The whirlwind that is the end of the year has our schedules jam-packed around here. A friend from the Northern Hemisphere recently noted that compared with the holiday season in her neck of the woods, the rush to the deadline of Christmas is a real thing in the Antipodes. I don’t necessarily think it’s the festive occasion itself that motivates most of us, though — it’s more about the allure of the summer that follows and clearing our schedules to make way for a break. I’m definitely looking forward to some downtime, are you?
As deputy editor Philippa, art director Juliette and I mulled over this issue’s cover lines, the idea of creating ‘a place to land’ struck me as a heart-warming way to express what many people seek to cultivate in their homes. This issue, we explore what that looks like in urban and rural contexts. Architect Matt Chaplin and interior designer Sarah-Jane Pyke share how their respective practices — Sumich Chaplin Architects and Arent & Pyke — collaborated to create the ultimate Tāhuna/Queenstown bolthole for a young family making the move home from Sydney; the sensory specialists behind fragrance brand Ashley & Co, Jackie and Ben Ashley, tell how opening up their Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland home to their bush-clad backyard has been a wonderful way to get closer to nature; and we also spoke to interior designer Anna Baxter of Wānaka’s The Workroom about the go-slow approach she and her husband Adam have taken to updating their Tudor-style home. It’s the opposite of making rash decisions, and the results speak for themselves.
Inspired by Anna, I’m comfortable sticking with the status quo at my place for a bit longer, while my partner Nick and I wait for the right time to activate our design plans. Perhaps they’ll percolate over the break.
Editor Alice Lines
