It's not often in the design world that an appreciation for high-end furniture is matched by a love of 80s prints - but Tara Angus' bold style leans toward both. The residential design consultant at luxury furniture showroom Domo says her passion for the industry was sparked while studying spatial design at AUT.
Angus recently moved to Domo after nearly five years at Simon James. "In my line of work there is always a drawcard," she says. "Ligne Roset was that for me [at Domo]. When I worked at Dedece it was Edra and at Simon James it was Established & Sons."
She also takes pleasure in watching local designers build their brands.
"Seeing the strengths New Zealand-based company Resident goes to each year gives me a massive injection of New Zealand pride."
Angus is looking forward to her first overseas buying trip this year with the owner of Domo, Karen Robertson. The trip will take in either the Milan Furniture Fair or Maison&Objet in Singapore, with the hope of bringing two new brands into the Domo stable.
MY FAVOURITE THINGS
1. David Moreland "Framed" chair
I love these so much I have three. Dave is a "smart" designer. His products are so well thought-out at the conceptual stage, and their price point, materials and simple design mean that they are obtainable by all and they work fluidly between residential and commercial applications. There was always something about this chair that I kept returning to - the extreme structure of the design with its harsh angles meant that it was not just an armchair but a beautiful design object as well.
2. Boskke planters
These may come as a surprise as they are everywhere and have been around for years, but the reason behind their placing in the top five - bumping out Established & Sons and Case - is that these are a massive part of my past five years. At Simon James, I looked after the wholesale and distribution of Boskke in New Zealand. The design is by red dot-awarded UK-based Kiwi Patrick Morris. I have six Boskke planters, including one of the Originals, which is enormous compared to the ones that retail now.
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3. "Ploum" by Bouroullec brothers for Ligne Roset
While other girls my age are saving for a wedding and kids, I am stashing away a furniture fund for this. The Bouroullec brothers are probably my favourite European designers, with such amazing designs under their belts as the Lighthouse, Cloud and Osso.
Ligne Roset's most iconic sofa is the Togo, what you would call a contemporary classic, designed in 1973, contemporary for its time and contemporary still today. The Ploum is a future contemporary classic or the new Togo - both function and form are pushed to the limits, however, both work harmoniously, something which is quite hard to achieve. It feels like you're sinking into a cloud.
4. Robin Day dining table and chairs
The tabletop isn't original but the chairs, and I believe the base, are. This was a restoration project I set myself about five years ago ... as you can see I have a great ability to let things slide. As the years have gone by I have enabled myself to see the beauty in its disintegrating state. I am a huge believer in round tables - conversation flows and you're not limited to the person next to you or to the head of the table. Many of the world's problems have been solved around this table over the years.
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5. Collection of 80s prints
The subject matter back in the 80s was almost that of lucid dreams ... cats and unicorns and unexplainable compositions. This one in particular was collected as one of my best friends and I were sifting through a hidden gem of a thrift shop in New Lynn.
