After completing a Churchill Fellowship in Europe in 2001 and observing the local workshops, designer Evan Dunstone was inspired to expand his bespoke furniture business to include a team of craftsman who could help him deliver exceptional quality furniture pieces.
Since then, Dunstone Design has established a national and international presence, known for their contemporary fine furniture designs and high quality craftsmanship. Evan, who still does all the designing, says that there are real misconceptions about who buys custom furniture. “It’s not people who are unusually wealthy or people with a design background – it’s those who understand the energy of our furniture.”
Dunstone Design sells pieces directly from the workshop door in Queanbeyan, and is also represented by the Bungendore Wood Works Gallery and Oak Furniture in Sydney.
Evan and his family live in Bungendore, which Evan says is a peaceful 25 minute commute to the workshop each day. He believes that Queanbeyan has been a fantastic space for Dunstone Design – offering modest rents, convenient access to anything they need for the business, and a community that has been wonderfully supportive of his career.
Of running a business in a regional area, Evan says that it offers unique opportunities. “We love this community; it’s worked really well for us. We’ve got the country lifestyle that we like, and we’re at the stage now where our clients will come to us. Canberra/Queanbeyan has supported us in making excellent work, and I can have that conversation with this community more easily than if I was in the white noise of Sydney or Melbourne.”
For more information, visit Dunstone Design. You can find out more about visiting the Queanbeyan-Palerang region at www.visitqueanbeyan.com.au, and living and working in the region at www.qprc.nsw.gov.au.