The quiet rituals shaping a new generation of objects

The Pūpuri Collection began with a practical idea: a considered place to keep the jewellery we return to every day. A wedding ring, a treasured necklace, a pair of earrings handed down over generations. That simple act of placing and returning gradually became the starting point for something more personal.

Developed over several years, the collection began with a jewellery display conceived for designer Charlotte Penman. Through exploration and discovery, it became a more personal study of how jewellery is stored, handled and returned to.

Pūpuri Collection, Black Maire [02]. No two pieces are the same. Each one shaped by hand, by timber, and by time.

Pūpuri Collection, Pohutukawa [04]

At its centre is a cone inspired by the traditional jeweller’s sizing tool. Pilot has used one of the earliest prototypes for more than eight years, placing her wedding ring on it each night. That repeated gesture became a way of thinking about the object less as storage and more as part of a daily ritual.

From there, the collection expanded into a family of cones and vessels designed to hold rings, necklaces and earrings. Some pieces can be reconfigured, with lids becoming trays and cones acting as supports. This versatility allows the collection to adapt to individual habits, making each piece feel that much more personal.

Material plays an equally important role. Each piece is hand-turned from recycled native hardwoods including pōhutukawa, pūriri and black maire. The variation in grain and tone means each object carries its own character, while the use of reclaimed timber gives the collection an existing material history rather than a pristine beginning.

The forms were developed through early workshop experiments with Steve Rowsell and refined over time with woodturner René Baxalle. Each piece is individually numbered as part of a limited edition of 99.

Pūpuri Collection, Black Maire [08]. Every piece carries its own number. A quiet mark of individuality, and an invitation to collect, to keep, and one day to pass on.

What makes Pūpuri relevant now is not its scale, but its attitude to longevity. It suggests that permanence can come as much from habit, attachment and repetition as from material durability.

Explore Kate Pilot Design on ArchiPro and browse related home décor and decorative objects to see how smaller-scale pieces are bringing material, craft and personal meaning into contemporary interiors.