As spring makes its exit — red-alert winds one day, snow the next, then a stretch of bluebird skies — I’ve been reminded that home has a way of helping us recalibrate when life gets messy. Amid all this unpredictability, I’ve been drawn to homes and ideas that feel grounded, spaces where calm and creativity can coexist.
When I stopped by Adam Mercer’s studio in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, our discussion made it clear that his design sensibility extends beyond architecture. He’s as thoughtful about lifestyle as he is about structure. A surfer at heart, Adam’s collaboration with Meg Woodward and Adriaan Dekker in Raglan captures a balance between freedom and focus. The outdoor space we chose for our cover shows it perfectly — designed for real life, where work, rest and play move easily together. You’ll find it on page 62.
That sense of connection continues in the Ōtautahi suburb of Sumner, where Sarah and Toby Betteridge’s home by Aaron Jones of Urban Function and Abbie Herniman of The Home Maker is attuned to its coastal outlook and the pace of everyday living. Step inside on page 76.
Inland, Caroline and Simon Curtis’s home in Waitaha/North Canterbury tells a story of creativity and pragmatism, finding clever solutions within their means, making the most of what’s there. When I visited with my son Ted, he and their girls ran between the lambs and garden, while we talked about building simply and well. See more of their story on page 88.
Back in Tāmaki Makaurau, Sarah-Jane Paine and Laird Cameron’s renovation with Rogan Nash Architects shows how a familiar home can take on new life through design that’s refined and responsive. Turn to page 102.
These homes remind me that good design doesn’t need to shout. It works in the background, steadying us through change and helping us feel at ease with the lives we lead. As summer settles in, I hope you find time to enjoy these pages, and the satisfaction of feeling at home in your own flow.
Alice Lines, Editor
@alice.lines