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Our friend Mahsa is the founder and director of Mahsa, a label that holds an evolving reflection of her experience of the beauty and imperfection of life. Imbued with values of simplicity, authenticity and strength, the brand is timeless and sustaining — a love letter to women who live with open hearts and feel things true and tenderly. Living in Titirangi, she shares snippets of her life surfing, gardening, and designing beautiful things.

We are happy to share Mahsa's unique edit of five Everyday Needs pieces that she uses daily at work and at home.

1. Mahsa x Everyday Needs // Tama Shirt

The perfect shirt in an array of utilitarian, modern colours - it always makes me feel good. 100% organic cotton and made in Aotearoa. I cannot wait to travel in this shirt. 1

2. Franca Sunglasses // Tort

Well-made eye wear for a workday or surfing adventure. Timeless and discrete - a forever mood. 2.

3. Handcrafted Modern

My constant go-to. I appreciate this title and love everything that Leslie Williamson photographs and publishes - this is my absolute favorite. 3

4. Enamel Milk Pan

I use this every day, and it is the perfect size for one or two people. I have always loved enamel, and this design has a lovely pale wooden handle. 4.

5. Sans Barrier Restore Body + Hand Butter

I use this daily as my primary moisturiser for immediate hydration and overall skin nourishment. All-natural and made in NZ. Another local brand that is creating beautiful products for the world. 5

Introducing the newest member of our Everyday Needs whanau, Josh Meredith. Josh has migrated home to Tāmaki Makaurau after living in Ōtautahi. Having a creative background working in advertising and as a freelance graphic designer, He's spent the last few years working for independently owned retail stores, Josh is our Retail Manager so will become a familiar face instore.

Here we chat to Josh about his Favourite Everyday Needs items and how he uses each piece.

1. The World of Apartamento

One of my first purchases from Everyday Needs and still is one of my favourite coffee table books. It’s a great read for those who are passionate about the way they live or for people looking for inspiration from quirky interiors that have a real lived-in look.

2. Arnold Circus Stool // Speckle

These have been one of my staple pieces of furniture over the past few years, with the more straightforward uses of a side table or seat to the more obscure uses like a laundry basket or a makeshift ice bucket/chilly bin. No matter what colour you choose, the Arnold Circus Stools can make a space feel that little more exciting and it will always be used wherever it ends up.

3. Mahsa x Everyday Needs // Tama Shirt - Ivory

A crisp white shirt is an essential piece in any wardrobe and this collaboration shirt with Mahsa is definitely one of the items at the top of my wishlist. The relaxed cut of it makes it a perfect shirt to have in the wardrobe, whether it's open and layered over a t-shirt for a dressed down look or buttoned up for a semi-formal look.

4. Brass Coffee Mill

My mornings are very routine based and coffee is definitely a big part of that. Having a handmade coffee mill that allows you to control how coarse or fine you want the grinds and helps maximise the aroma and flavour makes this mill from Mr Kitly another top wishlist item for me.

5. Sphaera Soap Bar // Kawakawa & Activated Charcoal

The soap bars from Sphaera are a simple pleasure and treat, something that has become a part of my everyday rituals. There is so much intention behind each choice of ingredient and the attention to detail for each intended use of each bar will help you enjoy each moment of selfcare.

Bringing you full time lovers, Sammy-Rose Scapens and Oliver Starr who are the wife and husband duo behind human-centric design and build studio, Homewerk.

The couple met while working on Sammy’s A-Frame project. They immediately fell in love and 9 months later finished the A and welcomed their little love baby, Eugene.

“I love Olis wild sense of humour and his big yes yes yes attitude. He is kind to all and generally a big soft love bug” - Sammy .

“I haven’t met anyone so confident in themselves. Haha. She really is so optimistic and gives everything her best and has endless ideas. It’s a real ride being together with Sammy in business and personal life. It’s a joy” - Oli

The dynamic duo have since conceived another baby, Sybil Tui as well as a multi-faceted build and design consultancy company, Homewerk. Focusing on all kinds of build and design projects from cafe fit-outs to furniture design. Homewerk is gearing up to release their range of self-contained small homes. Inspired by mid century kiwi design the cabins are incredibly beautiful.

1.  Nanette Cameron: Interior Design Legend

We love this book about renowned Interior Designer Nanette Cameron. She is a founding figure in NZ interior design and we use this book as a reference often. It's also a great memory from her 2013 exhibition at Object Space.

2. Cast Iron Skillet

These pans are exquisitely made and it's on the top of our wish list. Sammy's birthday is coming up so maybe she will finally have her wish granted. Cast iron is the best material for cooking on and we have a great little collection but feel this mid-size will be an excellent addition. This would also be perfect for a Saturday morning Dutch Baby.

3. Handwoven Napkins

We love handwoven textiles and you can't have a dinner party without napkins. These would look great with our Ikat tablecloth and we love that you can endlessly reuse them. We're glad it's the norm to have napkins at all meals again.

4. Cast Iron Wind Chime

These Japanese wind chimes have the most intriguing sound and we love hanging them in different locations around the house. They are great in our high ceiling 70's house as the sound reverberates and creates interesting melodies.

5. Alumite Kettle

Both of our kids have been terrible sleepers and we can't start our day without having a coffee. This beautiful kettle is one of our favourites to look at and to use. Oliver also loves the big handle.

Tāmaki Makaurau based painter and photographer, Cindy Leong has an artistic practice that can be described as abstract expressionist and minimalist. Guided by her interest in philosophy, the intention behind Cindy's paintings are for its audience to slow down and enter a calm introspective headspace. Inspired by nature, connection, energy, the passing of time.

We worked with her to create our beautiful seasonal wrapping paper and our current window installation. We invite you to visit the store, pause and reflect on what the mark making means for you.

"When I am creating, this is when I feel the most free and authentic to who I am as a person."

1. Hasami Porcelain Planter // Small

I have one of the planters in my studio and feel it has a grounding prescence. Simple, japanese and earth toned - a winning combination for me

2. Craft Tape Basket // Natural

This is exquisite. I would love to slowly shop at a Sunday market with this.

3. Steel Toolbox // Mini

I feel like everyone could benefit from having this mini toolbox - great to store small items that easily go missing. I'm currently using mine to store my favourite pens and handwritten notes.

4. Shell Incense Holder

I think I have a small obsession for incense holders. When they aren't in use they act as tiny art sculptures. This brass shell incense holder is crafted beautifully. It's also very clever how it opens like a shell, able to hold any sized incense stick!

5. Ceramic Utensil Holder

I'm a big fan of Misma's ceramic work. There is a calming, wabi-sabi-esque feel to her creations which I feel aligns with my artistic practice as well.

Masterful photographer Derek Henderson creates imagery of natural beauty and classical elegance, selecting bespoke photographic approaches for his subjects. He has created major independent bodies of work that explore and narrate the rich natural landscapes and communities of Australia and New Zealand.

Rosa, his latest book and collaboration with florist Simone Gooch (Fjura), was curated during a week at Matthews Roses in Whanganui and photographed out of the Fordell Hall.

We are happy to share Derek's edit of five Everyday Needs pieces that he uses both at work and at home.

1. Handcrafted Modern

My wife bought the book Handcrafted Modern from Everyday Needs a few years ago, I really like handcrafted bespoke interiors and anything that's built-in, like seating, shelves and beds.

2. Cahier Extra Large Blank Notebooks

The moleskin notebooks I have with me on trips when I'm doing assessments, they are a great size, not too big.

3. Bedside Carafe with Glass

The Tokyo glass is so thin and delicate, I think thats why like it.

4. Wooden Clothes Pegs

Cant go past a wooden peg, reminds me of my childhood.

5. Hasami Porcelain Planter // Large

Anything by Hasami I’ll go for.

We recently introduced NICO to our Every Needs offering, an organic underwear brand based out of Australia. Lis Harvey has a background in photography and founded NICO in 2012 with the intention of filling the gap in the market for pieces that were minimalist and comfort focussed, but still beautiful to wear. The NICO philosophy is to create garments that feel as beautiful to wear as they look and empower women to feel confident through feeling comfortable. At the core of everything they do is a strong respect for the people they work with, and the environment we work within.

Here we chat to Lis about five of her favourite Everyday Needs pieces.

1. Auór Rosetta Sunglasses

Very much into a cat eye at the moment - feels very classic with a nice amount of attitude.

2. Opinel Tradition Knife

My husband carries one of these around wherever we go and it’s actually so handy -from a spontaneous cheese board or a camping assistant we actually use it ALL the time!

3. Sans Bio Active Body Exfoliator

Sans is such a beautiful brand and made with such lovely, natural ingredients. Nothing beats the feeling of freshly scrubbed skin.

4. Stainless Steel Thermos

We use our Stanley thermos all the time for camping trips - it’s so indestructible - we always joke how it will be handed down to our children and grandchildren. Perfect for cold drinks in summer and warm soups or hot chocolate in winter.

5. Full Cup Wirefree Bralette

This is the bra I am reaching for everyday - it’s the perfect balance of being so comfortable to wear but at the same time offering a nice level of support. The powder blue colour is derived from clitoria flowers and I was lucky to see the natural dyeing process in person on a visit to our makers in India. It’s such an cool process to see them yielding such incredible colour using only natural ingredients.

Our friend Juliet Souter is the Founder and Creative Director of Marle, a womenswear label made exclusively from natural fibres and fabrics.

Designing out of Mount Maunganui, the family-owned business has a tight-knit team who focus on creating pieces connected to nature, as well as caring for each other - the people who make the garments and the people who wear them.

We visited Juliet's home which she shares with her husband Justin and two children, Vita and Nero, and chatted about five Everyday Needs pieces that she uses and loves.

1. Grant Bailey Brass & Walnut Doorstop

There isn’t a more beautiful doorstop, the walnut expresses rich texture and colour perfectly along with the unexpected brass inlay.

2. Hemp Twine

What I continually turn to Everyday Needs for, turning the everyday utility into an object of beauty that is timeless, the twine has all sorts of household uses but my favourite is to wrap gifts with a fresh cutting tied into the knot or bow - lovely, biodegradable and sustainable.

3. Claude Megson: Counter Constructions

I was introduced to Claude Megson’s work when I was a teenager and my mum sold the Norris House for a client. Having the opportunity to wander through that house moved me and expanded my appreciation and love of architecture. This book has sketches and technical drawings along with detailed, inspiring imagery, it's fascinating.

4. Pepper Mill

I really enjoy cooking, I’m no master but love the process of learning and having a home cooked meal with family and friends. This pepper mill gives the perfect grind and gets more and more beautiful with age.

5. Woven Placemats

These are used everyday in our house, soft texture and the different tones of the Pathi Grass make each one special.

Jussie of Lake Hāwea Station was born into a farming family. Her mother was raised on a dairy farm and her father on an orchard. She is a trained Speech-Language Therapist and Journalist and authored the best-selling book Every Bastard Says No. She is a keen hiker and along with her partner Geoff they are involved in mentoring many start-up businesses and have a passion for entrepreneurial spirit in New Zealand.

They have a great team on board who have united to take Lake Hāwea Station forward with the goal of becoming 10x Carbon Positive. Currently, they are the first farm in New Zealand to be 2.5x certified carbon positive. They live the values of the station. Environment, People, Innovation.

We stopped in and chatted about all things carbon, biodiversity, and her favourites from Everyday Needs.

1.  Bird Silo

We have one of these feeders up by the original homestead and another one down at The Hide, our wedding ceremony spot. We've popped it amongst the Kanuka and Manuka trees next to the lake. They are a charming reminder of a much bigger LHS goal to regenerate biodiversity, one of the pillars of the station.

2. Palorosa Handwoven Basket

I use this bag as a garden basket to collect things around the station, like the beautiful red plums that we picked this morning.

3. Vadoek Cotton Tea Towel

These tea towels are in our accommodation, Packhorse, and Homespur Cottage, originally the old shepherds huts, which have undergone conscious renovations which have seen them maintain their charm while being fitted with modern design and comforts..

4. Stanley Thermos

An LHS staple… We have a huge collection of these Stanley thermoses. The climate here means you cannot set off into the high country without a cool icy thermos in the summer or a hot toddy in the winter months.

5. Gotland Baby Wool Throw // Multi Grey

I do feel like Everyday Needs products have a spiritual home in the South Island and here on the station, we love anything wool, like these baby blankets which are a perfect colour for the south

Our friend and neighbour Pat is the manager of Allpress Coffee Ponsonby and for the last four years, we've been coming to him for our daily brew.

Pat has been making coffee in and around Ponsonby for more than a decade. Born and raised in Auckland, with a brief stop in New York to help set up 'Happy Bones,' an espresso bar in Nolita, he currently lives in Grey Lynn with his wife Aleksandra Petrovic and their Persian cat - Catstopher Wallace.

We chatted to Pat about some Everyday Needs items that he's collected over the years and how they function in his home.

1. Stanley Thermos

I can’t be without coffee and this is my go to thermos for when I’m in the great outdoors. This guy has been with me along the Tongariro Crossing and the top of the Pinnacles in the Coromandel. One of my favourite things to do is wake up early, make a Chemex, pour it into the Stanley Thermos and put this in my wife’s tote bag so I've made her a cup of coffee even though we’re on opposite sides of the city.

2. Up, Down & Other Opposites with Ellsworth Kelly

On my first trip to New York I was blown away by Ellsworth Kelly’s Spectrum V at the Met, it was such a simple but imposing work. I’ve bought this book and a few others from the series for my niece Annabelle and nephew Hayden. The books make art accessible to young minds without being patronising or glib, and I hope they spark a love for art in their busy little minds.

3. Trusco Steel Toolbox

My wife is an artist and illustrator, and has many coveted pens that I’m not allowed to touch. I few years ago I got one and then a few more or these mini toolboxes to keep them organised and safe from prying hands. They stack wonderfully and lend a workshop element to her creative space.

4. Arnold Circus Stool

I think the Arnold Circus stools have become a twenty-first century design staple. For me, they evoke a giant crayon in a children’s playroom. When we bought our place in Grey Lynn immediately we got half a dozen, all in different colours to give some visual texture to our outdoor space.

5. Opinel Essential Knives // Set 4

I’ve worked in and around kitchens most of my life and I’ve always admired the command a chef has of their knives and the awe with which these essential tools are held. While I’m not much of a cook, I do enjoy it and while I have a Chef’s Knife for carving the Sunday roast, these four are the ones that get used day to day. The rosewood handle has a great tactility and the blades have lasted well through a lot of use.

We asked local gallerist Tim Melville (Te Arawa, Te Atiawa) to choose his top 5 Everyday Needs items. Tim returned to Aotearoa in 2005 after 20 years in London. While there he completed a career-changing Art History degree and opened his Auckland gallery in 2007..

He is probably best known for his representation of emerging New Zealand artists, but his project has also introduced artists from Australian Aboriginal communities to New Zealand collectors and curators. He sees resonance in shared attitudes toward ‘country' in Australia and whenua in Aotearoa and he is interested in exploring their meeting points.

As one of the few Maori gallerists in the commercial art world Tim feels a particular responsibility to translate the values imbued within indigenous artwork for his gallery's predominantly European audience of friends and supporters. This kaupapa is supported by a business model whose integral values include aroha and manaakitanga.

Until recently Tim was a member of Haerewa, the Maori Advisory Group at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki. He has also served as a Trustee of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation. He is currently a member of the Board of Tustees for the Wairau Maori Art Gallery which is located in Whangarei's Hundertwasser Art Centre and is scheduled to open in December 2021.

1. Folded Metal Bookends

There are floor-to ceiling bookshelves behind my desk at the gallery. They’re simple library shelves made by Dexion..folded metal, inexpensive, sturdy-as … and these bookends are a perfect match. The colour range is great too.

2. Rush Table Mat

When I was living in the UK I coveted the bulrush matting that you’d see in smart flats and Country Houses. It always looked so rustic and warm and welcoming. Rush matting is impossible to find here but these tablemats are a nice consolation. There's a sprig of dried bulrush flowers sewn into each one..

3. Recycled Sari Ribbon

When gallery clients need an artwork to be gift-wrapped we use brown paper but we let them choose a wildly-coloured sari ribbon and it never fails to delight.

4. Glass Teapot

We keep a few of these in the gallery kitchen for guests. My colleague Olivia notices when we’re settled on the sofa and comes in to offer tea. There’s something unexpected and really very nice about being offered your own individual teapot, especially when it’s a beautiful glass one like this.

5. Nanette Cameron: Interior Design Legend

I grew up in Pakuranga in the 70s when it was a brand-new subdivision. Some of the kids at school knew about Nanette Cameron’s (now-legendary) house in Glenmore Rd with its super-modern interior design and its amazing swimming pool. I was never lucky enough to visit, but not long after I opened my gallery in the mid-2000s Nanette visited me. I was slightly star-struck, but as well as having a gimlet eye for style and an unrelenting curiosity she’s one of the kindest and warmest people you could hope to meet.

Finn is a knitting technician and textile artist based in Auckland, New Zealand - and is also one of the team members of our Ponsonby store.

Finn has an obsession with all things wool which lead him to developing his own knitted merino blankets for Everyday Needs, all made and hand-finished by him just down the road.

As well as working at Everyday Needs, Finn is passionate about local textile production. He is currently working at AUT on projects that intend to enhance and support the NZ wool and textile industry.

1.Misma Anaru Ceramic Utensil Holder

This little object is both beautiful and incredibly practical. I love that they are all locally made by the talented hands of Misma Anaru, so each piece has its own feel. I use mine to hold my collection of incense (most of which are from Everyday Needs), but I’m always finding myself finding different uses for it.

2.Golden Pavilion Incense

Speaking of incense, these are my go-to when I need to wind down. I’m a huge fan of all of the Shoyeido Incense, and any scent with benzoin or sandalwood usually has my full attention, but the lightness and warmth of the Golden Pavillon incense is the perfect way to start and end a day.

3. Maryse Manuka Leaf Exfoliating Polish

As someone with really sensitive skin, I’ve always struggled to find skincare products that work. All of the products made by Maryse are incredible. They smell great and have the most natural ingredient list I’ve ever seen - however Manuka Exfoliator is something else! You don’t need to use much of this magical powder to feel super refreshed. Half a teaspoon or less mixed with water or some of your favourite cleanser and its the best exfoliator you’ll ever use.

4.Light Summer Towel

I’m always on the look out for colourful and well made materials, so the Mungo range of towels have to be a favourite Everyday Needs item of mine. Made in South Africa, these Mungo towels come in the best array of colours - and the heavy-weight cotton weave makes them both quick trying and super hard wearing. Investing in one of these for summer is a must.

5.Cast Iron Bottle Opener

You can transform the most basic of beers into a craft beer experience with this cast iron bottle opener made in Japan. The simple range of designs and quality of materials make it the only beer bottle opener you’ll ever need to own. It will have you offering to open everyones drinks for them!

Painter Kate Small’s new exhibition, ‘Welcome to Holland’ was due to open at Anna Miles Gallery two days after lockdown... so for now the paintings can be seen online only.

Anna caught up with Kate at her Masterton home where she is currently teaching Wairarapa College art students via Zoom. 

Kate’s paintings bring together her fascination with colour and an unusual level of feeling for the ordinary rituals of domestic life. It was as a student at Elam School of Fine Arts that her lush form of abstract expressionism first became populated. There were two key sources for the original figures in the paintings — Eadweard Muybridge’s C19th photographic studies of figures carrying buckets and brooms, and 1960s Jantzen tog advertisements.  Some things never change — 30 years on and the tog-wearing inhabitants of Kate's ‘Welcome to Holland’ paintings are still accessorised by the accoutrements of housework (mops, rakes, vacuum cleaners and the occasional front loading washing machine). 

Kate was delighted to find the Everyday Needs site has a whole section devoted to ‘Housekeeping’. A number of colourful and utilitarian items soon caught her eye. If a grey dustpan turns up in a Kate Small painting, you’ll know where it came from.

1. New Zealand Crayons

This packet of stripes is hard to resist. My first thought was what more could you want than a set of Te Reo crayons.

2.  Companion x EDN Lawn Lounge Hat

I like the fact that this hat is called ‘lounge'. It is a very nice shade of pink with a generous brim perfect for a Masterton summer.

3. Stainless Steel Thermos

I have a soft spot for sturdy Stanley. At art school and ever since I seem to have had a Stanley knife permanently in my pocket. At school my students think its amazing I’m so fast at sharpening pencils and chopping paper . . . It’s all due to Stanley in my pocket.

4. Belgian Linen Tea Towel // Check

Being woven, the checks of this tea towel look ‘layered'. The grid has that slightly transparent quality I’m always aiming for when layering paint.

5. Dustpan and Brush Set 

There is something very attractive to me about the Iris Hantverk Dustpan and Brush set. What a beautiful grey they have produced.