The Penthouse 501
Apartment 103 Courtyard
The Penthouse 502

These exclusive residences set a new benchmark for apartment living

In the heart of Parnell, Elysian introduces a rare opportunity. Developed with Crosson Architects with interiors by Sarah Foote, the luxury residences sit across five levels, including two sweeping penthouses, setting a new benchmark for apartment living.

For many, the appeal of downsizing is not about living with less — it’s about living with more freedom. More time, more ease, more connection to the things that truly matter. In Parnell, Elysian presents an opportunity that speaks directly to this shift: 16 luxury residences, including two landmark penthouses, designed to offer permanence, privacy, and a new way of living well.

Left: Apartment 103. Right: Apartment 303

Developed with Crosson Architects with interiors by Sarah Foote, Elysian has been conceived as a place where quality and longevity take precedence over excess. Clad in stone with bronze-toned detailing, the architecture feels timeless; within, interiors are intentionally calm and effortless, allowing each home to reflect the lives and personalities of its residents. “Quiet luxury is the foundation,” notes Foote. “These are spaces designed for ease, with materials and layouts that will feel just as relevant decades from now.”

The Penthouse 502

For downsizers, the penthouses crown the experience. Spanning 308m² (including a 66m² terrace) and 295m² (including a 54m² terrace), they combine expansive scale with low-maintenance ease. Minimum 2.9-metre ceilings and floor-to-ceiling glazing open the homes to uninterrupted harbour views, while wraparound terraces offer privacy and seamless indoor-outdoor living — without the upkeep of a standalone house. Here, the shift to apartment living doesn’t mean compromise; it means gaining a new level of light, space, and simplicity.

The Residents’ Retreat by Studio Red Wellness

Lifestyle here extends far beyond the residences. The Residents’ Retreat by Studio Red Wellness includes a mineral pool, sauna, yoga and pilates studio, and private treatment room, ensuring health and wellbeing are part of the everyday. The executive garage makes daily life practical, with EV charging at every park, e-bike power, and even a detailing bay. In shared spaces, art by Max Gimblett and custom furniture by Tim Webber further the sense of luxury living, weaving in yet another element of considered design.

The Shared Courtyard
The executive garage

Equally compelling is the location. Elysian places residents at the heart of Parnell, within walking distance to galleries, restaurants, boutiques, and green spaces. It is a neighbourhood that offers connection and culture, yet the residences themselves provide sanctuary — a lock-and-leave lifestyle that balances vibrancy with retreat. For many moving from larger homes, this blend of accessibility and security is key: the chance to simplify, without sacrificing the richness of daily life.

The Penthouse 501 with Poliform Kitchen and Gaggenau appliances

Every detail speaks to the needs of those trading in the burden of maintenance for a home that is secure, connected, and uncompromising in its quality. Kitchens with Poliform cabinetry and Gaggenau appliances, oak flooring by Forté, and stone selected and fabricated in Italy are designed for longevity as much as beauty. Bedrooms are sanctuaries with generous storage and ensuites complete with dual basins, freestanding baths, and precision-planned layouts.

The bedroom sanctuarie in Apartment 402

Elysian is more than a place to live — it’s a way to live lighter, without losing the depth and character of home. For those ready to embrace the next chapter, these residences offer a sense of permanence, the ease of a lock-and-leave lifestyle, and the kind of luxury that becomes more rewarding with time.

Completion is set for late 2026. To experience Elysian and its rare penthouses, visit the display suite at 114 Saint Georges Bay Road, Parnell.

elysian-parnell.nz

Design

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Kingi’s turning five and celebrating with five dollar deals

We love a birthday month — and so too, it seems, does Britomart’s Kingi. To celebrate turning five, our go-to inner-city eatery for a seafood-centric power lunch is offering five-dollar Te Matuku Oysters (naturally) alongside five-dollar affogatos or matcha from Wednesday, October 8 — with the option to upgrade to something a little headier.

In keeping with the festivities — and to beckon in the warmer weather — those who visit throughout October will be offered a glass of The Landing Rosé and a trio of snacks for $39.

To further sweeten the offer, anyone who purchases a glass of The Landing Rosé at Kingi during birthday month will automatically go into the draw to win an intimate tasting and lunch at The Landing. What’s more, throughout October, Kingi’s donating $1 for every cocktail spent directly to the Breast Cancer Foundation — in case you needed any further incentive to visit.

kingibritomart.com

Gastronomy

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Everything you might have missed from Paris Fashion Week Spring 2025 runways

As Paris Fashion Week barrels towards a close, we’re dubbing this season one for the debutantes. Notable debuts took centre stage — Pierpaolo Piccioli’s Balenciaga, Jonathan Anderson at Dior and Matthieu Blazy for Chanel — while sartorial stalwarts made triumphant returns, dominating the City of Lights and its iconic landmarks, one arrondissement at a time.

There were supersized starchy bows and billowy silhouettes at Saint Laurent, draped tailoring at Louis Vuitton and peplumed pinstripes and coordinated minis at Stella McCartney. A visual feast of prints, hemlines, cinched waistlines, demure darting and sheer fabrications decorated the runways and sauntered down city streets.

For the fashion fandom, the FROW did not cease to disappoint — notably Greta Lee, Jenna Ortega, Rosalia, Johnny Depp, Kylie Jenner and Robin Wright sat front and centre, while Dame Helen Mirren leant her voice to Stella McCartney’s off-beat homage to mother nature, featuring sinuous tailoring and a spoken rendition of The Beatles’ ‘Come Together.’

Givenchy and Schiaparelli embraced the barely there trend and leant all the way into the naked dress while others — think Miu Miu and Chemena Kamali’s Chloé — harped back to their respective brand DNA with the sixties’ shift and romantic ruching. The ateliers at Victoria Beckham, Celiné and Chanel approached menswear and casual suiting with the kind of ease and confidence that’s become synonymous with all three, while Valentino and ALAÏA took a rose-tinted lens, cladding models in sequins, delicate lace appliqué and full plumage.

Spring 2026 Ready-To-Wear
Louis Vuitton

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Saint Laurent

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Miu Miu

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Chanel

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Chloé

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Inside Auckland’s new design space transforming how we discover rugs, tiles & hard surfaces

Since opening the doors to what was then Design Central in 2019, director Lindy Messam has witnessed the changing nature of our interior design landscape. Responding to this, Messam and her team have taken the decision to evolve into Obery, a destination atelier where materiality, artistry, and vision converge. Conceived as more than a showroom, this elevated atelier offers an immersive environment for exploration, connection, and discovery. It’s here that New Zealand’s most considered designers and architects are invited to engage deeply with a curated assemblage of rugs, handmade surfaces, and soon-to-be-released collections in sculptural furniture and lighting — each of which centres on quality and artistry, with an emphasis on unique materiality. 

Rooted in the vision that shaped its name, Obery (named for founder and CEO Glenn Obery) is defined by a commitment to craft and creative collaboration. “Our heritage lies in the vision and expertise that shaped our name,” says Messam, “innovation emerges through the unique, handmade surfaces we champion and the artistry woven into each piece. Within Obery’s atelier, these threads converge, offering an immersive place where craft and creativity can be experienced in tangible form.” In this space, tradition and experimentation are not opposing forces, but parallel threads, each enriching the other.

In fact, creative director Jane Mason describes the studio’s evolution as one shaped by dualities: “New Zealand design leans into intimacy, heritage, and craft. Yet we’re equally inspired by a bolder creative lens; one that embraces scale, composition, and expressive form.” Obery bridges these perspectives through an offering that feels both grounded and expansive, inviting new interpretations of space, texture, and tone. The experience in Obery’s atelier is intentionally tactile. Sunlight drapes across heirloom rugs and unique hard surfaces, while artist-led furniture and lighting highlights the boldness and depth of each piece’s materiality, revealing unexpected nuance. Here, designers are encouraged to pause, linger, and engage. Every piece has been curated not simply to be placed, but to hold presence. The resulting atelier is less a presentation of objects, and more a series of immersive moments.

As its collection grows, so too does Obery’s ambition to shape a richer, more layered design experience in Aotearoa. “We envision Obery as a destination atelier,” Mason explains, “a space for brand discovery, inspiration, and collaboration, where the design community can explore, experiment, and create with confidence.”

For those seeking to work with objects of depth, Obery offers not only the tools, but the setting to transform creative intent into enduring design.


oberystudio.com

Design

Six chic chairs to anchor your bedroom in style
This elevated Spanish villa is a masterclass in neutrality
The Easter table worth lingering over, and how to set one your guests won’t forget

Meet Za’atar Bakehouse — a tasty new pop-up running alongside Elie Assaf’s Lebanese Grocer

There’s something irresistible about bread pulled fresh from the oven — especially when it comes in the form of manoushe, Lebanon’s answer to the perfect breakfast flatbread. So it feels fitting that Elie Assaf, the exceptional chef behind Lebanese Grocer, has opened a new pop-up window next door dedicated entirely to just that.

Manoushe Cheese & Za’atar

Za’atar Bakehouse by Lebanese Grocer is as simple as it sounds: a hatch, a hot oven, and a short list of flavours designed to transport you straight to the streets of Beirut. Think gooey Manoushe Cheese & Za’atar, or Lahm Bi Ajeen, a wagyu beef-topped flatbread that reimagines the iconic Lebanese staple. Assaf calls it “our take on the iconic Lebanese breakfast flatbreads from my childhood” — and it’s clear this is food made with nostalgia as much as skill.

Za’atar Bakehouse Window
Lahm Bi Ajeen (beef wagyu)

Open on an ad-hoc basis (with the next outing happening Saturday, October 4th from 10am until sold out), the Bakehouse is very much a catch-it-while-you-can experience. Those in the know will already be glued to Instagram for updates, because like everything Assaf touches, it’s destined to sell out fast.

For Aucklanders who have already fallen in love with Lebanese Grocer’s shelves of pickles, za’atar, and housemade ba’alawa (not to mention the exceptional shawarma come lunchtime), this new venture feels like a natural, and delicious, evolution.

instagram.com/zaatarlebanesebakehouse

Gastronomy

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Denizen’s definitive guide to the best Vietnamese restaurants
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Our annual issue of Modern Living is here!

If you’re dreaming of a home that feels both timeless and deeply personal, consider the new issue of Denizen Modern Living your guidebook. Our annual design issue explores the evolving language of contemporary design — softer, sensorial, and rooted in self-expression. From the interplay of art and interiors to the honest beauty of raw materials, these pages celebrate spaces that prioritise authenticity, comfort, and individuality.

Whether you’re building, renovating, or simply seeking inspiration, this issue offers ideas to help you design for not just how you want to live, but how you want to feel at home.

Denizen Modern Living is available in two stunning covers and is on sale now at all good news agents. Want to guarantee your copy and never miss an issue? Subscribe below today.

Design

Six chic chairs to anchor your bedroom in style
This elevated Spanish villa is a masterclass in neutrality
The Easter table worth lingering over, and how to set one your guests won’t forget

Trouble drifting off? We consult a sleep expert on the 10 steps to follow to start having the best sleep of your life

In a bid to discover the true, wellness-enhancing benefits of a deep, restorative sleep, we consulted Olivia Arezzolo, a renowned Australian sleep expert, who divulged the 10 crucial steps that will change your evening routine for the better.

It’s been a long held belief that the cure-all for many of our wellbeing woes is simply getting more sleep. But we all know that this is much easier said than done. Queenstown-based, Australian sleep expert and best-selling author Olivia Arezzolo, however, is one person who seems to have cracked the code.

Sleep Expert — Olivia Arezzolo

While her ritual may seem rigorous, Arezzolo strongly believes that to truly improve your sleep you must be vigilant. It not only shifts lingering fatigue, but helps to curb illness, alleviate cognitive issues and support mental health. So if you too want to improve your sleep, these are Arezzolo’s 10 essential steps to a restful and fulfilling night. 

01. Block Blue Light

According to research, blue light is one of the biggest triggers for a bad night’s sleep. You can (and should) remedy this by investing in a pair of blue light-blocking glasses, which filter the overstimulating blue light from any screens, and offer a nice, soothing lens similar in colour to candlelight. Put these on for at least two hours before bed.

02. Use Lavender Oils

An age old cure-all that even your grandmother swore by, lavender is scientifically proven to induce sleep. Two hours before bedtime, either rub a couple of drops on your temples or ideally, diffuse some in your bedroom.

03. Disconnect From Tech

Whether you use a blue light blocking filter on your device or not, the evidence still insists that you turn your screens off at least an hour before bed. With the world at your fingertips, laptops, tablets, phones and even televisions are a hive for hyperactivity. If you can, remove them from the bedroom altogether.

04. Wash Off The Day

A nighttime shower is always a relaxing ritual to wash off the stresses (and dirt) of the day. Warm water moves your body into a gentle, relaxed state, and a little self-care routine like this is always soothing.

05. Take Magnesium-Based Supplements

Magnesium is the best micronutrient for inducing deep sleep, and when deficient, it’s noticeable; creating symptoms like hyperactivity and restless, twitching legs. When you hop out of the shower, take a magnesium-based supplement. Even better when paired with a calming, chamomile tea.

06. Read A Book

Research has shown that even as little as six minutes of reading reduces stress levels by up to 68 percent. It’s the perfect way to unwind before bed, and it doesn’t need to be a challenging read. (But it does need to be a proper, analogue book — no Kindles after nine o’clock.)
See our recommendations on what to read right now here.

07. Use An Eyemask

A simple silk eyemask is one of the best investments you can make for your slumber. It supports sleep habits by blocking out any small, bright distractions, and the textural feel is surprisingly soothing. This is the last thing to do before drifting off.

08. Keep A Checklist

Somewhere handy, keep a checklist nearby. This isn’t forever, but it is to ensure you do every step, every night. Over time it will become more ritualistic and natural. For now, this checklist is essential.

09. Be Consistent

Arezzolo recommends undertaking this routine for at least a week — including all elements — before you knock its efficacy. Good things take time, but with this approach, it’s a matter of days, not months.

10. Stay Accountable

Embarking on a quest for a good night’s sleep is best when done together. The easiest person to undertake this with is your partner, as they’re often either the victim or the culprit of any bad sleep habits.

oliviaarezzolo.com.au

Wellbeing

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saint laurent fall '25

Step back into the office in style with our boardroom edit

Get down to business with this season’s dominant dress code — à la Don Draper. From sharp tailoring to chic accessories and classic layers, this edit will see you settling back into the office post-holidays in commanding style.

Saint Laurent Fall ’25
Double-breasted jacket from Prada
Cartier Santos de Cartier
watch from Partridge
Tie from Louis Vuitton
Victoria Beckham Organic cotton-poplin shirt Net-a-porter
Knot Lock bag from Bottega Veneta
Cashmere socks from Maggie Marilyn
Luco Triomphe
loafer from Celine
Cashmere polo sweater from Miu Miu
Wool pinstripe pants from Prada
Gucci Rectangular optical frame from Farfetch

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Marmo 420 Round Basin Raw Travertine

Give your bathroom a refined update with this simple addition

When introducing a statement stone to your home, benches are no longer the benchmark. Travertine, the stone of the moment, is particularly at home in the bathroom, bringing quiet luxury to sculptural basins, monolithic vanities, and even rendering entire rooms for a look that’s both luxe and enduring.

Plumbline’s design-led range of basins are a simple yet impactful way to integrate a statement stone into your bathroom, with the capacity to completely elevate an interior vision with one simple addition.

Marmo 550 Rectangle Wall Basin from Plumbline
Marmo 550 Oval Vessel Basin from Plumbline
Marmo 420 Round Basin from Plumbline
Marmo 500 Rectangle Vessel Basin from Plumbline

plumbline.co.nz

Design

Six chic chairs to anchor your bedroom in style
This elevated Spanish villa is a masterclass in neutrality
The Easter table worth lingering over, and how to set one your guests won’t forget

Step into Santa’s Magical Wonderland at SkyCity

This festive season, Santa is setting up shop at an alluring new destination, bringing festive cheer to Aucklanders as SkyCity transforms into the city’s newest Christmas tradition. With the closure of Smith & Caughey’s iconic Santa’s Enchanted Forest, families searching for a magical holiday moment need look no further than the Sky Tower, where Santa’s Magical Wonderland awaits.

From the 15th of November through to Christmas Eve, the Sky Tower’s ground floor is transformed into an enchanted forest, complete with twinkling lights, softly falling snow, and whimsical characters ready to spark delight. Ascend to Level Seven, and you’ll find Santa himself, welcoming families with a warm smile, a festive bauble gift, and a keepsake photo of their visit.

And, at SkyCity, the festive experience stretches well beyond Santa’s chair. Interactive installations keep little ones entertained at every turn, while the Scotty Sky Tower show promises a fabulously festive performance for kids and parents alike. Sweet tooths will marvel at SkyCity’s gingerbread house display — an edible reimagining of Auckland’s landmarks, handcrafted by SkyCity’s exceptional pastry team. Add to this the precinct’s larger-than-life nutcrackers, hundreds of decorated trees, and Christmas-themed dining and hotel offerings, and you’ve got an immersive celebration to rival anything the city has seen before.

Tickets start from $35 and are expected to sell quickly, so families are encouraged to book early to secure their spot. Whether it’s your child’s very first Christmas or a new family ritual in the making, Santa’s Magical Wonderland at SkyCity offers a chance to step into a festive storybook, creating memories that will last a lifetime.

Secure your spot, here.

skycity.co.nz

Culture

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