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In celebration of Valentine's Day we caught up with one of our favourite Auckland based couples (and everyday needs regulars) Sam & George. 

Sam studies Architecture at the University of Auckland while working part time for Katie Lockhart. George is the Sales Manager at local fashion label Maggie Marilyn. They live down the road in an apartment at Freeman’s Park, which is filled with a beautiful selection of our products that they have collected over the years. 

 

1. HAY / Jochen Holz Jug: Amber

Sam: Jochen Holz is a German glass artist in London whose playful work we have admired for some time. We love the colour and leave it on the table when its empty. It makes a nice vase too.

2. Dariwallah Stripe Bag

George: We’ve got a couple of these. They’re great for overnight trips or for taking to the beach. We love all of the different colours they come in.

3. Claude Megson: Counter Constructions

Sam: This book by Giles Reid documents five 1970s projects of the late Auckland architect Claude Megson. Megson’s work is fun and experimental, with warm interiors rich in colour and texture. The book is well designed and filled with incredible drawings.

4. Woven Mat

George: We’ve just seen these beautiful woven mats. I’ve got my eyes on the teal check for our living room.

5. Incense: Golden Pavilion

Sam: I burn one of these every morning. It stops me from starting the day in a rush.

Mallory Allen is a local artist and a treasured part of the Everyday Needs family. You may have seen her in our Ponsonby store keeping the shelves looking fresh. Mallory has a multidisciplinary art practice which includes her wonderful pencil drawings. These are her favourite Everyday Needs pieces.

1. Dariwallah Stripe Bags

At the moment I'm trying to figure out how many of these bags is too many. Aside from the beautiful, bright colour-ways which are lovely to look at, these bags are also really useful. I use them for beach trips, holidays, grocery shopping and storage. I've never been excited to store my linen and excess clothes somewhere before but here we are; I've found a way to make my hoarding look pretty.

2. Maryse Intensive Omega Treatment

Maryse uses locally sourced natural, sustainable and organic ingredients to create her beautiful skincare. While I use and love each and every thing she makes, I think the Intensive Omega Treatment is my favourite. I say with all sincerity that this product is like a hug for your face. When I'm feeling tired or low or just need a little treat I use this treatment and it gives me the biggest pick me up and undoes years of bad decisions.

3. Monmouth Rose Tumbler

Each of these rose tumblers catches the light in such a special way, I love the shadows they cast on a surface and the way the light bounces off them, making them sparkle. Hand blown in Auckland by Monmouth, each glass is entirely unique and they stack in such a lovely, uneven way. And that luminescent pink! Sublime.

4. Kawakawa Healing Balm

One of the perks of working in the store is getting to meet our lovely local makers like Louise, the wonderful woman behind Wild Love Kawakawa Healing Balm. Lou is a certified naturopath and uses lots of lovely medicinal grade herbs in her balms and teas. I swear by the Kawakawa healing balm and need it near me at all times. I use it as a moisturiser, lip balm, on sunburn, scratches and itchy bites. I force it on my friends and partner because I know it will help any ailment and they all adore it.

5. Petley Salad Servers

Another local maker, Courtney of Petley creates handmade serving utensils from reclaimed New Zealand timber. The love, time and care put into each unique piece is so apparent, each piece feels special and has a history of its own. I feel like when I finally own some of these I'm really going to have to up my salad game.

 

Kiwi, maker and friend Phil Cuttance shares with us his favourite items from Everyday Needs. Phil creates wonderful geometric forms from his London based studio, popping home every now and then to run workshops in Auckland. The EDN team were lucky enough to attend a workshop when Phil was last here, we learnt about the technique he uses to create the sharp lines and complex shapes in his work often assumed to have been created by a computer. His work is in fact made entirely by hand from Jesmonite, an eco-friendly water based fine cement-like material, shaped using hand cut moulds. 

1. A4 Print // "We flutter for an instant and think it is forever" - Mallory Allen

Love Mallory's drawings! I really appreciate her subtle approach to representing nature. Her drawings are technically stunning and, despite the rumours, she's an A+ human.

2. Japanese Koinobori Carp Windsock Mini

Real life Carp are the worst. Not a fan. I see anglers pulling them out of the canals in London. These lovely windsocks are a clever marketing ploy by Carp to represent themselves as less gross - and it works. I recently helped my sister hang one in her yard, on a very tall piece of bamboo, and it looks brilliant. 

3. Salt Or Pepper Spitz

I've loved Martino's work for a long time and was fortunate enough to work with him several years ago, here in London. In a former life I was a cabinetmaker and had convinced myself I was pretty handy, but after starting with Martino I realised I didn't know s***. He's an absolute demon on a table saw, and the delicious angles of the Spitz reminds of his workshop acrobatics.

4. Gidon Bing Post Card

Gidon's graphic signature style has appealed to me since I first saw his work years ago. These are too nice to send to people. Buy one, frame it, and hang it in your own place.

5. Bookends by Everyday Needs

My girlfriend has a lot of books. Too many to be honest. We have no bookends. Books can give you a hell of a fright when they fall over on the shelf. Bookends prevent this from happening. I've tried to design bookends a few times but always over thought it: these are a simple and a great shape.

 

Gina Williams grew up on her family farm, which is located on the lower foothills of Maungatautari in the Waikato. The area is known for having an abundance of rich pasture and Maungatautari Ecological Island, which has the longest pest-proof fence in the world.

Gina's family have worked the land for almost a century. Today, it's a medium-sized, certified organic dairy farm, as well as a small apiary and garden that use organic principles. They combine intelligent solutions such as state-of-the-art robotics with responsible, regenerative practice. Over the past few years, they have retired over 10 ha of marginal land and have planted over 30,000 native trees and shrubs.

Gina and her partner Richard introduced bees to the farm two years ago and just released honey from their first harvest, which is now available at Everyday Needs.

1. Arnold Circus Stool

One lunchtime in 2014, my pal Zofia and I trundled up to Everyday Needs and bought three stools in khaki, sage and white. Since then, they’ve been a firm fixture at the shed, nestled into the office desk that my Dad made. They’re sturdy, adaptable and we like that they’re made from recyclable plastic and are easy to clean. 

2. Opinel Tradition Knife

We’ve created a forest garden with quite a few New Zealand heritage orchard trees. Over the last few years Mum and I have found it’s essential to have a good knife you can rely on for pruning and collecting fruit. Our Opinel has become a go-to at the shed.

3. Ceramic Butter Dish

Recently, Richard and I have been playing around with cheese and butter, with the milk from our organic cows. We’re enjoying tinkering with ratios and methods and flavours. Come lunchtime at the shed, the butter dish looks good next to Richard’s sourdough loaf.

4. Japanese Copper Grater

Over the last two years we’ve been growing New Zealand heritage garlic, called takahue and kakanui. When you’ve grown something from seed, you can’t help but treat it with a little extra love. We find the grater to be a classic and strong edition to the kitchen’s second drawer down.

5. Honey by Our Land of Milk and Honey

Our first harvest of honey from the farm is a small batch of 200 jars. The bees collect nectar from our diverse pasture and wetlands. So, this means they can drawn on a range of sources and every jar looks and tastes slightly different. It was important for us to go with a glass jar that could be reused by its owner.

Raukura is an Architect at Monk Mackenzie and has a visual practise as a multi-disciplinary artist. Her oil pastel works have been exhibited around the country and she will represent Aotearoa next year at the Tokyo International Art Fair. Raukura is the artist behind our most recent wrapping paper, as well as a series of oil pastel works available online. 

Moko is an artist and revivalist of the traditional Maori and Pacific tattoo practice and culture. They live down the road from us in the much loved Freemans Bay housing blocks once coined the ‘Art Ghetto’, where true to its history they often work from home. We are happy to share their wish list with you. 

Raukura Turei

1. Maryse Face Oil

This face oil is so delicious I can’t help covering my face in it every time I’m in the store. I have recently been introduced to face oil as a replacement for night cream and it is such an indulgence for dry skin.

2. Hinoki Bathroom Stool

Our dining table has been absorbed into the corner of our lounge now claimed by my painting ‘studio’. Dinners and almost everything else we do in our apartment happens around our coffee table, a height which is awkwardly low for the couch and awkward high for sitting on the floor. Often we debate the perfect seat for our coffee table and it inevitably comes back to a small stool. The simplicity of the Hinoki stool fools us into thinking we could make these ourselves... we still haven’t.

3. Brass Dinner Bell

Our everyday lives have little time given to a sacred moment. Often we start our day with the ringing of a cellphone which we are then plugged into until we set our alarm to sleep. 

This past year I have developed the very indulgent ritual of sleeping in, counter to Moko who has started practicing a morning tea ritual as a meditation. While I love the idea of getting up and joining him in this ritual, the haunt of my alarm reeks of work and resistance. This small sculptural bell is such an indulgent object we would never think to buy ourselves but it could just be the perfect chime to start the day.

4. Classiky Wooden Toolbox

Moko recently purchased a small metal box and inlayed it with foam to carry his uhi (traditional Māori tattooing tools) when travelling. He now has his eye on this beautifully crafted wooden box as the resting place for his tools at the studio.

5. Raukura Turei x EDN original oil pastel works

I have been focusing on my painting practise over the past few years, reawakening a love of drawings and painting from when I was very young. My work come from a place of deep healing and sharing the vulnerability of the human spirit. These original works made for Everyday needs draw on the playful vibrancy of one of our Māori goddess’ Hine-Ruhi whose dancing emulates the flickering light of dawn.

Meet Kareen and Will Durbin, friends and collaborators of Everyday Needs and the duo behind our new Lawn Lounge Hat. The Durbin's are life and business partners, working (primarily) with migrants and former refugees now living in New Zealand. 

companioncodesign.com

1. Japanese Brass Ball Incense Holder

We have had one of these unassumingly perching at ours for a while. An equal marrying of form & function, it’s simplicity and elegance never ceases to please.

2. The Stanley Camping Coffee Press

We have such a penchant for odds & ends like this — acquiring them seems like a promise to ourselves of future escapes & explorations!

3. Birthday Beeswax Candles

SO festive, with a nostalgia inducing fragrance; a reminder of the much loved craft tent from childhood camps. These rainbow delights spruce up well intentioned but not quite perfected baking attempts.

4. Companion x EDN Lawn Lounge Hat

We have a design practice involving cross cultural collaborations with migrants & former refugees now living here in NZ. The Lawn Lounge Hat in canvas, made just for Everyday Needs, is an example of some of our simpler pieces. Wide brimmed for optimal sun protection.

5. Glass Keep Cup // Cork

Infinitely practical and lives up to it's name in terms of long-life span.

Sophie Wallace is the curator behind the success of Parlour Projects. Having opened in the Hawkes Bay in 2016, Parlour Projects has an impressive exhibition programme and provides the region with a fresh art presence of an international standard. We are delighted to share Sophie's favourite objects from Everyday Needs. 

www.parlourprojects.com

1. Bedside Carafe with Glass

I bought my dad the bedside carafe for Christmas last year, and funnily enough, by complete chance, my brother had also bought one for me. It always sits on my desk at home, where I work from when I’m not in the gallery. I find such joy in re-filling my glass from the carafe, rather than the tap; it makes the simple act of drinking water so enjoyable, almost ritualistic. I like the thinness of the glass, the way the cup perfectly sits on the carafe to create a lid when it’s not in use, and the gentle tinkering noise the two objects make when they meet. I’ve since gone on to buy it as an engagement gift for two friends.

2. Italian Lined Notebook

My leather notebook accompanies me wherever I go. It holds my notes, lists, ideas and thoughts, and is the one exception to my otherwise paper-free existence. Over time, the cover has softened and worn in nicely, which I love. I always think this notebook looks as though it’s capable of telling a story or two. 

3. Brass Stationary Tray

This sits on my desk, collecting pens, keys and miscellany from my pockets. It helps my work space to feel tidy and organised. I love the intricate detailing of the hexagonal corners and the tray’s long slender shape, contrasted with the sand-casted textured brass surface. 

4. Hasami Porcelain Planter

The soft speckled blue is what drew me to this planter. It sits on some dark wooden bookshelves alongside other ceramics, books and small artworks. Admittedly, I’m yet to pot a plant in it, as it looks like a significant object on its own accord. It has a tactility to it; I always want to pick it up and hold it in my hands

5. Fjallraven Backpack

A Swedish classic. I’ve taken my Fjallraven backpack to music festivals, on ski trips up the mountain, and to the library as well. It really has been well used and well loved. I imagine it’ll be a life-long item of mine.

Torbjørn Anderssen is one half of Norwegian design duo Anderssen & Voll. Pictured above alongside design partner Espen Voll, the pair work from their studio in Oslo within various fields of design, with a focus on domestic objects. Their Ildhane cast iron candleholder is still one of our best selling items, and we are so happy to have it back in stock. Anderssen & Voll also have an ongoing relationship with fellow Norwegian brand, Røros Tweed, creating a beautiful range of blankets we love. Torbjørn has kindly shared some insight into his favourite objects from our range.

1. Recycled sari pot holder

I really like the oversized texture in relation to the format - and I also like the random expression, which at the same time is very set by the design itself.

2. Ruth Castle woven dish

I wasn’t familiar with the work of Ruth Castle - but now I am - and I think it is beautiful. A woven basket is such a sympathetic object - it is mainly air. I think this ancient technology is demonstrating how we could address a lot of production issues in the future: creating beauty and usefulness with a small amount of material.

3. Hinoki aroma block

This reminds me of the bathroom we had in our old apartment. A small space doubled by a mirrored wall and a red cedar wood grate on the floor, which gave off a clean scent when damp. I can imagine these blocks could do the same, but without me having to tailor a floor grate. I just don’t have the time anymore.

4. Hinoki wastepaper bin

I obviously need this to keep my Hinoki aroma block company.

5. Ildhane cast iron candle holder

Ildhane is very important to our studio, as it sparked the establishment of our in-house brand: Nedre Foss. An interesting point to this development is that it would never have happened if we didn’t have a 3D-printer in our studio. We were able to refine the shape after printing over and over again - to be absolutely sure on what this object would represent before investing in moulds and production tools. A pivoting point technology for a small business unit like we are. Ildhane is a mysterious object. The core of Nedre Foss is the notion of the Century Product + what we refer to as 'sculptural utility'. By this we mean objects that will serve you for at least 100 years, and where the sculptural qualities on one side, and the utility aspect on the other, are equal parts of the function.

 

Our beautiful friend Shan-Mei has been an integral part of the Everyday Needs team for the past eighteen months. As cheerful store manager, super organised logistics co-ordinator (and in-house personal trainer) Shan-Mei is always a delight to be around. We are sad to farewell her as she starts the next chapter of her life, but so excited to see what she accomplishes next! Here Shan-Mei shares an Edit of her personal favourites from the Everyday Needs offering.

1. Maryse enzyme-refine cleanser

If there’s one thing I use everyday, it's this cleanser. A staff favourite and having done a lot of the stock ordering, I can personally attest to the fact that these products are handmade locally in small batches - literally just a couple of doors down from our shop. The bio-boost serum and mineral dew are also faves of mine and make perfect little gifts too!!

2. Body brush

I don’t use this brush often enough but when I do… boy oh boy! I mean, who doesn’t love baby smooth skin?! I also think it’s really cool that these brushes are made by visually impaired crafts people using traditional Swedish techniques.

3. Norwegian lambswool blanket

The recent chilly evenings as well as the generous size of this beautiful blanket were already enough to convince me... But then a friend at work spoke of how a blanket is a piece you will treasure for a really long time, and that sold me! This blanket now reminds me of her, and the trademark green reminds me of my time at Everyday Needs... #cheesy

4. Arnold Circus stools

From side table, to stool, to lazy floor TV-dinner table… a classic. Theres new colours and sizes out now, too! How to choose…?

5. Falcon enamel tumblers

I always aim to reduce waste and one of the easiest moves I made was getting myself a trusty glass Keepcup (which we also stock). Recently I got a couple of these enamel tumblers to keep in the car as a backup and to share with friends - a warning, espressos can be hot to hold but manageable! Also great for a cheeky wine when outdoors!

 

Personal note: “Thank you to everyone I’ve encountered and worked with during my time here at Everyday Needs. All the lovely customers that I got to know on a first name basis, everyone on our shop block, the wonderful suppliers and talented crafts people - it's truly been a pleasure. Also a massive thanks to the EDN team (namely my core girls - Lou and Neeve)… Thank you xx”

Our friends Abel Sloane and Ruby Woodhouse are the talented duo behind London-based practice 1 9 3 4. Starting out as dealers of twentieth century furniture, the pair have recently expanded into interior design - such as an aspirational full renovation of a Victorian apartment in Hackney - and research projects like their first publication, The Simple Heart of Plywood, a new book on the little known furniture of Gerald Summers - which we are proud to now stock in our store. We love these two for the warmth & ease they bring to everything they do and are happy to share their edit of five Everyday Needs pieces.

1.Japanese incense // Brilliant Peaks

There’s something quite ritualistic about burning incense in the home. It is something that both of our parents have always done since we were small. These ones in particular are favourites of ours – not too overpowering but creates a homely and clean atmosphere, ready for the day!

2. Hinoki bathroom stool

We’re always looking for practical stools like this for our projects. They can be moved around the house for several needs: bedside tables, reaching high shelves, dusting, for candles and whatnot. This one is humble, and well made.

3. Dustpan and brush set

An essential tool for absolutely every house. We’d have one in every room if they looked like this!

4. Belgian linen tea towels // Check

We’re big fans of anything check. We like our tea towels too! We use tea towels a lot in our own home. Cooking every night means washing up every night (especially without a dishwasher)… so tea towels are much needed in the kitchen!

5. The Simple Heart of Plywood: an introduction to Gerald Summers and Makers of Simple Furniture

This book started as research into a pair of chairs we bought 3 years ago at an antiques market. We were pushed hard to find much information about the designer, who we later found to be Gerald Summers (made by his workshop 'Makers of Simple Furniture'). A few notes turned into a few pages, and we made contacts with family members and collectors. This year we decided to publish our findings in book form, designed by Joe Gilmore. It’s our first publication and hopefully not the last.

This week for The Edit we are excited to feature photographer and author, Leslie Williamson. Leslie is best known for her unique and personal approach to photographing interiors, seeing the homes she shoots as a portrait of the people who live there. Leslie's first two books, Handcrafted Modern and Modern Originals, are volumes we return to over and over. To celebrate the release of her beautiful new book Interior Portraits, Leslie has kindly shared five of her favourite pieces from the Everyday Needs range.

1.Monmouth Glass handblown rose tumblers

The moment I saw these, my mind was flooded with wonderful memories of my Grandmother and her glass collection. She collected only this particular color of pink. These tumblers, of course, are a bit more modern than anything she owned, and perfectly imperfect as only handblown glass can be. But what a special thing to have a simple object link one’s mind to such a potent and happy trove of memories. Every time I drink out of these I will be sharing a moment with my Grandmother (who passed years ago). I cannot think of anything better.

2. Ruth Castle fruit dish

I first became aware of Ruth Castle’s work, when I saw her Garlic Basket hanging in a friend’s kitchen in London years ago. I have finally started to build my own collection of her work and this fruit dish I see as the next piece to add to my collection. I may even follow her directions and use it as a fruit dish. But then again, it might just need to hang on my wall.

3. Rattan carpet beater

Who wouldn’t want such a beautiful object made for a perfectly mundane task? To be honest, I have always wanted one of these. I am sure my attraction to the carpet beater is in part because I was weaned on BBC costume dramas and Merchant and Ivory films, but there is an undeniable romance to them, isn’t there? It harks to a time before machines “simplified” our lives (vacuum cleaners, washing machines, etc.). I know the reality of beating a carpet clean is a lot of hard work and sweat, but I cannot help but think of how quiet it must have been without all the buzzing of vacuums and the like. It is a beautiful object that speaks of simpler times.

4. Enamel three pint jug in Samphire

I have a soft spot for the common pitcher. I have more than I will ever use, but this one, which I cannot break, will be used more than most - for flowers, for water at dinner parties, and more than likely just to decorate my shelf with a shot of this lovely deep green color.

5. Japanese house slippers

I have a minor obsession with wearing baskets on my feet so these slippers will definitely satisfy that. Plus they are so much more interesting that the usual slip on, no?

Our friends Cindy & Dominic have been cheerful weekend regulars in our store for as long as we can remember, and have lived in Ponsonby for twenty years. Cindy is a primary school teacher and principal, and Dom is a music teacher and musician who has just released a new record. To coincide with our loosely themed 'Back to school' week the couple have shared with us five Everyday Needs pieces that they use daily.

1.Deadly Ponies x Everyday Needs laptop wallet

Dom: Although I really needed one, I would never get a laptop case from St Lukes so jumped when I saw this. It's resilient and school-proof and the kids ask about the collection of words on the label.

2. Phil Cuttance herringbone bud vase

Cindy: It showcases the flowers from our garden. I love the herringbone, it's a sculptural piece, art really, and I've always loved his work.

3. Anglepoise Type 75 lamp in Ochre

Cindy: Because it helps me read my favourite books and disconnect. And I can move it's head so it looks like a monster.

4. Wooden doormat with bristles

Dom: If a doormat could patinate, this one does it gracefully. Even though they were so beautifully upright when it was new, the bristles are gradually becoming softer; the whole texture of it changing over time.

5. Ceramic incense plate

We chose ours from a selection as they were all different and very organic. We love that it's hand-made and beautiful but above all, that it does its job so perfectly.