Dutch design on the market

Heath Lowe and Clare Buchanan are always in the market for elegant design. Pictures / Carolyn Robertson

Design addicts who prefer to fill their home with unusual pieces can get their fix from Markt, a new arrival in Auckland.

This retail furniture gallery - the brainchild of New Zealander Clare Buchanan and American Heath Lowe - in up-and-coming Britomart features carefully selected vintage design originals from across Europe but mostly from the Netherlands.

The idea for Markt (Dutch for market), was conceived in Amsterdam, where the couple lived for several years. Buchanan, who was brought up in New Plymouth, worked alongside Lowe, from Illinois, in an Amsterdam graphic design studio.

"We couldn't believe the quality of the Dutch design ... influence on mid-century modern furniture, starting with 1940s post-war innovations right through to the plastic forms of the 1970s," Buchanan says.

What began as a weekend interest hunting for unusual pieces soon became a serious habit and they spent countless hours scouring markets and visiting dealers throughout the Netherlands in search of pieces.

When their pocket-sized Dutch studio apartment was filled to capacity, they realised that their passion for collecting needed a further outlet. The couple made Auckland their home last year, establishing Markt in December, offering New Zealanders access to pieces rarely available here. When customers buy an item of furniture from Markt they will know that it's highly unlikely anyone else in New Zealand will have a similar one.

"Our customers, like us, want things for their home that have history and character," Lowe says. "I think people are generally moving away from prescribed minimalism and boxy, souless design to have an eclectic mix of beautiful things.

"It might be an amazing piece of design furniture or something quirky they have picked up on their travels, mixing textiles and different materials from different eras ... We've always lived like that."

Lowe and Buchanan are fascinated by the history and origin of each item of furniture they stock, which they attribute to their background in design, art history and architecture.

To satisfy customers' curiosity they provide detailed information on the history of each of the items.

Although a variety of pieces are available in the gallery, they are primarily interested in stocking pieces from the post-war 1940s to the late 1960s.

"During that time, architects and designers salvaged what they could after the war," Buchanan says. "The post-war challenges - such as lack of money, materials and a massive housing shortage - brought about amazing triumphs in design.

"They created a new expression for living through functional, modular pieces made from innovative materials like bent plywood and steel tubing. And through a progressive production philosophy they ensured that good design was available to everyone."

Lowe and Buchanan have sourced pieces from such well-known designers as Florence Knoll, Harry Bertoia, Hans Wegner and Borge Mogensen.

Although Dutch design is their focus, they also stock pieces by lesser known, but increasingly popular, mid-century designers such as Wim Rietveld, Cees Braakman, Louis Kalff and Friso Kramer. Occasionally, pieces by unknown designers will be sold.

Along with the stunning pieces of furniture, the gallery sells vintage Phillips lighting, West German ceramics, Russel Wright pottery, and European posters and homeware. The pieces at the gallery can also be viewed online at the store's website (see link below). 

You can contact Markt by phoning (09) 307 0222.