My journey into handcrafted furniture

From a young age, I always enjoyed making things and being practical. I would invent designs, was fascinated by nature, particularly woodlands, and was always making things with bits and pieces. As a teenager I became particularly interested in architecture, landscape and interior design.

This led me to go and study Art, Design & the Environments; Spatial Design at Central Saint Martins in London. I was drawn to working on community, public and outdoor spaces. I would transform 2D drawings into 3D objects through play. I became obsessed with natural Scandinavian design and organic materials such as wood.

After graduating I got involved with community gardens, wildlife projects, The Remakery, and Architecture for Humanity. This is when I really began working with wood. I had to be creative and resourceful with the materials and tools I could get hold of.

I moved to Bristol in 2015 and this is when I honed in on my passion and path to become a furniture maker using timber.

At the start I was designing & making less refined outdoor planters and seating schemes using reclaimed timber. I would use what I could find and predominantly just sand and cut before the making started. However as I developed my woodworking skill set, learning from the makers around me, freelance work and joinery workshops, I began to experiment more. I originally would have an idea and then begin making, however now there are many processes before I begin. From initial ideas, prototyping and jig making, carefully analysing and product strength testing and sanity checks. Only then do I begin machining the timber, joining and assembling, planing, chiselling, sanding and oiling.

I now have a workshop in Bovey Tracey, Devon with all the woodworking kit to keep me busy making furniture and cabinets for years.