About Us

Karakter present a curated collection of the best mid century and modern design in both our Auckland showroom and online gallery.

Our unique collection of genuine European and American mid century design includes both iconic and one-off pieces, all of which embody the sophistication that design of that era is famed for. Each timeless piece showcases the impeccable construction standards, stunning materials and elegant lines synonymous with mid century design.

At the time of their construction, mid-century European and American pieces were tax restrictive to import into New Zealand, leading to a low supply of this style of design here. So, Karakter was established in 2012, specialising in bringing accessible, genuine and iconic mid century design to the New Zealand market.

Andy Jones, one of our company's founders, along with former business partner Andrew Lay, reconnected with their contacts abroad, to establish an impressive network for sourcing Karakter’s unique pieces. Today, Karakter work alongside our associates across Europe and the States, to source and ship our pieces to New Zealand. Once here, we employ our personally selected, local artisans to expertly restore and reupholster every piece.

Karakter’s offering now includes genuine, vintage mid century design, reissued iconic designs, produced new by the likes of Herman Miller, DCW editions and Cherner, alongside new, modernist inspired design and an ever expanding range of homewares. We also collaborate with local designers and carpenters, creating a carefully considered collection of our own pieces.

We can source pieces for a particular space and reupholster depending on your needs and often work with media outlets for staging, editorials and set design. Please contact us at info@karakter.co.nz for any enquiries.

Andy Jones, Director
Andy’s inherent understanding of construction techniques and brilliant ability to calculate anything in his head, can be attributed to his background in civil engineering. Along with this, his genuine passion for mid century design and vast knowledge of designers and their stories makes Andy a firm favourite with our customers.

Paula Scott, Marketing Coordinator
Paula is the newest member of the team here at Karakter.  She brings to the Marketing Coordinator role an eye for beautiful aesthetics inspired by her background in art, design and photography.