- wall art
- garden art
- house numbers & address signs
- custom & bespoke
- NZ-made gifts
- wall hooks
- new
For years people thought of my work as an outdoors thing. Garden birds, fence art, corten pieces rusting away happily in the rain. And I love that side of it. But some of my favourite pieces have always lived inside, on a hallway wall or above a bed, and I think steel is one of the most underrated things you can hang indoors.
I have been designing and cutting steel art here in New Zealand since 2007, and over 50,000 pieces later I still get asked the same question: does steel really work inside the house? It absolutely does. This is my honest, room-by-room guide to choosing indoor wall art that looks right in your home, whether you are in a modern new build or a hundred-year-old villa. No fluff, just what I have learned from making it and living with it.
A print fades. Canvas sags and yellows. Cheap framed art always ends up looking a bit tired after a few years on a sunny wall. Steel does not do any of that. It holds its shape and its finish, and it catches the light in a way flat art simply cannot, so the piece shifts slightly through the day as the sun moves around the room.
The other thing steel gives you indoors is texture. A lot of my pieces are finished with real rope, which is something none of my competitors do, and that little bit of natural fibre against matt steel warms the whole thing up. It stops it feeling cold or industrial, which is the fear most people have about metal inside. Have a look at the indoor wall art collection and you will see what I mean about the mix of textures.
The biggest mistake I see is people buying a piece they love without thinking about the wall it is going on. Every room asks for something slightly different. Here is how I think about each one.
This is usually the hero wall of the house, the one people see first, so it can take a proper statement piece. Above the sofa is the classic spot, and my rule there is to go wider than you think. A piece that fills roughly two thirds of the sofa width sits far better than something small and lonely floating in the middle. A large koru wall hanging with rope or a set works beautifully here. If your living room leans calm and neutral, browse the minimal architectural pieces for something quieter.
Hallways are narrow and often a bit dark, so they suit vertical pieces and anything with a bit of a welcome to it. This is where a home wall word or a piece of Kiwiana earns its place, because it sets the tone the moment someone walks in. A steel NZ map is a favourite for entryways, especially in homes that like to fly the flag a little.
Kitchens can handle a bit of personality and a bit of cheek. This is the one room where my word art really comes into its own, whether that is a to gin or not to gin piece for the drinks corner or something a bit tongue in cheek by the dining table. A large cutlery knife and fork piece in black with natural rope is a favourite on a dining wall or above the table. Steel is a natural fit near cooking too, since it does not mind heat or the odd splash the way paper art would. Browse the word art and wall quotes for the full range.
Bedrooms want softer, more personal pieces. Botanicals and natives do lovely work here. A mānuka wall hanging in white and sage above a bed feels gentle rather than loud, and pieces finished with natural rope like my tui and flax hanging add that bit of organic warmth you want in a room you relax in. An XO set of two, hug and kiss, is a lovely personal touch above the bed.
Do not forget the little walls. A laundry, a loo, the gap at the top of the stairs. These are the spots where a single small piece makes people smile, and steel copes with bathroom humidity far better than anything framed behind glass. An am/pm wall hanging is a favourite in a bathroom, marking the morning and evening routine with a bit of charm, and a simple wave line or a small botanical works just as well.
Steel does not have to mean black, although classic matt black is still my most popular finish and goes with almost anything. If you want the art to sit into your palette rather than stand against it, I make pieces in other colours too. Sage in particular has been having a real moment in New Zealand homes.
People with older homes sometimes worry that steel will look too contemporary against their villa or bungalow. In my experience it is the opposite. A koru or a fern in steel, especially one softened with rope, sits beautifully against timber panelling, high skirtings and character features. The koru with rope in sage is a good example of a piece that bridges old and new.
The native designs carry a strong sense of place, which is part of why they work in so many New Zealand homes. I draw on the koru, the fern and our native birds out of a genuine love for the natural world here and our shared identity, celebrating those forms rather than claiming any ownership of them. If that is the direction you are drawn to, the native bird wall art and the Kiwiana collection are the places to start.
Size is where most people go wrong, so it is worth slowing down. Measure your wall, mark out the piece with painter's tape before you buy, and live with the outline for a day. It saves a lot of second-guessing.
As for height, the middle of the piece wants to land around eye level, roughly 145 to 150cm from the floor, a touch lower above furniture so it relates to the sofa or bed rather than floating off on its own. I have written a full size guide for wall art if you want the detail, and my complete wall art guide covers choosing a piece from scratch.
This is easier than people expect. My indoor pieces are lighter than they look, and most go up with nothing more than a couple of screws or good picture hooks. A few practical notes from years of fielding this question:
A lot of my indoor pieces double as gifts, which makes sense when they are made here and built to last rather than end up in a drawer. Something like the aroha and heart hanging is a favourite for weddings and new homes. Ready-made pieces are dispatched within 48 hours, shipping is free across New Zealand on orders over $250, and most pieces post to Australia for around $18. Gift wrapping is free if you add a note at checkout, and there is never any pricing in the parcel. If you would rather let them choose, digital gift vouchers are sent instantly.
And if you have a specific wall, size or idea in mind, custom work is my favourite part of the job. A word that means something to your family, a size made to fit an awkward spot, a colour to match your room. Just get in touch through the studio and we will sort it out together.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the wall you look at most, measure it, and pick the piece you keep coming back to. Everything else follows from there. The full indoor wall art collection is the best place to browse, with every finish and size in one spot.
It does not have to. The matt finishes are soft rather than shiny, and many of my pieces are finished with real rope, which adds natural texture and warmth. Against timber, plants or a coloured wall, steel reads as characterful rather than clinical.
No. My indoor pieces are finished in matt black, white or colour and are made to stay exactly as they are. Rusting is only for the corten pieces designed for outdoors. Inside, the finish holds indefinitely.
Most indoor pieces are lighter than they look and go up with a couple of screws or picture hooks. On plasterboard use a wall anchor or a stud, on brick use a masonry plug, and for small pieces heavy-duty adhesive strips work well with no holes at all.
Bigger than you think, usually. Above furniture, aim to fill around two thirds of the width. Mark the outline on your wall with painter's tape before buying so you can see it at full size first.
Often, yes. I make pieces across black, white, sage and more, and custom colours are possible on many designs. Get in touch through the studio if you have a specific palette in mind.
Yes. Every piece is designed and made here. Ready-made items dispatch within 48 hours, with free shipping across New Zealand on orders over $250 and delivery to Australia for most pieces at around $18.
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