Stories

A walk-in wine fridge – yep, you read that right, Cityscapers – this is for all those who love wine and love to keep it at its best. Craig Shaw from Harvey Norman Commercial filled us in on all you need to know about the Espace 1000 Bottle Walk in Cellar and we’re definitely lusting after it. Start collecting those delicious drops because this killer fridge can easily fit 1000 bottles inside. Wine fridges have come a long way from a mini fridge in the corner of the room – the Espace has a chic, textured glossy black aluminium finish that complements the beautiful wooden shelves inside. It also boasts an anti-UV glass door, racking and a cooling unit to keep your bottles at the perfect temperature, no matter the weather outside – the fridge even creates a vibration-proof environment to protect the storage life and quality of your wine. You...

Take your skincare regime up a notch with the divine natural collection from the pros at Velettà Skincare. Mix equal parts nature and luxury and you get the results-driven range – packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients. All that goodness will have your skin feeling soft, nourished and hydrated, and help to improve its texture while fighting those nasty free radicals. Treat yourself and indulge in healthy and glowing skin – who doesn’t want that! velettaskincare.com

First-home buyers are out in force. Here’s some tips to help you get ahead of the crowd. Low interest rates and the traditional spring surge in listings have brought a flood of first-home buyers to the Christchurch real estate market, meaning while there is plenty of choice, competition for suitable properties is running hot. Kicking things along is Kiwisaver. Those who have been a member of a fund for three or more years can withdraw some of their savings to put towards buying their first home. They may also be eligible for a HomeStart grant of between $3,000 and $10,000. If you are looking to get your first step on the property ladder, you need to be ready to act when you see a property that ticks the boxes for you. Here’s some strategies to get yourself sorted. Confirm your finance First things first, how much money do you have to...

When the party season starts to take its toll, Kiki Health has just what your body needs. We all love party season, but sometimes our body finds the weeks of festive drinks, late nights and rich foods all a bit much. Kiki Health has the solution to help give your body a much-needed boost with a range of 100 percent raw, natural, organic and GMO-free superfoods, vitamins and minerals, so you don’t have to skip an event and suffer from FOMO. To kick-start your mornings with energy, digestive support, vitamins and minerals, try a teaspoon of delicious citrus Kiki Health Alkaline Infusion powder mixed with water or a smoothie, particularly if you’re eating a lot of acidic food. If your body needs some help with recovery and stress, a few sprays of Kiki Health Magnesium Oil will help replenish this precious mineral and reduce tiredness, anxiety, muscle aches and headaches –...

Three MINI Coopers racing through Turin’s streets, laneways and culverts, even down stairs, in the 1969 movie The Italian Job is one of cinema’s most iconic car chases. The original high-performance MINI received its name, its raw power and its limpet-like handling courtesy of motorsport pioneer John Cooper. In a salute to the legend himself, MINI released the John Cooper Works 3-Door Hatch and has now expanded the range to include Clubman and Countryman (pictured). These fire-breathers, the brand’s most powerful model ever approved for public roads, can go from 0 to 100 kph in about 5 seconds, all the while sounding fantastic due to the sport exhaust. ALL4 all-wheel drive is standard for both cars and makes for amazing traction, agility and driving stability. The system was comprehensively redeveloped for the new edition of both models. There’s a whole lot more flash technology helping things along, so book in a...

Ara Institute of Canterbury’s three-year Bachelor of Design (Fashion Technology and Design) easily rocks a reputation for excellence – students on the course have scooped the prestigious Avant Garde section of the Hokonui Fashion Design Awards for the past three years. The killer course is well known in the fashion industry for emphasising technical skills, but the consistent wins in the boundary-pushing Avant Garde section of the awards – New Zealand’s longest running competitive platform for upcoming designers – show its students can also deliver on conceptual work. In their first year of entering, Rachel Macnab and Ethan Allchurch-Rush, two second-year Fashion Design students at Ara, turned their personal experiences into haute couture gowns and captivated the award judges. Macnab, having had serious symptoms from a concussion, looked at how she could turn her experience into a dress that would tell her story. She excelled and received the Hokonui Heritage Precinct...

As well as its plush One Central development in the inner city, Fletcher Living is developing 350 Colombo, on the site of the old Sydenham School. These entry-level one- and two-bedroom homes are ideal for the first-home buyer looking to get started on the property ladder, and are also ideal as a long-term investment property. Early development of the site tended to be around the interior courtyard but there’s a lot more to see now that the Colombo Street frontage is taking shape. This modern three-level building with retail space at street level and 15 architecturally designed, two-level, two-bedroom residences above will complete the transformation of this increasingly desirable part of the city fringe. The area has more than its fair share of hospo, entertainment and retail opportunities, with The Colombo, cinema Academy Gold, and a host of eateries including Belgian Beer Café Torenhof, Hello Sunday, The Fermentist and 5th Street...

Offering customers exclusive fashion brands from around the world and providing personalised service is what allows Fashion Society customers to feel unique and individual. Fashion Society is a high-end boutique that gives customers access to exclusive fashion brands from around the world, providing personal service that makes them feel unique and individual. New owner Abbey Dickson believes shopping should be fun and fabulous and this can be seen through the in-store styling that will provide the finishing fashion touches, from head to toe. If you stop by, you’ll discover international designers such as Camilla, Anine Bing, Zadig & Voltaire, CAMI NYC, Smythe and Dylan Kain, just to name a few. So whether you need a new leather jacket, an incredible party ensemble or an entire wardrobe refresh, pop into Merivale, The Tannery, and until January next year the pop-up store in The Colombo and chat with their expert styling team. fashionsociety.co.nz

The trend to declutter our lives has an echo in décor, where shades associated with minimalism – such as creams, beiges and whites – have come to the fore in interior colour palettes. This dining room is an excellent example of what can be done with carefully layered graduating neutral tones. The trick is to make sure your layers all have a similar, warm base tone so they build on each other. Resene Half Spanish White walls allow the earthy tones of the accessories to pop. The sideboard is painted in Resene Eighth Stonewashed, the chairs in Resene Napa, the neo-classical plant stand in Resene Artisan and the plant pot in Resene Half Spanish White. Textured elements such as the rug, dried foliage and wall hanging add further depth. The timber floor is finished in Resene Colorwood Whitewash to complement the natural look and feel of the rest of the space....

If you’re on the hunt for some beautiful clothing or accessories for the child in your life, then Little Bambinos have got you. The stunning boutique store showcases a range of local and international brands like Jamie Kay, Rylee + Cru and Huxbaby, and stock sizes from newborn to eight, so your little one will be more stylish than you! Shop online and enjoy free shipping over $100 or check out a selection of their fabulous goodies at The Collective Shop at The Colombo. littlebambinos.co.nz

The good folks at Flooring Frontier know a thing or two about carpets and they can revamp your home by adding some alluring plush flooring. At the helm you’ll find Tyson and Dani Tia – Tyson has been working in carpeting for more than 12 years, so you’re guaranteed a perfect finish to any project. The expert team are always up for a chat and offer different services including removing the drab old carpet, advice on carpet care, supplying floor plans and layouts, and of course bringing that fab new carpet to you and installing it. Flooring Frontier has a focus on community, too, having worked on projects for churches both locally and internationally alongside their stellar commercial and residential installations. So no matter the reason, if you’re looking for carpet, you know you’ll find what you need. flooringfrontier.com

Christchurch is home to a thriving community of jewellers producing stunning pieces for every occasion, from engagement and wedding rings to precious gifts for very precious people. The artisan jewellers at three of the city’s leading practices – Via Sollertia, The Filing Kabinett and Sophie Divett Jewellery – tell Cityscape where they find inspiration, how they got started and how hard it can be sometimes to let a piece go. Via Sollertia Jewellers How would you describe your jewellery style? My personal style is simple and versatile, everyday pieces you can wear to any occasion. I’m on a real gold vibe at the moment; it is so warm and adaptable. My daily go-tos are a diamond necklace with a fine gold chain, diamond stud earrings and a gold bangle. My jewellery design style could be described as modern, contemporary, bespoke creations. Where do you find your inspiration? When we purchase stones...

The wave of smart devices has reached the garden. Canopy Landscape Architects’ Julie Greenslade and Paul Roper-Gee look at the benefits. Landscapes are going increasingly high-tech, with a range of smart gadgets and digital solutions available to enhance your outdoor environment. As we think about the holidays ahead, here are some ideas for your summer garden, whether you are staying at home or heading away. Smart sprinklers can replace traditional irrigation controllers. They use internet-based weather forecasting to create real-time watering schedules for your garden. These will make the most of the water being used by only turning on when needed, thus reducing wastage. They can be set to run on autopilot or controlled remotely through smartphone apps so you can keep an eye on things while away. The trickery can be taken even further by combining with plant sensors that monitor the soil and air conditions in specific areas of...

Christchurch is home to a thriving community of jewellers producing stunning pieces for every occasion, from engagement and wedding rings to precious gifts for very precious people. The artisan jewellers at three of the city’s leading practices – Via Sollertia, The Filing Kabinett and Sophie Divett Jewellery – tell Cityscape where they find inspiration, how they got started and how hard it can be sometimes to let a piece go. The Filing Kabinett How would you describe your jewellery style? Our style is contemporary leaning towards art jewellery. Important for us are uniqueness and good design. We use traditional materials such as gold and silver along with a variety of other precious and non-precious materials. Where do you find inspiration? Inspiration comes from many sources, whether it be from specific investigations of an idea or something we have observed during our day-to-day travels. Lynn often finds inspiration in the botanical world...

Christchurch is home to a thriving community of jewellers producing stunning pieces for every occasion, from engagement and wedding rings to precious gifts for very precious people. The artisan jewellers at three of the city’s leading practices – Via Sollertia, The Filing Kabinett and Sophie Divett Jewellery – tell Cityscape where they find inspiration, how they got started and how hard it can be sometimes to let a piece go. Sophie Divett Jewellery How would you describe your jewellery style? Organic, understated and made to be worn every day. Where do you find inspiration? My biggest inspirations come from nature, especially our unique native plants that we have here in New Zealand. I’m also very inspired by ancient artefacts – the sense of history, the surface textures that show the life they’ve had and become as important a part of the piece as the original design. What are you working on...

The days are counting down to Christmas, which means the pressure is on to nail the perfect gift for all those on your ‘Nice’ list. To help you, the latest Cityscape has a curated Christmas gift guide brimming with ideas fresh and failsafe. You’ll be in the good books at least till Easter! See the full guide here. Or Jump to one of our themed sections. Conscious ConsumerJet SetterDesign BuffFoodie FanaticTiny TotsCoture QueenSecret SantaOut of the Box

Synth pop tribute band Automatic 80s will keep the vibe going in The Edge Public Village. We talk to vocalist Justin Maclaren. You’re obviously all big fans of ‘80s music – what’s the attraction? This is the music of our youth so it therefore holds significant nostalgic importance for us personally. Secondly, this is the decade when many musicians departed from guitar-driven music and started experimenting with synthesizers, many with a lack of knowledge of how to play keyboards. This produced an era punctuated with huge pop hits featuring simple but memorable synth riffs that we find very enjoyable to play, and audiences love to dance and sing along to these ‘80s anthems. You recreate that whole time with your lighting and backdrops – what’s the trick there? Throughout the history of this band, which originally formed in Christchurch in 1985 as Amez Amez, we have always maintained a high production...

Louis Baker is living the dream after his rapid ascent to the heights of Kiwi music. Ahead of his appearance at December’s South Island Wine & Food Festival, he tells Cityscape how he got started, and who his heroes are. Your career has come a long way in a short time – your head must be in a spin? It’s been a joy to have my passion become a full-time career. I’m very grateful to be able to make music and tour – it’s what I’ve always wanted to do, so it feels a bit like living the dream. When did you start to feel you had a future in music? I fell in love with music at an early age but started to feel I had a future in it from age 17 when I was a top-five finalist in the secondary schools Play It Strange songwriting competition. How important...