Dowel Project wins at HOME
We’re not in the habit of entering awards, let alone winning them, so we were blown away to receive HOME Magazine’s 2023 Emerging Designer Award last month for the Dowel Project.
“This project definitely subscribes to the notion that a house is a machine for living, revealing a collection of spaces of seamless functionality interspersed with just the right amount of beautifully considered moments to pause – uphostered nooks; tactile cabinetry; and accents of brass, tone, and texture.”
- HOME Magazine, Issue #508
Phill Badger and Garth Beer, Directors of Fieldcraft Ltd
This was our first whole-of-house interior project, to design and make cabinetry for a couple’s new build in Devonport by Geoff Richards Architects. We were given a beautiful blank slate to work with - open, airy spaces with a gabled ceiling and thoughtfully placed windows and skylights, finished with a restrained, earthy palette and textural flooring choices.
Above: The large kitchen features wooden split dowel cladding on the island, Tasmanian Oak cabinetry, a brass extraction and Hex handles by Powersurge, and Silver Roots marble for the counter and niche.
Below: The bedroom features bespoke wardrobes and a playful tartan nook upholstered by Snick; in the bathroom wooden split dowel is used to clad the cupboard and vanity which also features Nero Marquina stone; in the lounge a daybed takes advantage of a small, low window to watch the world go by.
Our design approach is collaborative which suited the clients who had a general idea of the look, along with some specific requests. We started with the kitchen, using the tonal variation and curvature of wooden split dowels to clad the island, bringing warmth and rhythm to the cool, hard surfaces of its surrounds. This natural materiality was enhaced by brass handles and an extraction which will patina over time, and the cool and warm tones of Silver Roots marble used in the niche and counter. Together, the materials and craftsmanship imparted by our makers gives the kitchen a jewel-like quality.
Working logically throughout the rest of the house, the split dowels were chosen for the wardrobes and bathroom cabinetry as the visual language to connect the various rooms together. Meanwhile the skylights and small window in the lounge provided natural anchor points from which to create moments for pause and relaxation. Under a skylight in the bedroom, we designed a tartan-clad reading nook that takes advantage of the natural light, while in the lounge a beautiful daybed complete with bolsters is a contemplative spot to watch the world go by.
The HOME Interior Awards night was hosted at Dawson & Co. on the Strand.
Pleased with how the project turned out, we approached HOME Magazine for an editorial, and were encouraged by the editor, Clare Chapman, to enter the awards. Our initial surprise at being announced a finalist turned to astonishment at winning the category.
“A whimsical and entirely unique exploration of cabinetry and colour to unite disparate spaces within a house. This project is the result of careful planning and a daring brief, and represents a designer/maker to keep firmly in one’s radar.”
- Judges’ citation
Members of the Fieldcraft team - from left: Chris, Rowan, Garth, Myla, Phill, Jana and Emiliano.
We had the pleasure of celebrating with members of our team at a beautifully put together awards night at Dawson & Co., along with designers that represent the breadth of talent across Aotearoa. None of it would have been possible without the generosity of our clients, or our amazing team of designers and craftspeople. A huge thank you to the judges and HOME Magazine for their kind words and recognition.
