Journal

I moved to Raglan from Hamilton about twenty years ago. I look out at the harbour every day from my potter’s wheel and I pinch myself because this place so beautiful.I used to come here often -  because of the relaxed vibe and I’ve always loved walking the beach - so in the end it just felt obvious to base the studio in this lovely place. 

There’s something about the way the natural environment nurtures you here. It’s very grounding and the pots I make have been influenced by that: very simple and straightforward. The colours come from the landscape and the sea … blues and greens and chalky whites … and one of our most popular colours is Aqua. It instantly cheers up any breakfast table and we’ve found it sits especially happily with our pressed glass and our celadon-coloured French linen.

I love contemporary furniture (hello @studioitalia) but my old 1930s house somehow feels more suited to casual rustic furniture … things that have had a bit of a life.The rustic look is something I try to achieve in our stores too, so none of the furniture that we sell is shiny or precious-looking. It’s artisanal and hand-made, like our pots, and I edit and hand-pick each piece from a range of fantastic suppliers.

At the moment we've got several beautiful black cabinets in stock; some with glass fronts, all made in India … as well as tons of wooden stools made using traditional mortice joinery. No nails! A lot of our furniture is made from reclaimed elm, meaning each piece has its own unique character, grain and finish. And alongside coffee tables, side tables and stools we have dining tables in a range of sizes to seat 6 to 10 people.

If you don't live near Auckland or Raglan and you’re wondering about the freight cost let us know. Our shippers are safe and efficient so if there’s something on the website you like the look of send us an email and we’ll get you a quote. We’d love to see you soon, but if you can’t visit in person let your fingers do the walking!

My philosophy with making has always been to create the things I want to use myself, so it seemed obvious to do a photoshoot here at home and show the pottery being used.

My talented friend Tam West came to stay for a few days and it was fascinating watching her work. The weather was beautiful so we could use the garden as well as the house, we were lucky to be able to catch the last of the dahlias, and I loved having her fresh eye on the plates and platters I know so well.

One of the things we wanted to do was present some of the ways that various platters and plates can be used…when I’m making a salad for instance I often like using a platter rather than a bowl. And when there’s a photographer breathing down your neck it’s amazing how fast you can pull one together with lettuce (from a bag) and red onion and fennel from the garden! www.tamwest.com