First Stage of New Zealand’s Largest Retail Store Opens

10 September 2019

The first stage of New Zealand’s largest retail store has opened with furniture and homewares retailer Nido launching their commercial furniture interiors division - the first of three stages before doors at the 27,000sqm site open to consumers later this year.

Nido@work will carry thousands of European and locally sourced designer commercial furniture products targeting business from SMEs through to large-scale corporates and Government departments.

Paulette Redstone, nido@work’s commercial manager says there is growing local demand for designer commercial furniture as more Kiwi businesses adopt a global design trend known as ‘resimercial’.

“Staff are spending longer hours in the office on average and so how we live is becoming a big driver of how the spaces we work in are designed.

“We are finding businesses are adapting their office space to accommodate the flexible needs of their staff as a way of attracting and retaining talent in the firm,” she says.

Redstone who has worked in the commercial fit-out industry for more than 20 years, says the term ‘resimercial’ is used to describe the global trend of integrating residential aesthetics in the commercial environment.

“In practice this means designing agile spaces where people can go and work how they want to work - without the company being prescriptive in how that platform is provided for them ,” she says.

Redstone says the trend towards flexible working environments is being driven by technology and usage analytics - with Kiwi companies increasingly turning towards smart technology to optimise the way they design their office spaces and furniture.

“It is becoming more common for businesses to attach sensors and smart devices to their furniture and fitout which collect real-time data on how their offices are used - such as how long workers spend in a particular space, how they adjust their desk or if there are any spaces which are not utilised.

“These usage statistics allow them to reconfigure the office to suit the needs of their staff who may want more common spaces for hot-desking, remote working or the ability to accommodate larger numbers for project-based work,” she says.

Redstone says in addition to carrying a wide range of commercial furniture from New Zealand suppliers, Nido has secured an exclusive contract with one of Europe’s largest designers and manufacturers.

She says their local range is being expanded at the moment with more shipments due to arrive within the coming months and they expect their range to be around 70% European designer brands and rest sourced from other international markets or locally.

“Our second sale since opening was significant giving us confidence our thinking is in line with market demand,” she says.

Redstone says their product ranges will be accredited to meet international ergonomic, environmental, strength and durability standards.

Nido@work is operating from a temporary showroom at Unit 4, 91 Central Park Drive Henderson. They will occupy an 1,800sqm floor space within the nearby Nido building when it opens to the public in December this year.

For more information visit the nido@work website here

High res images can be found here

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