Aotearoa by Design
We take a look through the pieces that have defined the country’s design language through the decades.
New Zealand based David Trubridge is a designer recognised for his environmentally responsible designs.
New Zealand's furniture and object design scene hasn’t just helped shape our national identity but also produced works that easily hold their own on the global stage.
The country’s cultural diversity and relatively young age (from a human habitation perspective) have played an integral part in our design landscape, with practitioners throughout the decades taking influence from global trends while utilising our incredible natural materials, referencing our proximity to nature, and incorporating clean, functional lines that reflect the country's appreciation for simplicity, utility, and elegance. While the vernacular is broad, it is one underpinned by a favouring of modern, minimalist aesthetics as well as a wink to a uniquely New Zealand sense of eccentricity.
While not an exhaustive list by any means, here are the pieces we think have had the biggest influence on our design culture and personal spaces over the last century—and the ones we most covet for our own collections!
Ernest Shufflebotham for Crown Lynn (c1948)
Crown Lynn is one of the most important names in New Zealand’s design history, and while many pieces could make this list (the iconic Swan obviously being one), in terms of timelessness and enduring collector appeal we can’t go past Ernest Shufflebotham’s ‘hand-potted’ range. Originally employed by Wedgewood in the UK (working under New Zealand-born potter Keith Murray), Shufflebotham was brought over to New Zealand by Crown Lynn during the post-war production boom in 1948. Taking cues from Murray’s lathe-turned designs, Shufflebotham produced a series of hand-thrown shapes which he then turned on the lathe, and glazed in a soft white known as ‘moon-white’. With flower arranging very much having a moment at the time, the minimalist designs were the perfect vessel for the stylish floral designs of the modern homemaker—and they still appear as remarkably chic now as they did back then.
Fun fact: A selection of the vases feature in Michael Parekowhai’s 2001 series The Consolation of Philosophy: piko nei te matenga.
Bruce Watt: Storkline Chair (1947)
Unapologetically utilitarian and locally crafted from native rimu, the Storkline chair was once a staple of community halls, churches and schools throughout the country. Bruce Watt was a designer and maker with a workshop in Auckland, and while he created many objects (including a range of die-cast toy cars called ‘Tink-E-Toys’), the Storkline was his most popular and enduring work. Patented in 1947, it is believed to be based on the almost identical, American-designed, Walter Nordmark Chair. Sadly, the chair’s ubiquity through the mid-century meant it was not appreciated as a design classic at the time, and thus many were destroyed when no longer needed. Sporadic examples do pop up at auction and are popular with collectors of Kiwiana and lovers of practical, unfussy design alike.
John Crichton: Egg Chair (1950s)
A pioneer of ‘Pan-Pacific’ design, interior and industrial designer John Crichton is one of the most important figures in our aesthetic history. Born in Bombay in 1917, Crighton moved to the UK as a child and studied at the Birmingham School of Art. Post WWII (during which he was an official war photographer), he relocated to New Zealand and established his own interior design business on Auckland’s Kitchener Street. Known for both his furniture and his mosaic works, Crichton created many pieces that are highly desired amongst collectors, but the most recognisable is arguably the Egg Chair. Crafted from wrought iron and woven cane, the chair sits low to the ground with spindly, atomic-style legs and a scooped out ovoid shape that cradles the body. This is a highly coveted design that still sits proudly amongst some of the world’s best.
DON: ‘Danart’ Lounge Suite (1960s)
In 1960s New Zealand you were simply NOT a middle class family of any chic aspiration if you didn’t have a DON Suite taking pride of place in the living room. Owned by Feltex, DON was one of the largest furniture brands in New Zealand through the mid-20th century, but absolutely hit its peak in the 1960s when it brought sleek Scandi style to little old Aotearoa. Throughout the period it produced a range of subtly varying lounge suites consisting of a daybed and two armchairs, but the flagship style was arguably the Danart.
All trends have their time and by the latter 20th Century DON suites had fallen out of vogue—mostly relegated to the bach, the student flat and local op shop. Around a decade ago though, the popularity of the daybeds absolutely exploded on the secondary market, with refurbished examples going for upwards of $2,500.
While interest in the suites isn’t at the fever pitch it was a few years ago, they remain popular and will always be a cherished and nostalgic example of made-in-New Zealand mid-century.
Fun fact: You can still view the original TV ad for Danart here!
Marilyn Sainty: Cocktail Chair (1988)
Marilyn Sainty is perhaps best known for her eponymous fashion brand (and for co-founding the enduringly chic Auckland fashion retailer, Scotties).
However, what many ignore, is the fact that she was also a talented and accomplished furniture designer and her most coveted piece is the swooping and sculptural Cocktail Chair.
Made up of a painted wooden seat, a powder-coated steel structure and a rubber arm and backrest (recycled from a milking-machine hose), the chair takes cues from the hi-glam Italian modernist style that was a huge influence on both Sainty’s fashion and furniture design at the time.
With only a few made, these chairs are as rare as hens’ teeth (Webb’s last brought one to market in 2021). If you see one come up for sale, run…. don’t walk.
Stephane Rondel: Peanut Chair (1990)
Parisian designer Stephane Rondel founded Rondel Design in New Zealand in the early 1990s. His poetic and highly modern designs were not only internationally recognised, but his involvement in commercial projects of the era—like the Sky City Casino—contributed to Auckland’s coming-of-age as a modern, metropolitan city.
Rondel’s Peanut Chair is one of his most distinct and popular pieces. Crafted from either cast aluminium (with its intricate swirling pattern) or cane wicker, the chair’s unique three-legged design and curvaceous seat make it a true statement piece. Although popular with design enthusiasts, we feel that Rondel’s works have yet to reach their peak as collector items—with 90s and Y2K style interiors inevitably due a comeback, they make excellent buying for astute collectors.
David Trubridge: Kina Pendant (2005)
An absolute staple of corporate HQs, civic buildings, architecturally-designed homes and stylish offices countrywide, David Trubridge’s Kina has taken a deserved place in Aotearoa’s design vernacular. Crafted from a kit-set-like assemblage of bamboo plywood pieces, the design was originally conceived as an ottoman and takes its inspiration and name from the spiky crustacean widely found in our waters.
A furniture designer based in Whakatu in the Hawkes Bay, Trubridge’s work has been exhibited and sold worldwide. In 2008, he was listed by French magazine L'Express as one of the Top 15 Designers in the World, and in 2019 he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to design.
Martino Gamper: Arnold Circus Stool (2006)
They’re on your Instagram feed and in the pages of every local design mag. They’re hosting bums at various cafes, balancing an artful stack of books in the flats of 20-something design students, and holding toys in the kid’s playroom of your stylish mum friend. There is simply no piece of local design in the 21st century (or perhaps ever) that has had the broad reach and mass appeal of the Arnold Circus Stool. Affectionately referred to as ‘the national stool of New Zealand’ (or at least Auckland), they are quite simply everywhere.
First designed in 2006 by Martino Gamper (an Italian designer who splits his time between London and Aotearoa), the striking yet practical stools were originally created as easy seating for community events in London’s Arnold Circus area. Their commercial popularity started taking off around a decade ago: Fun, versatile, relatively affordable, and available in an ever-rotating array of colours, they hit a rare note of being both affordable and aspirational. They’re also made in New Zealand.
A democratic piece of design that reflects our tastes and lifestyles today.
Jamie McClellan: Spar Light (2011)
One of the leading figures in our contemporary design landscape, Jamie McClellan is Head of Design for Allbirds in San Francisco, and has an extensive and impressive background in product and furniture design. He spent his early career in Italy, Hong Kong and Hawaii, before landing in London and working closely with internationally acclaimed designer Tom Dixon.
Upon returning home to Aotearoa, McClellan set up his own product and furniture design consultancy in Auckland. Designed in 2011, his towering Spar light was one of the first pieces released by contemporary New Zealand furniture company, Resident, and is one of McLellan’s most recognised and coveted works. The large cantilevered floor light takes its inspiration from the mast arrangements of classic sailing boats, with a simple, two-dimensional silhouette that relies on a tensioned electrical cable for support. Suiting a wide variety of spaces and aesthetic styles, it is a crisp, clean, modern classic.
Backhouse: JWB Chair (2017)
A true labour of love, the JWB armchair was conceived to pay homage to the legacy of Joe Backhouse, founder of iconic local furniture producer, Backhouse. Wanting to reference the aesthetic of the pieces created by Joe without directly recreating them, designers John Dinsdale and Gary Backhouse (Joe’s son) used state of the art technology to reinterpret Joe’s mid-century design aesthetic with a contemporary feel. Crafted in New Zealand from solid timber including ash, oak and sapele mahogany, the JWB evokes the hey-day of local furniture manufacturing while still feeling utterly fresh and modern. It was awarded a Gold Pin at the 2017 Best Awards.
New Zealand’s design identity has been shaped by a mix of cultural influences, local materials, and a commitment to both functionality and aesthetic appeal.
From the mid-century classics of Crown Lynn and John Crichton to the contemporary innovations of Jamie McClellan and Martino Gamper, the country has consistently produced pieces that are both practical and collectable. This appreciation for exceptional design is reflected in our auctions, from Design Online, which showcases premium designer pieces and furniture, to The Estate, our fortnightly auction offering a diverse range of items. As New Zealand’s design landscape continues to evolve, these collections celebrate both heritage and innovation, bringing sought-after pieces to discerning collectors.