Damian Townsend and Jonathan Smeets – Damo and Jono to those who know them – have been on a whirlwind journey which has taken them from designing a few decor pieces for their home to becoming the proud owners of their own store, Created Homewares.

The pair, who have a background in retail and design, wanted to create a shop that celebrated well-made, New Zealand-designed products and showcased work from some of the makers they had met over the years.

They pinpointed Wellington’s Upper Hutt as just the spot for their venture. “This area is a goldmine,” says Jono. “There is a plethora of people moving here as it’s close to the CBD yet housing is still affordable. These people want to shop at our kind of store.”

The pair stock as many New Zealand-made items as they can. “If we can’t get it made in New Zealand, we get it from companies that design in New Zealand,” says Jono. “We offer contemporary homeware (pots, planters, shelves, vases, cushions, New Zealand-made vegan bath products) and great giftware.