prints. They’ve also designed ceramics, log carriers and chopping boards. “Sarah has a background in graphic design and we wanted to be able to share the images in more design-led mediums,” the couple say.
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When Annabelle Plowman opened her eponymous store in October 2016, she was already familiar with the ins and outs of the design world. When she was growing up she often accompanied her mother, Nicki Plowman (who has run fashion, jewellery and furniture businesses), on buying trips around the world and soon developed a keen eye for beautiful design. “Mum was always travelling and importing unique pieces,” she says. Annabelle also learned how to develop and maintain supplier contacts in the Middle East, India and Asia, which still serve her well today.
The shops aesthetic is natural and organic with splashes of serene blues and greens, the latter being Annabelle’s favourite colour. Containers arrive every few months from overseas with new stock, keeping the shop looking fresh and interesting. “Each container is different to the last,” Annabelle says, and customers can always expect surprises.
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A vacant waterfront warehouse and former gin distillery has been transformed into Auckland’s newest retail and hospo hub. Alongside Kings Plant Barn and specialty grocery store Farro Fresh, Orakei Bay Village houses a number of boutiques, eateries and bars, plus a florist, art gallery and more. Take a look at some of our favourite spaces.
Alex and Corban Walls’ second store is small but sweet, packed with luxe homeware, furniture and artworks from around the world. As well as the pair’s own line of linen bedding, you’ll find throws, wall hangings, tableware, books, body products and more. This clever husband-and-wife duo won The Block NZ in 2014 and have continued to showcase their unique style through their stores.
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Local design company The Mood Store is known for creating eye-catching homeware, handcrafted furniture and custom kitchens. In 2014, brothers James, Sean and Thomas Daniels took over their father Grant’s furniture workshop. “Dad had owned his own furniture business for 30 years so we decided to refresh the brand,” explains James. James, a structural engineer by trade, operates the retail store and showroom as well as creating custom-designed kitchens and laundries for clients. His partner, Jess Thompson, works in the store and is in charge of merchandising.
If you’re in the market for a new kitchen, couch or dining table, make sure you visit The Mood Store. “We’re happy to customise our designs to suit your needs,” says James. In store, the aesthetic is simple, clean-lined, minimalistic and high quality. You’ll find plenty of homeware made from timber, concrete, leather, brass and marble.
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For six years, Meg Domett, husband Duncan and daughter Grace have run Stacks Furniture Store, which specialises in locally made sofas, chairs and tables. When the dilapidated shop next door came up for lease, the family jumped at the chance to open a second shop, filling it with gifts and homewares from around the world.
After knocking out a few walls, drenching the space in crisp white paint and lime-washing the floors, the new store was christened The Axe. “An axe is such a practical, timeless object and that’s our interiors philosophy – anything simple and functional that doesn’t cost too much but lasts for years,” says Meg, who now splits her time between the two shops.
The Axe stocks a range of covetable items including organic, sustainable body care ranges from Denmark’s Meraki and New Zealand’s Triumph & Disaster, food items such as McClure’s pickles from Detroit, and cloth children’s toys from the US, UK and Australia.
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