The dedicated gallery is currently under construction next door to Dawson & Co’s Parnell showroom in the now vacated building at 99 The Strand, which was formerly home to competitor Matisse.

Fisk said the cost to fit out the space is “in the vicinity of $3.5m”, and will see the space transformed into a fully furbished showroom.

The refurbishment is being completed by B3 Construction, in partnership with Bureaux Architects, Italian Stone and Surface NZ, among others.

The building, which still retains historical features including original beams and remnants of old machinery, will present Molteni&C’s offering for the entire home – kitchens, wardrobes, living and bedroom environments.

Fisk said the upstairs would become office space for the business.

Strategy shift

The move for Dawson & Co comes just six months after it merged with Australian family furniture business Cosh Living.

Fisk said the partnership had helped enable the brand to reshape what it could do for New Zealand customers.

This includes leveraging shared warehousing and consolidated stock programmes across the Tasman, allowing Dawson & Co to offer access to in-stock luxury outdoor furniture with heavily reduced lead times.

He said it was a fundamental shift for the category which had traditionally relied on long international freight cycles.

The business’ current partnership exemplifies this, with the average turnaround time for pieces of Molteni&C’s wardrobe options taking up to six months to arrive in New Zealand.

The move also comes as the business prepares to close its second location on the North Shore.

Fisk said the store had been performing well enough for its location, but the decision to consolidate and grow in Auckland’s growing luxury scene in the CBD made more sense than to renew its lease.

“More broadly, the residential market here has matured in a meaningful way. That’s being driven not just by investment, but by the calibre of New Zealand architects, interior and landscape designers, and the exceptional trades and material suppliers supporting them.

“Projects in places like Te Arai, Jack’s Point, Ayrburn and across Auckland’s most established neighbourhoods demonstrate a level of design ambition that stands comfortably on the international stage.

“We see Auckland increasingly positioning itself as a serious design destination within the South Pacific. This investment reflects our belief in that future – and in the continued growth of a market that values considered, enduring luxury.”

As for the space now vacant in Dawson & Co’s main showroom, that will be filled by Australian design studio Kett, headed up by Melbourne designer Justin Hutchinson and exclusive to Dawson & Co and Cosh Living.

Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business, retail and tourism.