KlaYFurniture

I love the challenge of making things in wood using traditional methods.

I use only hand tools to construct my pieces - chisels, tenon saws, hand planes. The finishes are also done by hand using compounds such as pumice, rottenstone (powdered slate) mixed with olive oil or water, and rubbed down using cloth or, literally, bare hands.

All my designs are my own. The traditional methods are juxtaposed with my use of 3D design software which I often use to work out the difficult jointing required for a piece, or just to get a feel for the finished result.

I take my inspiration from many sources, but I would say that I am most inspired by Classical architectural design and 'Empire' furniture, although I find most Empire pieces overly fussy and I don't like veneers.

I also like the design ethic of the Arts and Crafts movement of course, since this ethos put the beauty of the construction front and centre. Where I diverge from this is in my use of painted finishes. The reason for this is, in part, due to the fact that fine hardwood is prohibitively expensive for small scale operations. However, I find that a well thought out, painted and distressed finish not only gives the pieces patina, it also draws the eye to the classical design cues more than would otherwise be the case.

I price my pieces based solely on the cost of materials used and the man hours required. The final sum reflects the huge amount of time required to construct these pieces.

I also enjoy refurbishing simple domestic pieces from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. These I take and design a printed finish using custom prints of old masters paintings such as Canaletto, Rousseau, Guardi. The layout is done using Photoshop so that the design fits the piece perfectly. I often add trompe l'oeil bevels to draw edges etc. I also like to make concealed compartments in the top of the pieces for valuables, secret diaries......

The use of traditional methods and hand tools, whilst requiring huge amounts of time, nevertheless results in a finish that can only be achieved in this way. The imperfections and the evidence of the process on the wood, gives handmade work a truly unique and precious character.