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Our lumbar support Bar Stools have brought breakfast to a whole new comfortable level for our clients.
Made from American Ash , Stuart designed these for maximum back support and to blend in with the clients existing dining chairs.
Upholstered in a blonde vinyl to withstand kitchen use these stools were a joy for Stuart to design and make.
Prepping for the shaping of the legs
Fine tuning
The beautiful finished product
Taking pride of place in their new home
What are your images, thoughts of the 1920’s ?
The Great Gatsby , Speakeasies, jazz music comes instantly to mind.
The world was celebrating peace and freedom after World War 1 and technology (but not as we now know it ) was forging ahead.
Automobiles were becoming more common, and movies were mass entertainment in the devleoped world.
This started as a boom era in which people were intent on living for the now, throwing convention to the wind and opening the way for new ideas and inventions.
Art Deco is the term for this fashionable style that dominated between the two world wars, Art Deco influenced many spheres of life from art, architecture, fashion and sculpture to furniture design.
The impact Art Deco has left is monumental in architecture alone. In Queensland , the State Government Insurance Building in Brisbane and the Charleville Town Halls are perfect testamony to these, just as the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building are iconic symbols in the USA.
Jazz Moderne as Art Deco was also known as the dominant style of the 1920’s and 1930’s.
It became known as Art Deco in the 1960’s when a British Art Critic took the name from the 1925
L’Exposition des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes held in Paris.
The Style was developed in France by over 250 craftman including Jacques_Emile Ruhlmann, Jean Dunand and Rene Lalique. The strong Paris influence led the “machine age aesthetic”in which the flowing floral motifsof Art Noveau were replaced by streamlined geometrical designs, that expressed the efficiency of modern technology.
Excitement over this new French Style was quickly emulated in Italy, Britian other European countries and North America.
Art Deco designers used stepped forms, rounded corners, striped decorative elements and experimented with industrial materials such as metal, plastic as well as the more unusual sharks skin.
The favoured stylish colours of purple, mauve, peach and grey were used to enhance the new sophisticated design.
Experimenting with industrial design elements was a constant in the Art Deco period.
Decorative glass had a formative role in products such as cabinet doors and homes with heavy timbers lightened by the use of glass, were stylised with sunbursts, foliage and various flower species.
Another aspect of Art Deco which is essential in todays design elements is multipurpose design; the original Art Deco furniture was true to their geometric and sleek design and were highly functional as well as representing elegant simplicity.
Think of a headboard with incorporated bed side tables or side cupboards with a lamp stand or cigrette holder doubling as a coffee /occasional table.
The not so humble cocktail cabinet; borne from that wonderful pasttime; the cocktail party , was devleoped to house essential items for a maritini as well as accommodating a gramaphone to play the latest Josephine Baker. Multipurposing at its best.
We have restored many and varied pieces from this era
From the humble occasional table , to the essential vanity unit to the more complex gramaphone , these pieces were carefully and faithfully restored to bring out the best of that era ,as well as using modern practices to ensure they will go on for many more decades
Clients often request design characterstics from this period as well using the crisp symmetrical forms from this era to using timbers reminiscent of this era including birds eye maple . With subtle additions of plain frosted glass instead of the more colourful glass originals the Art Deco mood is enhanced whilst giving each furniture item its own personality .
One of our favourite era’s we relish the opportunity to restore or create pieces of furniture that are reminiscent of this wonderful age, when things were a little simpler.
Restoring the glory Art Deco multi purpose sidetable
Carefully restored Dressing table with accompanying stool
Simple curved lines with an Art Deco aesthetic for this stunining kitchen cabinet
Beautifully designed and made by Stuart this Art Deco Inspired entertainment unit is a crowd pleaser
Sideboard/credenza/buffet table, whatever you prefer to call this item of furniture in the house, its importance in the family home never waivers.
The not so humble sideboard , orginated around the 18th Century and became a more commom household item during the 19th century when households became more propserous , and the accumulation of material items grew.
The sideboard or buffet table, apart from looking wonderful should be an extension of the room that it is in.
It should be a part of the room’s personality and decor.
There are so many options when it comes to the sideboard; glass door, glass shelved, open storage, backlighting anyone ? the options are endless but at the end of the day the sideboard should be able to store all the wonderful precious items we use for food ocassions.
The perfect platter, the fantastic china picked up in a garage sale, the tablecloth that has been in the family for generations; they should all be stored safely and have the ability to keep these precious items in pristine condition.
Over the years, we have made variants of the sideboard, each with the owners tastes and preferences in mind.
They are always a wonderful addition to the home.
Classic appeal, sideboard custom made to blend beautifully with existing cabinetry
Night ambience created by the addition of lighting
Sleek and elegant. Minimal yet functional
Beautiful recycled timber with the addition of frosted glass is the perfect addition to this Queenslander
The richness of mahogany and beautiful carved features make this sideboard an outsanding additon to the room
Our woodworking students always give us great joy when it comes to their dedication and persistence.
Bill , a Monday night student has worked tirelessly over the last few months working on a beautiful coffee table for a wonderful surprise birthday present for his wife.
Made from Melaleuca , which is part of the Myrtle tree family this elegant table uses resin as a centre feature to highlight the wonderful warm patina of the grain .
Finished off with light coats of lacquer, this gift made from the heart is one we are sure will be a treasured heirloom for many years to come.
Congratulations to Bill on such a wonderful achievement.
Our gallery is taking shape…
With lots of special pieces, where the emphasis is on innovative design and excellence in craftmanship.
Silver Ash Bow and Arrow Shelf
The sideboard or buffet or chiffonier is an integral part of the family home.
Its a place to store our beautiful crockery, silverware, glasses and all the other wonderful pieces we accrue and keep “for good” or theoretically use more often , to make every day special.
It is a really a happy storage unit, as it ideally contains all the things we hold dear and with which we use to celebrate special occasions .
The design , look feel and timber choice of the sideboard is such a personal decision.
But the end result is always stunning, a beautiful blend of craftmanship, design and ambience that
brings all the elements of a heirloom piece of furniture together.
A modern twist on sideboard living. Beautiful clean lines with a crisp white finish.
A traditional theme in this Queenslander is carried through with the use of Queensland Maple for this sideboard with frosted glass
Using the richness of Jarrah this sideboard featuring ample storage is a wonderful addition to this dining room .
Using curved legs for the feature of this Sideboard. Once again Qld Maple is used for its striking detail
What a grant statement this restored red cedar chiffonier makes. With an impressive marble top this show pony certainly has the wow factor.
Dining chairs have a tough gig, over the years they are put through constant stress and strain.
Used several times a day, they are certainly put through their paces.
A chair has to be strong to be able to carry various weights, and it has to be comfortable to make the owner want to sit in it with ease for hours.
With these aspects in mind, we design and make our dining chairs for durability, for beauty and for comfort.
