KEY POINTS:
Catherine David has learned a lot during her 12 years as a successful New Zealand product designer. But the one thing she didn't really expect to learn was that there's a dearth of really good shower curtains out there.
When the couple who ran the company that made her designer shower curtains retired, David decided to buy the business. "It was a very well-established company that had been going for 20 years, so it seemed like a good idea," David says. Although her other products - including stationery, lighting and homeware - still attract plenty of customers, it's the shower curtains that have been getting all the attention. They've featured in Britain's Financial Times as well as Belle magazine.
"I guess there aren't too many designer shower curtains around," David says happily, "We're shipping three or four off to New York every week."
1. My slidelight.
It works as a subtle way to show family photos as well as ambient lighting in our TV room.
2. Waiatarua Reserve wetlands regeneration.
Because we live right on Orakei Creek, I am very interested in the process. We're trying to incorporate a few of the strategies near where we live.
3. Puke the pukeko.
Who lives near our house, answers to his name, and takes bread from my hand.
4. Indomie Noodles.
I've been eating these since I was a kid and the flavour has never changed.
5. My Mac laptop.
A present from my husband.
6. Bladerunner.
I still can recall that movie scene by scene and have listened to the soundtrack for years. It was just fantastic and seemed to be very much ahead of its time.
7. Anthony Gormley's installation on the beach north of Liverpool.
It's this bleak northern English beach with all these lifesize bronze sculptures of men looking out to sea. It's just beautiful.
8. Hot Water Beach.
When we go there we stay in a very simple quintessential Kiwi bach. It makes you realise you don't need a lot to have a nice time. Design-wise, I like the reductive aspect of it all.
9. Penang, Malaysia.
My childhood years. And I think the choices we make in design are definitely influenced by such things as where we grew up.
10. My Fiat Bambina.
It was my first car and to this day I regret selling it to help fund my OE.
