Expert Advice: Sean Spellman on Building from Scratch
When Sean Spellman opened Dawnlands in Westerly, Rhode Island, last year, it was more than just a new address on the map. Conceived as an art gallery and gathering place, Dawnlands was built entirely by Sean and his family—no contractors, no designers, no outside help. Each board and bench was made with intention, using local pine and sensibility shaped by Japanese, Scandinavian, and coastal Californian influences. “I am not a carpenter,” Sean says. “I consider myself more of an artist, so I approached much of the buildout from a sculptural perspective—particularly when making the furniture.” For a brief but memorable window, Dawnlands became a creative incubator for Southern New England: a testament to what’s possible when you approach building with curiosity and an artist’s approach.
Though Dawnlands has since closed its doors, the process behind it—and the countless lessons learned—remain. Sean is the first to admit he’s not a trained builder, but his journey offers an unusually honest roadmap for anyone dreaming of making something by hand, from scratch. Here, Sean shares the inspirations, resources, lessons, and revelations that have defined his DIY approach—plus advice for anyone tempted to pick up a hammer and begin.
Photography by Lushi Song for Dawnlands, except where noted.
Above: “This project was a challenge for me,” says Sean. “I wanted to open a bar/cafe and do it for less than $20k. In the end, I actually spent less than that building out the space and achieved this by doing as much of the work as I could myself. Many elements were repurposed, custom-made, or installed in a simple fashion.”
1. You Don’t Have to Be a Builder to Start
“I don’t consider myself much of a builder. I didn’t grow up with much knowledge of building or construction, and only later in life was I able to comprehend certain building concepts. My interest in sustainable and natural building techniques is what pushed me to work on my own projects—mainly of the lack of attention that most contractors pay to those ideals.” Formal training isn’t a prerequisite. Curiosity and a desire for a different approach can be enough to get started.
Above: A Judd-like dining able and benches made of local pine and finished with a whey-based poly from Vermont Natural Coatings “rather than the nasty off-gassing stuff at Home Depot,” he describes.
2. Let Your Influences Guide You
Seek out influences that resonate—not just for technique, but for philosophy. Sean’s inspiration comes from a cross-section of styles: minimalist Scandinavian and Japanese design, coastal Californian (Sea Ranch and the old Marin houseboats), and the work of artists like JB Blunk, Bill Coperthwaite, Jay Nelson, Mason St. Peter, and Anthony Esteves. “Tony’s [Anthony Esteves’s] work feels like it comes from a meaningful perspective, from the view of the artist more than the builder, which is something I really appreciate—the soulful connection of design and living has been refreshing and inspiring for me.”
Above: A utilitarian design by Sean: “I needed a folding table that we could move out of the room to make more space whenever we had sold-out music shows,” he describes. “I popped the top off a folding table that I found in a dumpster, spray painted the base, and threw a big slab of pine on it.”
3. Learn by Observing—Ask for Help When You Need It
Sean’s approach to building is rooted in observation and ongoing learning. Rather than relying on formal training, he studies the work of those who build with intention (as noted above), paying attention to how thoughtful design shapes well-being and daily life. Social media has become a resourceful path, connecting him to like-minded builders across the world, while foundational books like A Pattern Language have offered enduring guidance. He’s the first to admit that many skills are learned through trial and error—and that progress often comes with the help of more experienced friends: “I’ve had builder friends help me with the things I could not do,” he describes. “I work very slowly because of my lack of certain tools and skills, so it’s funny when builder friends see the amateur mistakes I make but say, ‘It’s ok, it still looks cool.’ One man’s mistake is another man’s work of art, I suppose.” Leaning on community and not being afraid to seek out help is essential. Building from scratch is as much about learning from others as it is about doing it yourself.
Above: Hand-built pine furniture is paired with vintage seating from “years of being a picker and some more recent hours of hunting on Facebook Marketplace.”
4. Work with What You’ve Got
Limitations—of skill, material, or experience—can become part of the process, not a barrier. “I’m a designer, not a builder, and my work shows that,” Sean explains. “Sometimes that presents itself as flaws in the construction or wasted time or material, but overall I think I’ve figured out a way to make things beautiful, interesting, and functional while slowly learning the skills a trained builder would have, by way of trial and error.”
Above: Sean and partner My Larsdotter. Read more about the couple in our post Summer Sounds: A Pair of Musicians’ Effortlessly Cool Redone Cape in Westerly, RI. Photograph by Ben Lee for Dawnlands.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Start
“You can always fix it.”
For Sean, the biggest barrier to building can be hesitation. Starting imperfectly is not a failure; it’s the only way forward. Even when something doesn’t work, it’s rarely a true reset. Each mistake teaches you something—about material, proportion, structure, or process—that carries into the next iteration. You might revise, rebuild, or undo part of the work, but you’re never starting from zero. Confidence comes not from getting it right the first time, but from knowing you can adapt, correct, and improve as you go.
Above: The walls of Dawnlands served as a rotating gallery space.
6. Keep Dreaming Forward
Sean’s ambitions don’t end with a single project. When Dawnlands closed, new doors opened. “I want to transform an old hotel—redesign the rooms so they feel like you would want to live in them. Add a music venue for everything from free jazz to bluegrass. Build a bathhouse that feels like a Japanese onsen in Sweden. And have a cafe on site that serves fresh bread and smoked fish in the morning and chowder and wine at midnight. I’d build a stage in the woods for music and meditation, have a farmer growing food and raising animals on an acre of land, add a few spots for van-campers, and try to create a little utopia for the community. It’s a dream of mine.” For Sean, each build is less an endpoint than a point of departure. The vision keeps expanding, proof that the creative process is ongoing, always into new possibilities.
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