Bespoke Table and bench with luxurious oil finish.

Here are some images of a bespoke commission I recently completed. It is a matching coffee table and bench for a local customer. The bench and table are made from 2" white oak and are really massive in proportions and weight; something that the customer wanted. They are joined with decorative through mortise and tenon joints that are wedged with a lighter native irish oak. For that extra touch of luxury the bench and table were hand planed and scraped before 5 coats of danish oil were aplied, resulting in a silky smooth and durable finish. These pieces will certainly last a lifetime.

21st Century Card Table

Here are a few pictures of cherry card table I made for the Interiors 2008 show in May. The piece was inspired by 18th and 19th century card tables but in a contemporary form. The legs were made as thin and elegant as possible and are attached to a central pod. It would be the perfect hall or occasional table and is designed to be up against a wall. There is a slope in the back legs so the top will touch the wall but the legs will clear any skirting. The back legs use a wooden hinge to pivot out so as to support the unfolded table leaf. Maybe it is just me but I always like to see how the underneath of a table is finished; I think it can serve as good indicator of how well a piece is made. To this end and to lighten the appearance of the table top, I sculpted the two leaves of the top to be thinner on the outside edge and added a hand carved surface to give the table some tactile interest. The table is made of cherry and over time the wood will darken but when the table is opened the inside will be revealed as a beautiful pinky flesh colour. The legs are jointed using strong traditional mortise and tenons and the finish is tung oil and west cork bees wax. Not only does this all natural finish enhance the beautiful figure of cherry wood it also gives the table a luxurious silky sheen and feels wonderful under hand. Also it is easily maintained assuring the table will look great for many years to come.

Venusian Whorl Chair

I thought that a little more explanation of this chair was needed. The inspiration for it came from wanting to incorporate a marine theme into my work combined with a sculptural organic form. I achieved this by using a boat building technique called glued clinker to create the shell of the chair. This produced a exceptionally rigid shell structure. The shape of the chair is trying to emulate flowers or tulip leaves as they grow. I was designing this in the early spring hence the tulips. The name is a little bit of whimsy although whorl defines exactly what the chair is. (see here) This piece would look great in an entrance hall or even better in a plant filled conservatory. Or how about as cosy fireside chair to relax in with your favourite book. When sitting in the chair the warm wood wraps around you like a cocoon or shell. It's made from over a hundred separate pieces. The planks of the shell had to be individually steamed and fitted to each other. A lot of work; each chair took over a month to complete. The woods used were carefully chosen prime quarter sawn ash and Irish oak. These chairs were the first project that I have used natural hide glue on which has been used for centuries and should last for centuries to come. The finish was oil and west cork bee's wax. I will be offering an outdoor garden version of this chair with cover if required.