There's a possibility Peter Haythornthwaite will examine his Queen's Birthday Honours medal to see how well it's designed but nothing would detract from how chuffed he is to receive it.
The Waimate North resident has been recognised with a New Zealand Order of Merit (OMNZ) for his services to design. Mr Haythornthwaite and wife, Carol, have lived in Northland for six months, after living in Queenstown for several years. He was drawn North to a place where he holidayed as a child.
As he was then, and his father was before him, he is still moved by the beauty of the landscape, for instance, stands of puriri trees near the couple's home.
Mr Haythornthwaite has worked in several countries, as one of the best minds in the business on projects ranging from industrial machinery to office interiors to kitchen utensils.
Design touches every part of life, whether it is in medical, scientific, art, manufacturing or domestic fields, he said. It is about making things better to use as well as looking good.