Home furnishing guide for expat
Aucklanders’ taste in furniture tends toward more modern styles – modernist reproductions by Mies Van Der Rohe, Le Corbusier and Charles and Ray Eames are incredibly popular right now, as are the latest high-end designs from Europe and the US. At the same time, the New Zealand design community is known for innovation, so there are always new and exciting pieces to collect. Aucklanders tend to be “house proud”, so they spend a lot of money decorating and designing their homes to perfectly reflect their taste.
Of course, not everyone is a modernist at heart, so you will find plenty of homes decorated in more traditional or shabby chic styles, and not everyone in Auckland is a style aficionado, so there will be homes furnished in whatever the homeowner (or renter) could throw together. Still, as a city, Auckland has a strong sense of design.
Most Aucklanders buy their furniture new. Sofas and chairs can be tailor-made with a choice of materials and styles, or simply bought off the floor or ordered at a shop. There is a wide selection in all styles and price ranges. For those looking for antiques – or bargains – TradeMe remains a popular option for tracking down hard-to-find pieces, as well as lower priced options.
One noticeably absent store in New Zealand is IKEA. The closest branches are in Australia. For those who need their IKEA fix, there is a website called MyFlatPack that can help you out.
Auckland Furniture Stores
Allium Interiors – http://www.alliuminteriors.co.nz
8a Teed Street, Newmarket
524-4242
Designer’s Guild concept store producing well-made upholstered living and bedroom furniture. Modern, romantic, exotic and vintage styles. Custom designs available. Wide selection of European fabrics. Mid-priced-expensive.
Dawson’s Furniture — http://www.dawsonsfurniture.co.nz/
1-1 Holder Place, Downtown 476-1121
15 Bath Street, Parnell 302-1269
Huge range of New Zealand made contemporary and traditional living, dining and bedroom furniture. Most pieces made to order. Expensive.
Corniche Interiors — http://www.corniche.co.nz/
Newmarket: 17-19 Teed Street 09 529-1663 09 529-0885
Northshore: 16/18 Link Drive, Wairau Park 09 443-5433 09 265-0882
Botany: 2B Bishop Croke Place 09 265-0883 09 443-5848
Modern living room, dining room and bedroom furniture. Some modernist reproductions. Mid-priced-expensive.
Bo Concept — http://www.boconcept.co.nz
20 Normanby Rd Mt Eden
9 630 0557
Auckland branch of Danish modern furniture chain. Customizable designs available. Moderately expensive.
Harvey Norman — http://www.harveynorman.co.nz/
5 stores in the wider Auckland region
Large stores that stock all types of furniture from outdoor to bedroom.
Homage – http://www.homage.co.nz
1 Morgan Street, Newmarket
520-5711
20th century modernist reproductions of living and dining room furniture and accessories. Mid-priced-inexpensive.
Freedom Furniture – http://www.freedomfurniture.co.nz
5 locations in Auckland
Affordable, quality modern furniture and homewares.
Beds R’ Us — http://www.bedsrus.co.nz
11 locations in Auckland
Mattresses and bedroom furniture only. Mid-priced.
Modern, contemporary and traditional living, dining and bedroom styles. Inexpensive.
