Designer Lyzadie Renault is making waves with a furniture collection inspired by the rivers of Queenstown and the South Island – aptly named the Flow Collection.

The exquisite ensemble of South Island rimu tables with its distinctive brass designs was a finalist at The Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards 2018, a recognition Lyzadie and her team at the Auckland-based Lyzadie Design Studio are justifiably proud of.

“The inspiration behind the Flow Collection was the beauty of the braided rivers of the South Island – whether you view them from the air or you are amongst them on the ground, there is something very special about them,” she says. “For this collection we collaborated with South Island furniture maker Treology, whose sustainable ethos and love for New Zealand really resonates with us.”

Although Lyzadie has been working as an architect for 14 years 2018 marks her debut into product design.

She says her timelessproducts in the Flow Collection encapsulatea slice of raw New Zealand.

Tables are made from rescued rimu from South Island rivers and each features GPS coordinates identifying exactly where the wood came from. Her Fern Mirrors reveal “nature’s secrets” while the influence for her White Cloud pendants comes from her imagination of Maori chief Kupe catching his first glimpse of New Zealand.

“Items we buy for our homes often don’t mean anything these days, so we wanted to design New Zealand products that are connected with this land on all levels,” Lyzadie says. “We create pieces that add value to peoples’ lives and are meaningful. You literally buy a piece of New Zealand when you buy one of our products. If you are a New Zealander living overseas, that kind of connection to home is huge and so special. It really does ignite the senses.”

While dedication to sophisticated luxury design is a priority, sustainability and a mantra of keeping New Zealand beautiful is also a core focus for Lyzadie.

She designs and personally oversees the manufacture of each piece.

“I think you have to be conscious of what you create by making things locally, making things to last, using raw or natural materials which can be used again or recycled, or using materials that are biodegradable. My French great-grandfathers and grandfather were furniture makers and there are designers and makers in my Melanesian heritage too, so I have a love of nature, a love of design and a love of making things with raw materials in my blood – it’s a passion.”