"When Sean Spellman opened Dawnlands in Westerly, Rhode Island, last year, it was more than just a new address on the map. Conceived as an art gallery and gathering place, Dawnlands was built entirely by Sean and his family-no contractors, no designers, no outside help. Each board and bench was made with intention, using local pine and sensibility shaped by Japanese, Scandinavian, and coastal Californian influences."
""I am not a carpenter," Sean says. "I consider myself more of an artist, so I approached much of the buildout from a sculptural perspective-particularly when making the furniture." For a brief but memorable window, Dawnlands became a creative incubator for Southern New England: a testament to what's possible when you approach building with curiosity and an artist's approach. Though Dawnlands has since closed its doors, the process behind it-and the countless lessons learned-remain."
"Above: "This project was a challenge for me," says Sean. "I wanted to open a bar/cafe and do it for less than $20k. In the end, I actually spent less than that building out the space and achieved this by doing as much of the work as I could myself. Many elements were repurposed, custom-made, or installed in a simple fashion.""
Sean Spellman built Dawnlands in Westerly, Rhode Island, as an art gallery and gathering place entirely with family labor, without contractors or outside designers. The project used local pine and drew on Japanese, Scandinavian, and coastal Californian sensibilities, with furniture approached from a sculptural perspective. The buildout cost stayed under $20,000 through repurposing, simple installations, and extensive self-directed work. Dawnlands briefly served as a creative incubator for Southern New England. Although the space later closed, the hands-on process produced lessons about sustainable, natural techniques, resourcefulness, and practical guidance for making things by hand from scratch.
Read at Remodelista
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