KEY POINTS:
Arch and Jane MacDonnell's love of good aesthetics is incorporated in every part of the lives - from their home to their workplace, and their individual hobbies and projects.
The pair started Inhouse, an award-winning graphic design studio, from the front room of their Kingsland villa in 1995.
Shortly afterwards they relocated to an old raincoat factory on Ponsonby Rd where they remain today, working with a small and talented team. Their time is spent working on a diverse mix of design projects, primarily in the visual arts.
Through a long-standing relationship with the Auckland Art Gallery they have worked with many of New Zealand's leading artists, curators, writers and dealer galleries.
And there are always other side projects cooking. They are producing an artworks project with John Reynolds, a limited edition artist skateboard range and are now looking at the potential for a small publishing arm, 6pt Press. Their top 10 favourites of the moment are:
Arch's favourite things
1 Bauhaus Chess Set
From the Bauhaus sculpture workshop, Josef Hartwig designed this elegant set in 1924. Its pieces are simple constructions of geometric forms and are conceived as graphic representations of the ways in which the various pieces move. Although I can't buy a win off my 10-year-old son Jeremy, losing never looked so good.
2 Record Cushion
My good friend Esther Lamb made this fruity little record cushion for me for my 40th birthday last year. The label is an exact replica of the first record I ever owned, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' Damn the Torpedoes. This cushion really does rock! www.toggle.co.nz
3 Longboards
A Sector 9, various Landyachtz carving and downhill boards and a few homemade mongrels ... this little obsession has reached giddy new heights, culminating with the production of Interstate artist longboards. Okay, so it sounds like shameless self-promotion but I really do love these new boards as objects. They are currently being exhibited at Webb. www.interstate.co.nz
4 The art of Richard Killeen
It's no secret that I'm a huge Killeen fan. I'm so inspired by his graphic language that I've felt compelled to ink it on to my body. I'm lucky enough to live with Suburb of House, a 1999 cut-out work which was a gift from Rick. I think his books from the Workshop Press are simply beautiful. Just wait till I tell you about his skateboards ...
5 Personals cont'
A new body of work from John Reynolds first featured in the book, Certain Words Drawn which I had the pleasure to work on with John. They are framed unique works on paper and raid from the quirky personals columns from the London Review of Books. My favourite is "It's taken me all year" which is so very apt! www.deadletteroffice.co.nz
Jane's favourite things
6 Octavia Cook's catalogue
Designed by the uber-talented Alan Deare, this catalogue for Octavia's jewellery collection is itself a jewel. Octavia kindly made brooches for Alan, Arch and me. Mine is a portrait of me, which is kinda fun.
7 Pollen's aerial landscape planters
A stunning way to green up your environment, these innovative planters, designed by our dear friend and native plant enthusiast Adam Ellis, look great and are really low-maintenance. Ours are daisy chained together and planted with native collospermum. Available at Uno Design or www.pollen.net.nz
8 Galt Toys' Picture Dominoes
These dominoes sparked an early interest in graphic design for me. They're exquisitely crafted, printed on "stout board" with a bold colour palette and design-wise still look incredibly fresh.
9 Tony Lane Ceramics
In 2004, Arch collaborated with Tony Lane to design a wine label in Italy, Cascina Cavolpi (Fox House). Tony generously made us this one-off ceramic plate using the same Fox House illustration as the label. At last we can serve wine and cheese.
10 Wunderkammer Jewellery by Zora Boyd
Beautifully reworked vintage jewellery by Zora Boyd. This piece, a birthday present from Arch, has the added bonus of a locket to house photos of my two little lovelies, Madeline and Jeremy.