Matakana Workshops

This Matakana Workshop interior was raw concrete: cool, hard and distinctly industrial. North & Co and Love in Wild, both local business owners, wanted it to work as a place people would want to spend their day.

We sealed the concrete first, then finished the surfaces in Aalto Effect at 1/8 strength. The result keeps the character of the material but softens it. The space now reads as warm, light and contemporary, with a subtle touch of pink that adds warmth without taking over.

Access was the main challenge. The ceilings are high, so much of the work was done from a cherry picker. That meant careful planning around setup, protection of the surrounding space, and keeping a consistent finish across surfaces that were difficult to reach.

It was a good project to be part of: a local building, local businesses, and a space that now suits how they work.