Outside The Box Caskets

06/09/2026

The easiest way to minimise metal screws and plastic is not to design with them in the first place.

You may have noticed that ‘minimising’ metal and plastic has become a popular talking point in casket design.

Outside The Box took a simpler approach: zero.

There are no metal screws or nails in the construction, and no plastic. The casket is designed to hold its form entirely through its own cleverly engineered structure.
Weight tested to 320 kg.

Sometimes the most effective way to reduce something is just not to use it. 😉

02/09/2026

01/09/2026

Let's talk about death, baby, and what matters most.

I really enjoyed designing this one. It's for Dying Matters Week, a nationwide event running 7 to 13 September, with over 200 events happening right across the country.

It's something we shouldn't be afraid to talk about.

This casket lid I designed especially for Te Korowai Hapori's Dying Matters Week activation at Glen Innes Library.

There's a community writing competition running alongside it too, entries open this week. If you could have one conversation before it's too late, who would it be with and what would you say?

Come along, reflect, write, share and help open up gentle conversations about life, death, grief and legacy.

Come along, reflect, write, share and help open up gentle conversations about life, death, grief and legacy.

📍 Glen Innes Library
🗓️ 7–13 September
gowithgrace.nz/dyingmatters/auckland

Glen Innes Library

25/08/2026

The Bartells Collection is now complete.

Art doesn't have to hang on a wall.

Some families want calm and understated. Others want bold, colourful, full of personality. This collection was created for families who want a farewell that celebrates a life in a way that's impossible to ignore.

Left to right: Garden Monarch, Kererū Song, Ancient Koru, Tūī Song, Paradiso Bloom, Golden Shoreline, Hidden Falls, Alpine Lupins.

https://www.outsidetheboxcaskets.nz/printed-caskets

Now available through funeral homes across the country.

22/08/2026

The lucky last in the Bartells Collection...

Ancient Koru

Inspired by the New Zealand koru, a symbol of new beginnings, growth and remembrance.

The Bartells Collection.

19/08/2026

Next up in the Bartells Collection...

Tūī Song

The native birds have always been my favourites, so I couldn't stop at just one. This time I wanted to capture a tūī taking flight with a bit more movement and energy.

Hope you like it.

16/08/2026

Next up in the Bartells Collection...

Hidden Falls

New Zealand is full of waterfalls tucked away in the bush that you stumble across on a walk. That's the inspiration behind this design.

The Bartells Collection.

14/08/2026

Next up in the Bartells Collection...

Garden Monarch

Butterflies carry so much meaning around loss and transformation, so I thought it was a good fit for this collection.

13/08/2026

My view of funeral directors has changed a lot. The more I've learned about the industry, the more respect I have for them.

I used to think funeral directors were the barrier between families and a fair price. After years working alongside them, I realised I had them completely wrong.