Where there is passion there is inspiration, and what a passionate group of students and inspiring collection of furniture was on show at this event. This week we visited the annual furniture exhibition of the Chippendale International School of Furniture. This is where the students on the professional course have the opportunity to show off the fruits of their labour.
Colin graduated from the school in 2017, and in recent months has been back as a guest tutor covering fitted furniture. This exhibition is an opportunity to see what has been created during the most recent academic year, and to catch up on how things are developing at this special place.
To chat with the students is to find inspiration in their determination and passion for great furniture design, and admire the beautiful pieces they have produced. It is to reflect on challenge, and the steep learning curve that occurs not only on such an intensive course but throughout a career working with wood. As a bespoke furniture maker no two pieces are the same, and so with each piece comes new learning. Each piece involves creativity and problem solving, not just in the design process, but in the creation of prototypes and build as well. While experience to feed into the planning process goes a long way to avoiding some of those challenges it fits with a Highwood approach to work that this knowledge should never lead to playing it too safe. Great design by its very nature involves stepping outside of comfort zones and testing the boundaries. Speaking to students today was a reminder that bravery and experimentation should never stop being part of the process of developing an idea.
This furniture exhibition is an opportunity to reflect on what great furniture design and construction is. While students work under the guidance of their experienced and knowledgeable tutors they do so with creative freedom and time to develop their ideas and style. How often in life do any of us have the opportunity to do this? Time is money as they say and the more time that goes into a piece the more this will increase the cost. For all of us when planning anything this is such a big consideration. For a maker working on commissions for bespoke furniture it is an ever constant juggle. Design takes time, build takes time, and variations in design can have a massive impact on the overall price. A simple change of angle in a piece can add days onto the build time; but that same change of angle can be what takes a great piece and transforms it into something truly special. Different joinery techniques or simple added features can make a subtle but distinctive addition that takes a nice high quality piece of furniture and turns it into something that shouts “one of a kind” from the rooftops. But even simple additions can add many hours of work time.
At Highwood furniture we only make items that are of a high quality. We stand firmly by our values of high quality, sustainable, and beautiful furniture design and production. Sometimes this means a simple piece made with high quality local sourced timber. At other times this means something more, and in particular this is where Colin’s creative flair comes into play. It is a joy to be able to have the freedom to pursue a design where time can be committed; where many hours can be put into carefully working with the small details that make a bespoke furniture piece something so special. At other times simple is what works best, and this is also part of the joy of design.
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Or reach out if you would like to find out more about commissioning a Highwood piece: counters for business premises, kitchens, tables, cabinets, fitted bedrooms, chairs, beds, wardrobes, shelving, sgian dubhs, jewellery, wholesale gifts, and many more. Design visits can be organised throughout Tayside; Perthshire, Angus, Dundee, and Fife. Online consultations are available for those based further away in Scotland and the UK.