Article

New Zealand’s First IKEA Store Now Open Featuring Marley Akasison

19 December, 2025 by

Auckland is now home to New Zealand’s very first IKEA and it has already become a landmark in the city since its opening in late 2025.

This massive project began in 2018 with initial tracking, followed by the design phase in 2021. By 2022, the design was completed and lodged for building consent, followed by the commencement of construction in 2023.

In 2024, a major milestone of the project was the installation of the Akasison Siphonic Drainage System – a roof drainage solution from Marley. Engineered for maximum efficiency, the system ensures the drainage of the 10,500m2 roof space, requiring only six downpipes! Not only does this optimise space, but it also reflects the commitment to effective and sustainable solutions.

IKEA in Auckland was the first in the world to deviate from a traditional flat membrane roof structure to a pitched design, meaning they needed a solid and reliable roof drainage system like Akasison.

The project came together with significant contributions from various organisations, including Leffler Simes Architects, Naylor Love Ltd as the head building contractor, Norman Disney & Young as the building services consultancy and Flowpro as the plumbing sub-contractor.

We are thrilled to have been a part of such a significant project, and we are happy to see the many excited customers filling the store every day.

Click here to find out more about Akasison Siphonic Drainage.

Design trends 2022

16 December, 2021 by

In the midst of challenging pandemic times, we’re expecting a lot from our homes. We need multifunctional spaces that allow us to focus, get creative, entertain, and relax. Design trends for 2022 will continue to seek to create a peaceful retreat.

Seeing as we’re spending more and more time at home, improving our homes is appealing to all and achievable regardless of scale or budget.

A pop of retro

Capitalise on the declutter trend and raid local op shops and local buy/sell pages for treasures in need of a new life. There’s a strong movement away from mass-produced, fast fashion fads.

Hunt for unique items that splash character and colour in a room. Retro accessories in bold shapes and colours, as well as glass and quirky ceramics create visual appeal and make a great talking point.

Also look out for classic wood furniture with sleek lines. Furniture design from the mid-1900’s favoured simplicity and functionality – which is certainly back in vogue. Quality items that are useful and built to last a lifetime.

It might take a little patience, consistent hunting, and an open mind to spot pieces that work well with your home. The secret is to blend the old with the new and exercise a little restraint on what you add. Focus on quality and comfort – items that have already stood the test of time.

Natural elements and earthy colours

Maximise natural lighting and connect the indoors and out with plants, organic colours, textiles and natural materials.

Principles of biophilic design are based on our innate love of nature and a need to connect with it to bring tranquility into our lives. Snake plants, monstera, lilies and ferns are ever popular choices indoors. If you’re a novice, start out with the ones that are hardy and less fussy to care for.

Consciously sustainable

We’ve never been more aware of the impact our choices have on the planet. Along with most of the world, the New Zealand Government is actively planning ways to achieve its climate change goals, including net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Using renewable energy sources and recycling materials are both essential parts of this equation.

Marley Twist^® compact rainwater diverter, is a good example – it’s made from 100% recyclable materials and is designed to help households reduce overall use of mains water. It is easily connected to an existing downpipe system, diverting rainwater to a storage facility such as a tank or barrel for watering the garden, washing the car or running water features. Depending on the rainfall, Twist^® can capture up to 300 litres of water per hour and can be turned off to resume normal downpipe flow.

Likewise the Marley Curve^® leaf and debris diverter is also made from 100% recyclable material; it’s a diverter that can be added onto downpipes to protect tanks and stormwater systems from leaves and debris. As well as improving the quality of water going into tanks, it reduces the amount of debris entering the stormwater system and ultimately reduces problems of blocked and overflowing sewers.

Both Curve^® and Twist^® are available in the full colour range from the Marley Stratus Design Series^® to ensure they blend seamlessly into the downpipe system.

Sherwin Williams Colour of the Year – Evergreen Fog

Pegged as a versatile and calming hue which gives a subtle but sophisticated wash of organic colour, Evergreen Fog fits well with design trends for 2022 and will coordinate with many different design styles. It pairs well with neutrals and earthy tones – perhaps as an accent colour rather than for an entire room or house.

In a continuing trend, natural materials and colours also feature strongly in exterior design. The warmth of timber boards and slats offer a sharp geometric look whilst fitting in with their surroundings.

Versatile spaces

The importance of home office space has boomed, along with creating hybrid spaces which are multifunctional and work for the whole family.

Look for products that are not only beautiful but also offer great storage and versatility in their use.

Clever methods of room division can also help you make the most of your space.

So, although we may not know what is around the corner for us (or the world), we can certainly take control of our home spaces. We hope you feel inspired to breathe some freshness into your own sanctuary or perhaps take a few steps on your own sustainability journey.

Putting the focus on sustainability

15 December, 2021 by

A multi-faceted approach to its responsibilities as a manufacturer means Marley promotes the use of renewable energy, recycles its products, designs ranges that encourage sustainability, and works hard to reduce the amount of materials it consumes.

The building and construction sector is one of the significant contributors to greenhouse gases, through the manufacture of materials, during the construction of buildings, and from the energy used once they are completed and operational.

Along with most of the world, the New Zealand Government is actively planning ways to achieve its climate change goals, including net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Using renewable energy sources and recycling materials are both essential parts of this equation, and most industries are now looking at how they can improve their systems, technology and practices to become more sustainable.

Marley, one of New Zealand’s largest plastics manufacturers, is an excellent example of an iconic local company that is actively working to improve its practices. Owned by Aliaxis group, a privately owned global business based in Belgium, Marley is strongly focused on achieving a number of ambitious sustainability goals.

Scott Townsend, general manager of marketing at Marley, says the company is committed to these goals and knows that the people that specify, install and use its products – architects, builders and homeowners to name just a few – increasingly are too.

Aliaxis has a goal globally to reach 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2025 to help reduce CO₂ emissions by 75 per cent per tonne of production across its sites. As part of that goal, in New Zealand, we have joined Meridian Energy’s Certified Renewable Energy programme. This means we support Meridian’s sustainability commitment to only generate electricity from 100 per cent renewable sources – the wind, water and sun.

Marley: manufacturing its products sustainably by using renewable energy

“We hope by being part of this programme more businesses are encouraged to join, which will put pressure on other electricity producers and drive the demand for renewable energy. New Zealand’s goal is to be using 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030 and we would love to see that happen even faster,” says Scott.

At the same time, Marley is continually developing other innovative initiatives to reduce the company’s environmental footprint.

We are always looking at developing new products that use less energy in their production or contribute in some way by having less environmental impact.

Twist^®, a compact rainwater diverter, is a good example – it’s made from 100% recyclable materials and is designed to help households reduce their overall use of mains water. It is easily connected to an existing downpipe system, diverting rainwater to a storage facility such as a tank or barrel for watering the garden, washing the car or running water features. Depending on the rainfall, Twist^® can capture up to 300 litres of water per hour and can be turned off to resume normal downpipe flow.

“We see this as a great way for homeowners in urban areas to easily utilise rainwater and, at the same time, reduce pressure on infrastructure,” says Scott.

Marley’s leaf and debris diverter Curve^® is also made from 100 per cent recyclable material; it’s a diverter that can be added onto downpipes to protect tanks and stormwater systems from leaves and debris. As well as improving the quality of water going into tanks, it also reduces the amount of debris entering the stormwater system and ultimately reduces problems of blocked and overflowing sewers.

Both Curve^® and Twist^® are available in the full colour range from the Marley Stratus Design Series^® to ensure they blend seamlessly into the downpipe system.

Recycling as much production waste as possible is a key initiative that Marley takes very seriously, and the company recycles over 99 per cent of its own production waste, grinding, crushing and reusing products that don’t meet its stringent quality standards.

We are increasingly taking products back from contractors and consumers to avoid them being sent to landfill, and we recycle them into new products.

“This may mean when plumber replace parts like stormwater pipe systems, we take back the old products and recycle them, or it could be off-cuts left over at the end of a job.”

Marley: working with the business community to encourage recycling

Partnering with other businesses and customers is part of the strategy to become more sustainable. Scott cites the example of its partnership with Mitre 10 and Naylor Love for a project at Onehunga High School.

“We provide recycling bins on-site for subcontractors to put PVC product waste into, and we collect the bins and take them back to our factory for recycling. We see the demand for these relationships increasing as the government takes steps to encourage and incentivise waste minimisation. Even now, it is becoming more expensive for construction companies to send waste to landfill.”

“We have also run several trials with one of our key customers, Plumbing World, providing dedicated uPVC and PE recycling bins at their branches so that plumbers and drainlayers can return off-cuts or end=of-life product. The bins are regularly collected and product returned to Marley for recycling.

Another initiative is to accept uPVC and PE from other manufacturers that don’t have the recycling resources that Marley has invested in. This ranges from taking the off-cuts from a company that makes vinyl records to processing old milk bottles, and equates to around 100,000kg per year from external sources – all of which would otherwise have gone to landfill.

“Our aim is to try and create a circular economy for uPVC and PE. Both are fantastic materials for use in building and infrastructure products where durability and high performance are essential and both are infinitely recyclable. If you can keep it in the circulation loop, you reduce the need for new material to be produced and reduce the embodied energy of future products and therefore buildings” says Scott.

“We are also actively reviewing all our products to increase the recycled content where possible, or to reduce the amount of material in the product where we can do this without affecting its quality. Both these help to further reduce the amount of uPVC or PE that is needed.”

Marley’s efforts in this area are recognised in the number of certifications it has earned. It was the first NZ plastics manufacturer in NZ to achieve ISO1401 environmental accreditation 16 years ago; its products are BEP-certified and certified for use on GreenStar projects.

Learn more about Marley’s sustainability goals and the products it produces.

Five tips for building or renovating by the sea

24 February, 2021 by

This recently renovated home in stunning Waiheke ticks all the boxes when it comes to coastal living. A sturdy weatherboard home, a stunning view of the ocean, a pool and plenty of living spaces. After supplying the lucky owners with new Marley Stormcloud^® spouting and RP80^® downpipes in white, we picked their brains for five tips to having a great coastal home and here they are.

1. Make the outdoor living space a priority

Think about including some functional and inclusive outdoor areas. These will become the centre of any party as you cook or enjoy them. Some ideas might be:

An Argentine fire
A pizza oven
Outdoor kitchen
A pool
Nooks and chill spots
A games area with darts, or pétanque
An outdoor dining area
A gazebo

Having a spot for outdoor dining is essential at a coastal getaway. Just make sure to break up any direct sun so that it’s not too hot during the day.
Build these spots for an ideal number, most likely 6 or 8 so they are intimate yet functional. You can use plants and planters to close in spaces to make them cosy.
Outdoor fires are mostly illegal now, but if they are a cooking tool, like a pizza oven, councils will often allow them.

If you’re lucky enough to have (or fit in) a pool, it’s important to make it blend in with the surroundings. For example, their pool utilises stone from Waiheke helping it blend into the natural rock surroundings.

2. Salt and rust are your enemy

It’s essential that you use durable materials that are rust resistant. This includes stainless steel, powder coated aluminium and uPVC.

Marley Stormcloud^® spouting and RP80^® downpipes are perfect for coastal environments as they are made of long-lasting uPVC which is UV resistant and has a 15-year guarantee.
Did you know that the quarter-round Stormcloud^® profile is New Zealand’s most popular spouting style?
It has clean, strong lines that suits both traditional and contemporary homes.
It’s available in white and also Black, Grey Friars^®and Ironsand^®

3. Think about flooding / storms

Even if your house is well above the tide, you need to make sure everything else is elevated above the possible storm-induced highwater mark.

This home is north facing and in recent years they’ve had a dramatic increase in coastal northerly storms with heavy rain. This has prompted them to invest in better-than-adequate drainage to avoid any future flooding.
If you do have an area that may be prone to flooding think about practical flooring and emergency drainage (a sump for instance).

4. Frame the view

Think about framing the view, not dominating it. Do it in a way that uses the view as nature’s artwork. This allows you to enjoy the view from many places in your home.

White floors, walls and doors allow the view to do the work. Avoid using a lot of colours which will compete with the view.
A simple interior with a range of natural timbers, tones and textures will work in harmony with a coastal view.

5. Build an escape from the view

Believe it or not, you will need a break from the sunning sea views once in a while!

Build sheltered, shaded inward-looking spaces to occasionally escape from the view.
A nook that is dark enough for TV watching during the day allows for a cool escape from the sun.

If that isn’t enough to make you dream of a coastal house for now, or possibly retirement, nothing will!

And if you would like to find out more about Marley Stormcloud^® spouting click here.

Or more about the Stratus Design Series^® range of colours click here.

An Oasis of Calm with Neutral Shades

13 February, 2020 by

In our overstimulated lives and minds, the movements of minimalism and mindfulness continue to resonate for people. Neutral colour palettes are an excellent base for incorporating these mindsets in our homes. It’s a tranquil and versatile trend that will be big in 2020.

By definition, neutrals are without colour but they can have undertones which are either warm or cool. You want to keep this in mind when mixing and layering shades. It’s best to stick with shades that have a similar undertone. The result should be visually restful — your eye flows easily from point to point.

Beige, through the name alone, can sound drab and safe but when used thoughtfully can be warm and welcoming. As you can see from this kitchen it pairs well with soft wood tones. The result is an open, light and calming space but definitely not boring!

Bring nature inside

Along with natural wood tones adding a touch of green with plants can work perfectly on a neutral backdrop. They help to purify the air and add a touch of life and colour while adding to the natural harmony. Structural and hardy snake plants, large tropical monstera leaves or perhaps the deep green of a lily. The chinese money plant below is another hardy choice that doesn’t mind a bit of shade in the bathroom.A neutral colour palette is a great opportunity to mix up patterns and textural elements without the risk of a visual mess. Layer different textures and place unique objects to add interest and personality. Just be mindful to keep the change in contrast low so it doesn’t get too busy.

As always lighting is important and will transform a room throughout the day. You can imagine how the look is changed when this structural pendant light is illuminated. The texture and shapes are complemented by the natural light through the louvre shutters.

Interior spaces with a neutral foundation are easier to change up and transform. You’re free to mix up the look of a room with different décor and furnishings without the time/cost of completely changing the colour scheme. Something that will appeal to potential buyers.

In the same way, the use of neutrals in exterior design also makes a lot of sense. They have timeless appeal which is important when considering resale value.

In tune with nature

Rather than standing out like a sore thumb we love the idea of a house which is designed to sit harmoniously in its surroundings. Natural materials of timber, brick and stone and other textural elements that will weather well over the years.

This home in Raumati used quite a few neutral tones which has worked to create heaps of interest plus draws you into the entrance. Coupled with Stratus Design Series^® spouting and RP80^® downpipe in Titanium, the outcome is stunning. See more on this home here.

Inspired by nature, the Marley Stratus Design Series^® has a versatile collection of spouting and downpipe styles to add the perfect finishing touch.

The Marley Stratus Design Series^® spouting and RP80^® downpipe in Copper used below perfectly enhance the cedar cladding, making for a real feature home. You can read more about this modern build which embraces the earthy/natural aesthetic here. The Stratus Design Series^® is available in a range of colours that will complement any exterior colour scheme and the natural elements used in your build. So, there you have it. Neutral colours are a shrewd and flexible choice which can cater to a range of design styles from traditional to modern. Get inspired by the warmth, light and beauty of the natural environment. [Read more…] about An Oasis of Calm with Neutral Shades

Mixed Metals Design Trends 2018

16 May, 2019 by

Like peanut butter and jam, tables and chairs or rubber and road, some things are just meant to be together. This year, all things shiny are pairing up to create an exciting trend; mixed metals are in for 2018.

A juxtaposition of brass, copper, iron, rose gold and gold gives a modern touch to any home, and it is easy to achieve on any budget. Get inspired with the latest in design trends for kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, bedrooms and the exterior of your home below.

Make your kitchen shiny like new

Start with the basics. Use your everyday necessities such as your oven, fridge and dishwasher as a base to incorporate this trend into your home. Kitchen accessories can be a great place to start too, create a warm glow with copper vases and pans and gold containers and vessels, like this kitchen below.

Another striking way to incorporate the mixed metal trend is to mix up door handles, lighting and tapware. Take note from this kitchen – its gold tapware looks striking with copper handles and they’ve even added some brushed chrome handles to take the ‘mixing’ to the max.

Bold and brave in the bathroom

Add the mixed metallic trend by opting for stainless steel cabinetry, and gold lighting or mirror frame, to add a little shine to any bathroom space, large or small.

Dare to make a statement with a gold splashback, silver bath tub or metallic furniture for an eye-catching look. Take note from these luxe bathrooms.

Make your bedroom soft and warm

Accessories are the best way to mix metallic in the bedroom. It’s easy to use soft furnishings like pillows, throws and poufs to add extra shine and texture.

Teamed with a simple white palette this bedroom oozes the perfect balance of copper, silver and gold and they all work together seamlessly for the overall look.

Add some bling to your bed and decorate with affordable copper seed or fairy lights to create a dream-worthy bed like this one below.

Shine inside and out

Your spouting and downpipes are another great way to make a statement outside the home. Team aluminium joinery with copper spouting to mix it up. Marley offer the Stratus Design Series^®range in both Copper and Titanium making it easy to get shiny on the exterior of your home.

Stratus Design Series^® Copper doesn’t discolour like traditional copper and it really does stand the test of time in harsh or coastal conditions.

You can also incorporate the metallic trend outdoors with a lick of metallic materials over awnings and sills, add a little bit (or a lot!) of sheen to your cladding or roof like this stunningly modern copper sheet roof.

For anyone on a budget, this luxe trend is set to be a game changer this year!

If you are ready to give it a go for yourself, be sure to order your Stratus Design Series^® spouting and downpipes from your local plumbing and building merchant.