Marilyn Monroe was more renowned for her own beauty than her wise words on the subject, but she certainly was on to something when she observed, “imperfection is beauty.” Those three words say volumes about the character of beauty, particularly when it comes to beauty in the natural world. It is not too much of a leap to say that it is imperfection that gives wood its unique personality as a material, as compared to the uniformity of…
Anti Copying in Design, (ACID), an organisation committed to protecting intellectual property rights, is joining forces with the British Furniture Confederation (BFC), the furniture industry’s political lobbying group, as an associate member.Martin Jourdan, chairman of the BFC said: “We are delighted to welcome ACID as an associate member of the BFC. Encouraging good design and protecting intellectual property rights are key elements…
Environmental charity WWF has released a new study that shows that British companies are using timber from illegal sources. The report, entitled ‘What Wood You Choose’, suggests that not all timber that purports to be sustainably and legally sourced actually is, and hammers home the importance of using FSC certified timber. Companies that have been making false promises come into the firing line, with some that claim to have been…
Ahoy, door makers! Hinge specialist Nico has expanded its range of architectural hardware with the addition a number of new products….and to help you keep track of all these it has also released a new catalogue. Amongst the additions is the new triple knuckle butt hinge, measuring 101 x 76mm and designed to offer a high performance alternative to commodity ball bearing butt hinges. There is also a new range of hinges designed for…
The British Furniture Confederation has published its latest strategic plan, intended to clarify the BFC’s role to identify ways that the industry can be supported over the next five years. The Confederation works with the Government on behalf of the industry. The plan, which you can read in full here, aims to fulfil the BFC’s mission statement of sustaining “a strong and influential dialogue with the Government,…
Gary Goby founded the timber retailer that bears his name in order to meet his children’s university costs. It was ran from a barn-cum-workshop on his six acres of land in Oregon in the U.S. He had no idea that a few years later the company’s annual sales would have reached seven figures, that it would employ five people, and that it would fill a five acre lot and a 10,000 square foot warehouse. But what allowed Goby Walnut &…
The Bedroom Scene
I remember it being a particularly rainy Saturday afternoon when my father announced the completion of his latest and most ambitious project to date: the designing and construction of bunk-beds for me and my brother, with built-in wardrobes and storage areas above with added sliding doors. This project had kept him busy for no less than five…
London’s East End is one of the most recognisable areas in Britain. From the legions of tourists on Jack the Ripper tours, to the high pressure sales tactics of the proprietors of Brick Lane curry houses, and of course the heady mix of the local Cockney geezers and fashionable youngsters who’ve migrated the length and breadth of the country to be there, you’d be hard pressed to not know exactly where you were.
It has…
Shelf Life
Up until his 40th year, my father had managed to save the woodworking world the embarrassment of joining its legions of enthusiasts. That was until the fateful day my mother innocently stated that she’d like a bookshelf in the kitchen for all her cookery books. My father absently agreed to look into it next…
