Design notebook

Koru chair created by South Island bespoke furniture and design company Cruikshank. Photo / Supplied

Change of address

Design aficionados take note, one of our favourite places to source gorgeous pieces, Mid Century Design, has moved. It is now situated just down the road at Level 1, 16 Railway St (above Ambiance), in Newmarket. Owner Bridget Hanley is renowned for her ever-evolving collection of Modernist vintage furniture and accessories sourced from the US. If you appreciate exquisite craftsmanship and elegant design aesthetics, this is the place to go. Ph: (09) 522 8561. www.midcenturydesign.co.nz

Snuggle up

Perfect for your winter retreat is this Koru chair (right) created by the South Island bespoke furniture and design company Cruikshank, whose principal Ed Cruikshank trained and worked under Viscount Linley in Britain for nine years. Inspired by the New Zealand Southern Alps, the chair is covered in leather while the inside surfaces and seat cushion are wrapped in possum fur - ideal for cuddling up in on a cold winter's day. The chair costs $8900 and is available in solid American black walnut, oak or maple with a choice of black, silver or brown fur. Ph: (03) 409 8570 or www.cruikshank.co.nz

Savvy PR

It's a year since China banned the use of flimsy plastic bags, a move that is now said to have saved the use of 40 billion plastic bags and the equivalent of 1.6 million tonnes of oil, according to the China Chain Store and Franchise Association. It's also a more drastic step towards countering so-called "white pollution" than those taken in most other countries, including New Zealand. While the ban is still widely flouted, especially in China's street markets and small stores, plastic bag use has fallen dramatically with customers turning to reusable bags. Enter Bare PR, an Auckland agency that specialises in promoting environmentally friendly products, which was quick to share this news with us. Because it's good news, we'll let them get away with their cheeky challenge to do your bit by adopting a personal plastic bag ban. Their advice is to carry an Eco bag (a brand they promote) in your purse at all times. Eco bags cost $15-$20 and come in a range of fashionable colours and prints. See www.onyabags.co.nz

It's your backyard

When we think of the word home, we tend to think of the four walls that surround us. But the environmental movie Home - which is directed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, photographer and author of Earth from Above and produced by Luc Besson - encourages us to look at the bigger picture of how people live. If you haven't seen this movie yet, do. The documentary was filmed across 50 countries and shot entirely from the sky in high-definition and it provides a powerful message about how we live and the impact on the environment. The great thing is, the movie is free on the internet. For more info, go to www.home-2009.com

Swanning around

Looking for an original way to decorate your next party? How about a flock of Crown Lynn swan vases? Cleo Neville of Swansaround started out collecting these iconic items for her sister's wedding - and just couldn't stop. Now they're available for hire. To find out more, ph: 021 865 773 or swansaround@xtra.co.nz