A house that celebrates NZ wool, craft, and design

Scope of work

Design and manufacture carpets for all parts of the house including hallways, grand entrance and stairs, drawing rooms, function rooms, guest suites and Governor General’s private residence.

Design Process

Architects brief in summary – to knit contemporary and traditional roles of the house together, by commissioning artist/s to prepare custom carpet designs for several interior elements. These will provide a showcase for New Zealand art and design. See full brief >

Commissioned principal artist, Gavin Chilcott responds to architectural brief.

Gavin Chilcott works on designs for Drawing room and hall runners.

Artists and architects at Dilana Workshop

Drawing Room Design

Artist: Gavin Chilcott

This design consisted of a wide 900cm border with a central field pattern depicting the silver fern. Essentially the large border was to remain generous to the proportions and volumes of the rooms.

 The length of yarn used in these drawing rooms would have extended longer than the length of New Zealand from Bluff to Cape Reinga – 2,340km of yarn.

Hall Runners, Stairs and Entrance Foyer

Artist: Gavin Chilcott

Being machine woven in Axminster, it was important to retain the qualities of Gavin’s painterly yet formal design through the manufacturing process. This was partly achieved by a blend of colours at spinning, rather than an extended palate of reds and risking tonal conflict.

The success of this carpet was definitely attributed to Sophie Vial’s tenacity in selecting the appropriate foundation red.

Green Room, Council Room, Billard Room and Ante Room

Artist: Andrew McLeod

The spectacular kowhaiwhai pattern, composed into a huge single composition 4m x 2m without repeat, was constructed by Andrew and inspired by Theo Schoon. It was then manufactured in axminister in three different colourways for various rooms.

Repeat size 4 by 1.8m. Required three colour options for four rooms.

Guest Suites and Offices

Design: Athfields/Custom Carpets

This was a simple, high quality, plush pile carpet with borders, made in four different custom colours to suit each room. In most cases the carpet was made in widths to fit each room to eliminate seams.

Four different colourways with border pattern

Small dining room

Artist: Tim Main

This rug titled Harekeke was hand tufted at the Dilana workshop in Christchurch. It was 4m x 4m and based on Tim’s limited editions in the Dilana collection re-scaled and bordered to suit the room.

Photo above: rug maker Sam Maloney left with artist Tim Main right.

Governor General’s Residence

Artist: Gavin Chilcott

Colour change was introduced to give respite from the formality of the red carpet runners in other parts of Government House.

Wall Carpet

Artist: John Bevan Ford

Commissioned by Governor General Dame Catherine Tizard in 1994.

Our dear friend and mentor the late John Bevan Ford designed this distinctive piece for Dame Catherine, the then Governor General, in 1994. This work, titled “Nga Tohunga Waka”, the navigators Maui in the Pacific, was reinstated into the refurbishment project. Hand tufted in the Dilana workshop 17 years ago, it is a fitting tribute to the artist, and also a thrill for us to view this timeless piece in its prominent setting.