Space Craft Joinery

Four weeks back in, and 2025 is already in full swing. We’ve got two new team members, exciting growth ahead, and yesterday, our leadership team spent the day with Jacqueline Kristel-Bes from the South Australian Business Chamber. Lots of great insights, but the standout for me was DISC profiling—understanding how different people think, work, and communicate. Turns out, we have a bit of a lean toward C and S types—meticulous, detail-focused, steady, and considered. No surprises there, given the craftsmanship we’re known for! But more importantly, understanding these profiles gives us better insight into how we can connect with, support, and lead our team in a way that works for them. Because at the end of the day, it’s our incredible team of people that make Space Craft what it is. Their skills, experience, and personalities shape our success, so taking the time to understand them better feels like time well spent. Meanwhile, Andrew Coombs has been busy transforming our mezzanine into a new production office, getting us set up for the influx of new build work we’ve got in the pipeline. Naturally, it’s both functional and good-looking—because that’s how we roll. 😜 Also sharing last month’s eNews, featuring Jessie Stevens' gorgeous kitchen design for Nick and Dot—a stunning project that deserves a moment in the spotlight. And a huge shoutout to Sarah Katsaros, who has stepped into the Senior Designer role—well deserved and a reflection of her incredible creativity and leadership. Check out January's eNews here: https://lnkd.in/gzsns2rf So we're celebrating a strong start, with plenty more to come. Looking forward to what the rest of the year has in store!

As we prepare to officially finish up tomorrow at 1pm (and celebrate with a well-earned break-up lunch at the pub 🍻), we’re reflecting on what a HUGE year it’s been! 2024 brought: - Refined processes for marketing, people management, and meeting cycles—total game-changers! - Improved retention and team engagement, with big-picture planning fueling excitement for what’s ahead. - Major wins—ACFA, KBDi, and HIA awards—but the biggest wins? The loyalty, growth, and collaboration of our incredible team. We’re already busily planning for 2025 and beyond, and we’re so excited about: - Amazing new briefs and builder collaborations (both old and new!). - Rolling out our client referral rewards program—find out more here: https://lnkd.in/g5br9cDt - Recruiting! We’re on the lookout for a qualified cabinet maker and installer to join our team of legends. Job Details: https://lnkd.in/g5qib-mK Know someone? Our Tag-a-Tradie promo officially launches on Instagram on Friday, 3rd January, but here’s a sneak peek: https://lnkd.in/gFCFBDFx We’ll officially be back on Monday, 13th January, with skeleton staff returning from the 8th. But for now, we’re all looking forward to a well-deserved summer break with our families. A huge thank you to everyone who made 2024 so memorable. Wishing you all a fabulous festive season—here’s to an even bigger 2025! 🎄 #ReflectAndRecharge #Recruiting #FamilyBusiness #SpaceCraftLegends

Off the back of my hopeful post on Friday, I have some exciting news to share—we took home two awards at the 2024 South Australian HIA Awards, including one major win! 🏆🙌 We were absolutely STOKED to be recognised in both design and craftsmanship categories, especially since we proudly represented our own design and manufacture work. It’s not something you see often among the entrants, and unlike many of our competitors, every single project you'll see on our website has been both designed and made by us. We don’t photograph work designed by others or feature projects we didn’t create ourselves—it's 100% in-house creativity and craftsmanship that sets us apart, and these wins are proof of that! Our Coach House kitchen clinched Best Renovated Kitchen over $85K (a category win) and went on to win the South Australian Kitchen Design of the Year (a major award)! We go on to represent SA at The HIA-CSR Australian Housing Awards in Melbourne next May (fingers crossed it doesn’t clash with the footy fixture). Want to read more about our night and what’s next for us? Head over to our blog for the full story! https://lnkd.in/g47Arb-W

This time last year, we were gearing up for our team Christmas event at Handpicked, Lake Breeze Winery, with just one HIA kitchen entry submitted. We had our mates at 4Life Constructions on standby to represent us, should we be lucky enough to win. And deep into the night (yes, mid-mosh pit), we got the news: we’d struck gold! Fast forward to this year, and once again, Handpicked and the Housing Industry Association (HIA) Awards clash on the same night. Despite the killer lineup at the winery, featuring none other than The Jungle Giants, the team voted for HIA. Since we first entered back in 2012, we’ve grown quite a bit—this year, there will be two tables of us celebrating together. Over the years, we’ve collected 17 HIA awards, including two majors, and we’re hoping to add a few more to the tally. This time, we’ve got six kitchen entries showcasing the creativity of several of our talented designers. While we're known for our quirky and playful designs, this year, we’ve got a mix of sophisticated, elegant entries too—proof of our versatility. No matter the outcome tomorrow night, we're incredibly proud of the work our team creates. We’re excited (and a bit nervous) about what the night may bring, but it’s always a fantastic chance to celebrate together and catch up with some of our favourite builder clients. So, wish us luck! 🤞 Win or lose, we’re ready to make some memories and celebrate the incredible work we’ve achieved together. #HIAAwards #KitchenDesign #TeamSpaceCraft #CreativeDesign

Paws up for our latest kitchen project, where Jessie's creativity meets Fiona's love for colour, texture, and her kitty, Lucy! 🐾 Fiona's charming 1895 cottage in Stepney needed a kitchen refresh that respects its heritage while bringing a modern edge and improved functionality. With pinks, mustards, and deep greens, plus some gorgeous brass details, and cozy banquette seating, Jessie pulled off a stunning Modern Art Deco-inspired transformation that’s both functional and fabulous. Fiona now has a kitchen filled with light, colour, and character that rivals the rest of her beautifully restored home. And Lucy? She’s got her own perch, free from couch-scratching temptations! Want to see the full transformation? Check out our latest newsletter for all the details: https://lnkd.in/gEGNXd35 If you’re not on the list, sign up for a dose of monthly inspiration. Each month brings something entirely one-of-a-kind and who knows, our next design might just be your catnip! 🐱 Subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/g57WXMN3 #KitchenDesign #SpaceCraftJoinery #InteriorDesign #ModernArtDeco

A big thank you to all our clients, friends, and supporters of Space Craft Joinery for making last night's 'Around the Kitchen Counter' event such a success! The energy in the room was fantastic, with familiar and new faces—it was a real treat meeting clients in person who I’d only spoken to over the phone or via email. The team got a real buzz out of it, too! Special shoutout to Amy Springhall, our amazing MC, who brought energy and laughs throughout the night. Amy was the inspiration behind the event, and we’re so grateful she agreed to collaborate with us to make it happen. Our panelists—Kellie, Sally, and Tamsin—shared some valuable insights: - Sally Ness reminded us that turning points often only make sense in hindsight, and her mantra, “Love life and life will love you back,” resonated with everyone. - Tamsin Simounds spoke about leaving radiography to pursue coaching and public speaking, and emphasized that facing our fears is where real growth happens. - Kellie Campbell-Illingworth reflected on winning the Young Gun Award in NYC, a turning point which has opened many doors for her. She encouraged us to stay true to ourselves and own our accomplishments. A huge thank you to Claudia and Peter from Alluca, who served their 2013 Taking Flight Sparkling Rosé—a small batch wine that was a real hit. Peter kept everyone’s glasses topped up all night and this no doubt helped to keep the conversation flowing! Before wrapping up, I shared some exciting news: Over 50% of our best clients come from referrals. To build on that, we’ll be sending out a survey to ask what kind of incentive would encourage you to refer us more actively. Whether it’s a case of wine, a local restaurant voucher, or a weekend getaway at Ingoldby Road, we want your feedback! Finally, a huge shoutout to the team for their help getting this event off the ground, especially Karen, who was as emotionally invested as I was. We can breathe easy today and share a little high-five moment. 🖐️ #SpaceCraft #AroundTheKitchenCounter #ClientReferrals #CommunitySupport

Next Thursday, Space Craft Joinery is hosting an event called Around the Kitchen Counter, which will highlight the professional journeys of some incredible women from our clientele. In all honesty, I’ve been nervous—this is the first time we've run an event like this, and we've invested a lot of time and energy. The fear of it flopping has definitely crossed my mind more than once. Here’s the thing: our most successful projects for clients over the years—those where everything ran smoothly and everyone was thrilled with the outcome—often come from referrals by our valued clients and builders. They’ve truly been our greatest advocates. So, this event is not just about celebrating achievements; it’s also about fostering connections and seeking a bit of help in sharing what we do best. I’m hoping that a great night, with food by Kate Ness from Peechabella, bubbles and wine from Alluca, and a chance to win a weekend at Ingoldby Road, will make it worth attending! Thankfully, we’ve got a full house, and I’m really looking forward to meeting a fantastic group of women (and their +1s). Huge shoutout to our speakers, Kellie Campbell-Illingworth, Sally Ness, Tamsin Simounds, and our incredible host, Amy Springhall. And I couldn’t have pulled this off without Karen Costa, who’s been doing all the legwork behind the scenes to make it all happen. If you're not a subscriber to our newsletter, I apologise if you missed the invite to this event! To ensure you receive future invitations for events like this one, please consider subscribing. https://lnkd.in/g57WXMN3 If you'd like to attend should we host it again, let me know! Your feedback would be invaluable in helping us determine the interest for a repeat event. We’d love to hear from you! Here’s to pushing past that comfort zone… Fingers crossed I’ll have some great imagery and a full report to share next week on how it all went! #AroundTheKitchenCounter #ProfessionalJourneys #Networking #Referrals #ClientAppreciation

Reflecting on the power of recognition from industry leaders like The Design Files, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of gratitude. Every time they share our work, it boosts the self-belief of our team and makes us collectively proud of what we’re achieving together. It’s not just about us, though—it uplifts our clients too, making them even prouder of their spaces and reaffirming their decision to work with us. It’s also broadening our visibility, reaching people who may not have known we exist yet, and reinforcing the trust of clients who’ve already partnered with us. This creates a cycle—the more creative work we design, shoot, promote, and share, the more potential clients who are seeking something different feel braver about embracing that uniqueness. In turn, we get even more creative briefs, and the cycle of creativity continues. Sometimes I get asked about how we approach marketing. When we sit down with our accountant, Sam Handley, from DFK to go over our numbers each month, I always have a chuckle when we get to the marketing expenses. Having come from a marketing and design background, I know that the real value of good branding and marketing takes time to manifest. It’s a long game—you don’t invest in it expecting an overnight success. Sam has grown used to my justification of marketing expenditure. But when we see the likes of The Design Files regularly sharing our work, it becomes so clear how powerful that investment is. Their recognition of our creativity, quality, and consistency shows that these efforts aren’t just paying off—they’re driving measurable growth. A huge shoutout to Bea Taylor and Amelia Barnes from The Design Files for all the love recently! We’re beyond grateful, and this time it’s for Sarah's stunning pastel-pop kitchen for Nastassia and Shawn—one of my all-time favourites. https://lnkd.in/eqbHxRYw Its gelato-inspired palette feels perfectly timed for the warmer weather. 🍦✨ You can check out the article here: https://lnkd.in/eyWBTni3 Photos by Jonathan VDK and styled by Maz Mis. #DesignCommunity #MarketingMatters #Grateful #PowerOfCreativity

I've got so much good stuff to share this week, especially on National Family Business Day! Being a family business is at the heart of everything we do, and days like today remind us how special it is to build something that involves and supports those closest to us. The biggest news this week is our pet project, Ingoldby Road—a mid-century gem we renovated in McLaren Flat—was featured on The Design Files (big thanks to Bea Taylor)! Check it out here: https://lnkd.in/g_M3j4Qk We also released our September newsletter today, highlighting Sarah's gorgeous kitchen design in pastel pops for Nastassia and Shawn. It’s truly one of my all-time favourite projects, which says a lot considering the incredible breadth of work in our folio! 🤩 Take a look here: https://lnkd.in/gdnjwd6K What’s got me really excited lately is the level of creative design work being produced by our team. Our philosophy has always been design-led, and we're attracting like-minded clients who value our creativity and expertise—creating fabulous opportunities for our designers to shine. As proof of this, tomorrow night, Nathan and I are heading to Sydney for the ACFA awards with several of our team's kitchens in the running across multiple categories. Meanwhile, our star apprentice Pete is up for HIA Apprentice of the Year, and we’ve got a bunch of our crew there to support him. Good luck, Pete—you’re already a winner in our eyes! 🏆 Our fingers are crossed that our beloved Port Adelaide FC gets over the line against Sydney too. Being in Sydney and missing the game was a super tough call, but hopefully, it's all worth it! 🤞 Running a family business means celebrating every win, whether it’s a big award or just seeing our projects make a difference in our client's lives. Here’s to all the family businesses out there—who like us, are incredibly passionate about what they do!

In our latest Space Craft Joinery newsletter, we’re thrilled to finally reveal our very own pet project—Ingoldby Road! This project was a labor of love, designed by Nathan. And we reckon our Airbnb renovation really shines, with stunning photography by Bri Hammond and beautiful styling by Jessica Sisto. You can also check out the new brand identity and website designed by Connor Byrt from Alphabyrt. https://lnkd.in/gs4GWhGk Plus, we're welcoming our newest team member, Josh, and recapping Nathan's big win as the KBDi Australian Certified Designer of the Year! https://lnkd.in/gMpjnxde Stay updated on all things SpaceCraft by subscribing to our monthly eNews here: https://lnkd.in/g57WXMN3 #SpaceCraftJoinery #IngoldbyRoad #KBDiAwards #BriHammond #JessSisto #ConnorByrt #Alphabyrt #WelcomeJosh #DesignExcellence #JoineryDesign #InteriorDesign