4 metre [extending] dining table
August 5, 2010
My current project is an extending dining table that grows from a round 8-seater to a long 20-seater. The client has chosen ‘olive ash’ as the timber. The ash, from a tree felled on an estate in the North, arrived this week and a long day of milling has revealed some good colour and attractive figure in the grain.
Member of the Bespoke Consortium
January 27, 2012
The Bespoke Consortium is a newly formed group of artisans specialising in bespoke commissions for homes and interiors. A southern England-based initiative, the members aim to share resources and promote the benefits of commissioning unique bespoke work as a more individual, creative, sustainable alternative to imported or mass manufactured solutions. Membership is limited to one artisan per discipline although the group is keen to co-operate with supporters who share values. The group currently has experts in tile, stone, paint, paper and wood and is looking for an artisan blacksmith to join them.
For more information visit www.bespokeconsortium.co.uk or email: info@bespokeconsortium.co.uk.
Blanket chest – Cumbria
December 31, 2011
Coffee table – Flint III
December 31, 2011
The Norfolk box
April 14, 2011
The Norfolk box
A contemporary box dug up from the past…
This box is made from an oak growing 5000 years ago. It was preserved during the bronze age when Norfolk was mostly under water, its grain slowly filling with minerals giving the oak its blackness. The land where it once stood dried out to become arable land and at the turn of this century the ancient tree was dug up by a farmer not wanting to blunt his plough!
This box was designed to celebrate the rich history of the British landscape and the treasures buried within.
Size:
300 x 200 x 150mm
Materials:
‘Bog’ oak, 24 carat gold leaf, lined with felt hand-made by Jo Polack from the wool of a ‘Blue-faced Leicester’ Sheep.
P.O.A.
Kate’s Bench
April 12, 2011
Kate’s Bench
A seat and table in air dried oak designed to reflect the ancient rolling Derbyshire landscape where they now live.
Made to commission
Blanket chest
March 29, 2011
Blanket chest
‘Sussex chest II’. For this blanket chest a bizarre contour map is made using alternating layers of the finest, white English sycamore with fumed English field oak. The second in the series of hand-sculpted chests.
SOLD
Blanket chests start at £1500; sculpted blanket chests, £2300.
Chests can be made to order; each chest is different and could relate to your local landscape.
March exhibition at Henry Paddon gallery, Eastbourne…
March 18, 2011
Sussex inspired coffee table and Jewellery boxes on show at the Henry Paddon gallery in Eastbourne. I will be showing a coffee table called ‘Flint II’ and a pair of jewellery boxes – ‘White Cliffs’ jewellery box and ‘Cliff Sister’ jewellery box. All three one-off pieces are part of my ongoing work to make pieces of furniture about Sussex.
White Cliffs Box
March 15, 2011
White Cliffs Box
Jewellery or keepsake box.
A layering of sycamore and fumed oak portray the chalk and flint of the cliffs found on the south coast of England, with the ‘South Downs’ carved in to the top.
Size: 330mm x 200mm x 130mm
Materials: Sussex oak and sycamore, velvet lining and high quality hinges.
Signed and hallmarked.
On Show at the Henry Paddon gallery, Eastbourne from Saturday 19th March 2011.
£900
Chair – Dorney Court
March 2, 2011
A hallway chair
‘The Dorney chair’. Made using 400 year old oak from the grounds of Dorney Court near Windsor, this chair was commissioned by Jill Palmer to celebrate the life and character of Peregrine Palmer.
Singular hall chairs start at £1700, dining chairs start at £800 each.
Table completed
December 15, 2010
Here is the completed dining table at the clients home in London…
Crafts Council listing…
August 5, 2010
Tom Aylwin -’bespoke furniture maker’ has been accepted for entry in the directory of furniture makers at the Crafts Council. A great resource for designers, makers, interior design, architects and private clients.
Timber conversion
August 5, 2010
The ash is converted from slices of log (otherwise known as waney edge through and through boards) to square section using planing machines. The british hardwood is then stacked to allow it to ‘settle’ before further milling. This helps ensure it stays flat – crucial for the ‘extra leaves’ of the table.
Making the extending mechanism
August 5, 2010
While the table top ash is ‘settling’ the sub structure is built. This involves making the sliding components of the extending mechanism. The overall shape is made so that the sub structure cannot be seen up to 3 metres away (my stipulation!). This will give top of the dining table some lightness and elegance.
Fine tuning
August 5, 2010
A combination of router and hand plane are used to create the grooves and sliding keys. Precision and patience are key here as is a note of the seasonal weather conditions to allow for timber movement.
coopering the cones…
August 5, 2010
This round table stands on a central conical pillar within a pillar. The outer splits in two as the table is drawn apart and extended.
Selecting the timber for the table top
August 5, 2010
Olive ash has in it an array of colour from light yellow to pinks to greys to browns. My plan for the top is to show this off in all its random beauty. Unfortunately this isnt a case of playing pick-up-sticks and placing any old lengths of ash together. To get an even spread of grain shape and colour over the entire 4 metre table took a day of chin scratching.
Ayurveda desk
April 12, 2009
Ayurveda Desk
A desk in english oak for an ayurvedic medicine practice. A simple, ‘living’, moving and sensuous piece, with aromatic cedar of lebanon drawers and a hidden detail for patients to discover
Desks start at £1700
Coffee table – Flint
September 29, 2008
Coffee table
A coffee table made from limed sweet chestnut and fumed oak, both woods from Sussex. The hand carved curves and colour reflect the geology of southern England.
This coffee table is currently on show at Shoreham gallery
£1400
Queens Gate desk
August 1, 2007
Queens Gate desk
This is a desk designed primarily for use as a home office. It holds a laptop, keyboard, printer/fax, hanging files and general stationary.
The desk also contains a home entertainment system with a DVD player and 42 inch flatscreen that rises automatically.
Made from english yew and ‘dark chocolate’ dyed oak veneers with a leather writing surface.
Desks start at around £1500