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Brett Band is the local designer behind Paceracer, a recent addition to everyday needs. Brett's mother was a dressmaker, and his father a bridge engineer, which explains the wonderful balance between detail and robustness in his watches. After studying Industrial Design and Sustainability at AUT and designing for a number of NZ brands, Brett became interested in traditional watches due to his curiosity in how they are constructed. His attention to detail and the personal finishing of his timepieces make them truly special.

1.  New Zealand Crayons

I have a 2-year-old niece these were a perfect Kiwiana gift for. She was born in Amsterdam and is Kiwi, Dutch and Italian. I sent them for Christmas last year for her to get a head start on practising her signature.

2. Norwegian Lambswool Blanket // Mikkel

My couch at home is pretty simple with a wooden frame and cushions, quite vintage. Every time I scroll through the website I stop on this blanket, the bold block colours are pretty appetizing. Even the stitching and branding make it irresistible. It would be good to see it on my couch.

3. Interior Portraits

I've always enjoyed flicking through images of interiors - who doesn't really? I've got an interiors Pinterest folder I look at once every three years but seem to save dreamy interiors into it on a weekly basis. So it's a book for the coffee table. Maybe it'd go well with the Mikkel blanket.

4. Opinel Essential Knives

Opinel knives are so crisp and good to cut all sorts of things with. I'd like to add these to my collection. A friend of mine and I like Opinel so much we once bought twenty of them and split the deal.

5. HAY Palissade Stool

The small details of this stool I think are what makes it look good as an overall object. The feet are pressed out to a bevelled shape just at the ends - just enough, and this catches the light really nicely, as well as encapsulate the subtle trim of the wider rubber grommet feet at the same time. The top of the seat sits just below the two frames on the outside, a cool little detail to keep the hips in place. Not to mention the balance of the palisades, they have nice bends, and the spacing between looks comfortable. Where they intersect into the tubular frame, its just done well, a clean weld. Quality. They even match the top curve of the outside bends of the tube. After all that, the weight of it just makes you appreciate its robustness. My workshop needs a Palisade stool.

We asked director of Objectspace Kim Paton to share her favourite Everyday Needs pieces with us. The Everyday Needs team enjoy catching up with Kim at events run by Objectspace, NZ's leading public gallery decicated to craft, design and architecture. Kim was the driving force behind the development of Objectspace's wonderful new space in Ponsonby. Kim has curated and written extensively on craft and contemporary art and holds a First-Class Honours degree in Sculpture and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Management.

1.  Ruth Castle Fruit Dish

The Woven Dish (fish basket technique) is my favourite of Ruth Castle’s works, I love its incredible simplicity. It beautifully articulates the negotiation between the maker and her materials. A survey of Ruth’s work was the first exhibition scheduled to open at Objectspace a fortnight after I took over the position of Director. Her work taught me a lot very quickly about craft in New Zealand. Craft historian Damian Skinner describes Castle’s practice as one that embodies a radical demonstration of the maker’s belief in the agency of her materials. I love the idea that the materials Ruth selects have their own force - what Ruth does is as much to understand what the material wants to do, as it is to impose her own ideas on the making of each basket.

2.100 Chairs by Martino Gamper

One of my all-time favourite exhibition catalogues. A testament to the simplicity and purity of an idea. It is simple and modest in form and gives you just enough information to be the perfect memento to an extraordinarily good exhibition.

3.Hex-O-Matic Mechanical Pencil

Everyone has a favourite stationary item, don’t they? Mine is a mechanical pencil. I visited Japan for the first time this year and came home with a suitcase full of them. This one is heavy to hold and cool to the touch.

4.Gidon Bing x EDN Stackable Mug

I’m the kind of person that picks a coffee cup for life, one cup that I use every day. It doesn’t matter what else there might be on the shelf, I love the routine and ritual in a single object that I start every day with. Gidon’s short stackable cup is perfect.

5.Taper Rainbow Candles

When I was growing up in Christchurch, my favourite weekend activity was visiting the Arts Centre markets. There was a permanent candle maker in residence, and you could select your colours and have a tapered candle dipped while you waited. I would have given a pair of rainbow tapered candles as a present at every birthday I went to from ages 10 to 15. I love that these are back in my life, a humble handmade object.

Long time customer of Everyday Needs, Rebecca Commissaris is an artist and architect in Freemans Bay. She practices at Cheshire Architects while maintaining her own art studio at Strange Haven on K-Road. Her upcoming book and corresponding exhibition titled Can I Borrow Your Spoon? chronicle her 3000 km walk on Te Araroa Trail where she painted the landscape daily. Rebecca recently received a scholarship to Yale’s School of Architecture, where she will begin graduate work in July. She continues to paint daily, convinced that a habitual practice automises the brain, allowing the creative and emotive mind to innovate in unexpected ways.

1.  Ruth Castle Lemon Basket

My partner and I eat a lot of fruit. Like 10 kilos a week. After shopping, one of my favourite things is to organise fruit by colour and form. This basket further satisfies my enthusiasm for well-organised fruit. At the moment it is loaded with limes from our trees. The chartreuse green is striking against the dark wicker.

2.Handmade Large Serving Spoon

These servers are almost too beautiful to use. But I don't believe in reserving prized possessions for special occasions only. The Kauri timber has darkened over time and residue oil from salad dressings brings out a wonderful gold fleck in the grain.

3.Apple Farmer’s Basket

Our kitchen has only open shelves and counter-tops, nowhere to hide anything. A nice consequence is that I purchase only beautiful things; glass jars filled with nuts and grains, hand-thrown teacups and my apple basket. It’s usually sitting in the corner of the kitchen, loaded with watercolours, paintbrushes, a picnic rug and some dried flowers. The pattern and density of the weave make anything inside look beautiful.

4.Birds & Other Animals with Pablo Picasso

I look through this book quite often. Every time I open a page, I am amazed by how with a single line Picasso captures a hawk or a penguin. His line-work is so effortless and confident.

5.DP X EDN Zipper Pouch

This little bag goes with me everywhere. In it, I keep all my essentials: cards, pen, pencil, a miniature scale ruler, my 12-pan tin of watercolours, paintbrush and a hand-made sketchbook. Since it’s semi-waterproof, it protects my main bag from watercolour stains and ink spills.

In celebration of Mother's Day, we caught up with the wonderful Holly Houston, talented photographer, ceramicist and mum to Willow and Ira.

1. Handmade Spatula

Courtney Petley is a good friend, and quite possibly one of the funniest people I have ever met. I love all of her work, but this spatula in particular blows our minds, my boyfriend and I are both obsessed with it. I don't know what it is about it, but it just keeps on getting better with age. I have actually bought a few of them now, as it's one of my favourite gifts to give loved ones.

2. Sans Activator 7 Body, Hair and Face oil

I'm terrible at hair and make up, but I go pretty big on fancy natural skin care. Sans is one of my absolute favourites, I slather this oil all over my bod and it smells like heaven on earth. In the summer when we go away camping, I can get away with taking nothing but this oil and a comb and I'm set for weeks.

3. Toast Tongs

We live in the teeniest flat, with the teeniest kitchen, so lots of our appliances live in weird places. Our toaster is on top of the fridge, and I am constantly burning my fingers trying to blindly grasp the toast from way up above! My boyfriend is very tall so it's no problem for him, but I really need these tongs.

4. Taper Rainbow Candles

I try to incorporate special little rituals into my daughters life that make mundane things feel a little more magical. During the darker months I will often light candles on regular weeknight dinners. As I mentioned, our flat is tiny so we can't have a dining table, we all sit on the floor around the coffee table, with these long table candles, its a bit ridiculous, but I do love it.

5. Aran Sweater

I saw these recently when I was visiting in store, and had to have a wee pet of them. I'm a bit of a sook about winter, but these sweaters make me feel like it might all be okay.

Our newest Edit features Harrison Gyde, the designer behind our current window installation. We're big fans of Little Dough Co in Wellington, which was founded by Harrison before moving to Auckland to start his design studio, Some Studio.

1. Folded Metal Bookends

My partner and I have just moved up from Wellington and have yet to find a spot for our ever-increasing library. Thanks to a pair of these however I am able to have at least a few titles out at a time, reminding me to actually open up some old favourites and read them again. Only problem is, I find myself getting distracted each time I walk by.

2. Eleanor Pritchard Dovetail Blanket

Not many know, but I used to weave at university whilst studying Textile Design, so the pure technical beauty of Eleanor’s work is a real pleasure to see up close. As the mornings get colder I am finding myself wishing for a snug blanket to wrap up in while I get up to brew coffee in the morning, and this one is perfect for the job.

3. Anglepoise Type 75 Lamp in White

As much as I love Margaret Howell and all that she does, I find it hard to look past the timeless white version of the Type 75. I have a set of Artek 60s for beside the bed and the combination of the two would make sitting in bed with a cup of tea my favourite part of the day. An elegant solution to the ill-fated pitch-black walk to bed from the light switch.

4. H&S Stacking Glasses

I know it might be sacrilege but I am a fan of one type of glassware in the house for all situations. I have no qualms with drinking wine from tumblers, and the stacking nature of these glasses are rather pleasing, maybe it’s because they remind me of something Ettore Sottsass might have designed. I can just see myself pouring a sneaky extra half a glass more than I really should at the end of an enjoyable dinner with friends.

5. Vitra Toolbox

I love these things. No matter how hard I try I always end up with small collections of things scattered across my desk, be it inspiration material or ideas to hold onto for a later date. It’s nice to have a receptacle for the mess I manage to make, and somehow makes me feel like I am a grown-up when everything has it’s place.

In celebration of International Women's Day we caught up with one of our favourite ethical entrepreneurs Louise Garland. Louise is the Naturopath and Medical Herbalist behind local brand Wild Love. We receive regular deliveries of her wonderful Kawakawa healing balm and natural teas which are always quick to sell out due to her dedicated following. 

1. Patterned Socks // Dandelion

Being a herbalist, of course, I adore these socks.  Dandelion is one of my favourite medicinal herbs so when I saw these it was love at first sight.

2. Handmade Round Incense Holder

I've been an incense fan since forever.  I remember going to Victoria Park Market in the '90s to buy it.  My dad hated me burning it in the house, I think it gave him flashbacks to the '60s.  I still light it whenever I get the chance and this holder by local maker Petley makes my obsession look so beautiful.

3. Unitea Glass Mug

I love that through these glass cups you can see the beautiful tones of herbal teas.

4."We flutter for an instant and think it is forever"

One of my favourite places to spend time is the beach, and this incredible pencil drawing by local artist Mallory Allen takes me there every time.

5. Companion x EDN Lawn Lounge Hat

Right now I'm looking for a new place to call home. Most importantly I want to find somewhere with space to grow some herbs at the very least, and if there's enough room for some veggies too that would be a dream. I'm already visualising wearing this hat while pottering in my garden for hours on end. Fingers crossed!    

Photo credit Mark Barber

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.