Platter life...

Like most people, we thoroughly enjoy a beautiful cheese board with a bold or red or champagne on the weekend.

There is nothing like a sharp cheddar, the silkiness of a rich Brie or the earthy nutty flavor of Truffle Cheese.

There is a cheese for every occasion and with such joyful accompanients such as fresh juicy figs, red seedless grapes, bountiful walnuts, and the ultimate fresh bread stick our love of cheese knows no boundaries.

For this reason we developed our platters and cheese boards.

Created using specialised timbers and designed to enhance the wonderful array of fresh food we have available , our platters will make any occasion a joyous one .

You wont see our platters everywhere, they are not mass produced and of course are proudly Qld Made in our workhshop.

A natural beauty

Our March Furniture Making Workshop

It was with much joy that we welcomed our first students for our March Introduction to Furniture Making Workshop…

Our 6 eager students began by finalising the design on their table, albeit a small coffee table, a sofa table or a minimalist desk.

In our class, students are encouraged to work out exactly what they need/like for their own circumstances ie a smaller table for that tiny nook in the corner, desk for after dinner work, or a coffee table for the centre of the loungeroom. We offer our students choices and encourage them to flex their design muscle so that they can create something that is exactly what they need .

We also offer a variety of available timbers , so that along with the design aspect the hue and ambience of the timber is something that will work in their home and that they will be truly happy with …

The design process, an integral part of the creation journey

So much satisfaction from starting your first project

Learning traditional techniques is the basis of good construction

Satisfaction out of learning a new skill is immense

First part of the journey, its definitely something to smile about

Beautiful finished tables

Our students worked dilegently over the 2 Saturday’s to design, learn , create and be a part of something that they should all be very proud of

Beautiful timber heirlooms for their home.

Our next Introduction to Furniture Making class is on May 7 and 14

Two fun filled Saturdays, if you would like to secure a position, please enquire

We would love to help you discover your inner woodworker

We are grateful ...

We thank each and every one of our wonderful community who gave so generously .

These funds are now working hard supporting our mates who have been impacted by the floods.

And we look forward to welcoming Scott into a Surfboard Making Workshop soon .

Stay well

Daniele Stuart and the team

Mates helping mates

One of the many reasons why we love this great country, is the propensity for individuals to just get in and help one another, without hesitation , without fanfare , it’s just all in and get the job done.

And nowhere has this been demonstrated so strongly as in the last week …

So many acts of kindness and bravery have been demonstrated, it is both inspiring and humbling.

Like you   we have felt frustrated at wanting to do more to help flood victims get back on their feet as soon as possible to rebuild their lives, homes and businesses.

We know that by raising as much funds as possible will go a long way in helping to do this.

So welcome to Mates Helping Mates

Our plan is  to raise money by raffling a position in one of our 4 day Wooden Surfboard Workshops

This will included, making any board from our range the (winners choice of course,)

Albeit a 7ft fish or an impressive  10 ft mal, the board will then be beautifully glassed by Stuart at no extra cost to the lucky board maker.

Entry is super easy, head over to our sister site Wooden Surfboard Com.au to purchase your ticket/s

We will use random.org to draw our lucky winner and entries close March 31 st, with the winner announced and notificed that night .

Please know that 100 % of funds from the Mates Helping Mates Go Fund goes directly to the Givit Australia official flood raising organisation .

We thank you for your generous support in helping those that could do with some mateship right now

The finer points

*The winner has enrolment in our 4 Day Wooden Surfboard Workshop.

All costs, materials tuition and glassing are included.

*Valid for 12 months at any of our Surfboard Classes

*Any board, any style any size from our Bywater Design Collection can be made

*Not redeemable for cash

Lets get together and help those in need !

Some tips for flood affected furniture

As we grapple with the aftermath of the recent floods, our thoughts go out to all those affected by this tragedy.

We hope everyone is safe and well.

As the clean up begins , there are a few simple tips you can take to help minimise the damage to flood affected furniture.

This is by no means exhaustive, but some measures you can take …

If you have a question, please reach out to us, we are only too happy to help or impart knowledge as best we can

Restoration this Summer

The last few months has seen us busy in the workshop restoring some beautiful pieces for our clients …

All of these items have a beautiful ‘back story’ a history of bygone days.

We have great joy and satisfaction in restoring these treasured pieces , so they can once again be back or if not better than their glorious original self .

Gorgeous 1920’s credenza

This 1920’s credenze , made from Cedar and has such beautiful features. Its looking ok but it could be better …

Beautiful restoration

We repaired where necessary and repolished to bring out that beautiful grain …

Our client was absoluetely thrilled with the end results.

Classic pine writing desk

Elegant pine writing desk, with so many beautiful features, but was needing some repairs and some love .

Once again we made drawer and door repairs including the top …

The power of restoration . Using what we have , taking some time to care and repair and the end results provide many more happy memories

#lovewhatwedo

Retro Style Stereo Cabinet

We always value the joy of providing our clients with special heirlooms and this project is a beautiful example of that.

Having kept the turntable that his father has used through his childhood, our client desired a cabinet that would house his precious keepsake and also function as a stereo cabinet that could be used for all the family to enjoy …

The concept was simple; classic clean lines and showcasing the beauty of solid timber .

Stuart designed a crisp clean cabinet featuring the gorgeous Zebrano timber on the doors and New Guinea Rosewood for the rest of the cabinet.

The stunning grain in Zebrano for highlights

Elegant beauty

What a gorgeous contrast is the New Guinea Rosewood

Beauty in the detail

Featuring a designated area for the turntable, that oh so important vinyl collection and room for the other stereo components including easy cable access at the back, this custom made stereo cabinet now takes pride of place in our client’s home.

We hope many an hour will be spent listening to happy vibes with the family.

One of life’s greatest joys !

Making a timber Surfboard Stand

Frustrated at the lack of options for our beautiful timber surfboards, Stuart created his own timber Surfboard stand to securely keep the beautiful boards in place .

Using solid timber (and recycled whenever we can) Stuart designed a classic yet sturdy stand that is quite at home in the pool room, the deck or wherever our beautiful wooden surfboards are stored.

Our stands are lightweight, yet sturdy and are made to hold whatever weight the surfboard is .

Clean lines for our surfboard stands

The elegant way to keep boards secure

designed and made by Stuart

Our surfboard stands are custom made, to ensure correct fit and strength , starting from $390 they are the essential addition for any quiver.

Retro Restoration

We have been so lucky being able to undertake so many beautiful restoration projects.

Each and every piece of furniture we repair, repolish and restore has a unique history, its own blueprint from which we are sure many a good story could be told

Oh if only the walls could speak.

Our latest restoration provided so much joy and came all the way to Brisbane from Wyong (Central Coast of NSW) and dates orginally from Austria circa 1940’s.

Our suite of retro furniture comprised of many glorious pieces, including a funky kitchen console, a buffet table, mobile daybed and kitchen dining room table and chairs to name but a few in this wonderful collection.

Each piece was repaired, restored and repainted as close to the original colour scheme as per our client request.

Our retro sideboard definitely got the special treatment , as seen some extensive repairs were needed to make those drawers glide effortlessly as well as a thorough sanding before application of the finish.

How utterly fabulous is this TV Unit, the wonderful shape, the original handles, the colour what is not to love about this iconic slice of history.

The finished result was nothing short of spectacular.

Two beautiful examples of the power of restoration , we often say adored and restored but really it is true. These family heirlooms have been given a new lease of life and now take pride of place in the family home. Ready to be used enjoyed and passed down through the familly.

There are more wonderful pieces in this collectoin we cant way to share

#lovewhatwedo

A new seaon ...

Spring is the time of plans and projects.

After a long winter for many reasons , its time to embrace the new month , the new season the perfect weather and begin the last few months of the year with optimism and joy.

A new dawn

We are all for embracing the little things,

That moment before the sun makes its appearance when the air is still crisp and so fresh.

Colour is a many splendid thing.

Mid morning coffee walks, strolling through the neighbourhood enoying the gentle warmth of the sun and the abundance of blooms that just seem to pop up over night.

Its berry season

The sweetness of fresh fruit, move over apples and oranges , sometimes you need a berry or two

The art of getting away, even just down the road

Planning an escape route, locally and even just down to the local park. The chance to breathe in some fresh air and take some time for a little surf, a read on a blanket, a snooze in the park or to finish that book.

The joys of being out in the great outdoors , we will never under estimate.

Life’s too short to not eat the cake.

Picnics and pastries, I cant think of a better way to plan new seasons projects.

Stay well

stay happy

Daniele

Making Absolutely Beautiful Wooden Surfboards

We have been combining our love of Woodworking and surboards for over 10 years now 🎉🎉

During this time we have honed our skills, refined our techniques to offer our students the best possible workshop, so that in our 4 Days they come away with that wonderful sense of satisfaction knowing they have created something wonderful with their own hands …

A little trip down memory lane to enjoy some past student work

We've come a long way baby ..

Our winter workshop is the perfect time to create your own stoke, so for detailed information on our August 26 - 29 Workshop, send us an email and we will forward you our 2021 Surf Pack

Restoration Magic

Its been a while, since we last updated on the wonderful projects we have been completing in the workshop.

So many restoration makeovers, some truly unique custom made furniture pieces and the wonderful joy of sharing our passion and knowledge in our woodworking classes…

But first some restoration.

These gorgeous Bentwood chairs have been in our client’s family for generations.

You just have to love the boldness of these curves, the laidback ambience they evoke, many a story they could tell .

Considering their age circa 1930’s these chairs are in fair condition, but we knew we could take them to the next level.

Our gorgeous Bentwood Chair all ready for its makeover

To begin the restoration process, we dismantled the chairs, and repaired and reglued where necessary

In situ, our fabulous chairs getting the 5 star treatment

Our client chose an elegant beige pinstriped fabric to contrast beautifully with the rich grain of the timber

and as you can see the results are truly beautiful.

Just waiting to for a PImms and a good book

Our restored Bentwood Chairs

#lovewhatwedo

Things we love in Autumn

Every sunrise and every sunset is a magical time of day.

The miracle that happens everyday without fail, if we are awake or not, it still still just happens.

There is something magnificent however about an Autumnal sunset or sunrise. When the cloud cover combines with the sun at just the right angle… pure delight , such theatre, such drama

Night drama

The sky is on fire

A golden start to the day

Autumn also brings with it, a cast of flowers, smells and sights to delight in

The wonders of camellia bushes in full bloom with their fabulous array of petals that make for a spectacular display both on the branch followed by their graceful fall to the ground.

In awe of Colourful Mother Nature

The air is cool the sun is clear and bright, perfect weather for walking in the fresh air and taking in the beauty around …

The first flush of Golden Fistulas

The happiest people are woodworkers ...

The smile says it all !

So much fun to be had in our workshop;

The smile from our Saturday Student says it all !

For the last two weekends we have had the joy of running our Introduction to Furniture Making Workshop.

During the last two Saturdays our wonderful woodworkers have learnt the fundamentals of good furniture making, including design and construction methods, proper use of machinery and power tools, and essential techniques to begin the wonderful journey of timber furniture making.

A fun productive Saturday in the workshop

Woodworking in action

Safe and proper use of machines and power tools is vital and Stuart with over 30 years in the industry is only too happy to impart his knowledge and experience to our eager participants.

A good polish is dependant on proper sanding, Jes doing a fabulous job on her table top

When it all comes together …

The wonderful thing about custom making is the choices you have to make the piece exactly as you want, whats the point if your gorgeous piece of furniture is only going to sit in the shed if its “too big, too small, not the right colour or I dont like that design”

Prior to the class, our eager students chose their timber , finalised their design preference and dutifully measured at home the exact requirements needed for their very own custom made piece of furniture.

Our April class students each chose different styles and sizes to fit in exactly with their own home requirements .

And as the photos reveal, our students have made beautiful timber furniture additons to their home.

Our happy April Furniture Making graduates

It is a joy and a privilage to share our wealth of woodworking knowledge with such enthusiastic woodworkers.

The energy and comraderie they bring to class makes our Furniture Making Workshops truly a wonderful experience for us all

Working from home

The home office is an integral area of the home for our client . A place to be able to work productively with minimal disruptions whilst still remaining an extension of the home .

The brief was simple. Ample desktop space and maximum storage facilites . The overall aesthetic had to be clean elegant and minimal.

Before the home office makeover

More storage required here

The features included a pull out desk caddy on castors for ease of movement if needed.

A fitted bookcase with adjustable shelves, a floating shelf above and painted white with dulux beige royal quarter to blend in with the existing decor.

The overall result is a harmonious workspace offering maximum productivity and storage capabilities .

elegant but functional working area

custom made to clients exact requirments

A myriad of storage solutions

Wooden Surfboard Classes for 2021 have begun...

This year we have hit the ground running with the Bywater Design School of Learning .

We have already had 2 amazing Surfboard Making Workshops that has seen some wonderful wooden surfboards produced from our eager students, many of whom have had no prior woodworking experience .

In the 4 days our newly minted woodworkers have learnt the finer points of shaping, the importance of a good glue up and the fundamentals of sanding their board to perfection.

There has been lots of laughs along the way as well as the opportunity for friends to take some time out together and enjoy something different from the every day and to also be able to forget about phones, computers and work and discover the thrill of learning something new …

Essential prepping before the board class

Stuart , taking our students through the integral first steps of board construction

Teamwork and camraderie in action

The foundations of a good board

Its all coming together, our hardworking crew learning the finer points of shaping their board

The best board meeting ever. Our March Surfboard Making students with their beautiful new boards.

The beautiful boards are now in the polishing booth for Stuart to create his magic and glass the boards in readiness for our crew to try them out in the surf !

Summer Vibes only, what we are loving already .

Well here we are in the last month of the rollercoaster known as 2020 !

We are working busily away at projects to complete before Christmas, when we will take some time out to rest and recharge .

But as the days get longer and the nights warmer , its always nice to take some time and appreciate the little things around us.

Summer blossoms making those blue sky days even more beautiful

Those early morning walks capturing the freshness and quiet of the morning sun

What is a Sunday without fresh fish and chips ? and perhaps a scallop or two

Long days and balmy afternoons are the time for a cocktail or two !

December is always frenetic so we hope you get to capture a few moments of quiet and peace.

Daniele

Taking our Surfboards online

Its been a wild year, no doubt about that and through the last few months, many people have voiced their frustration at not being able to attend our Surfboard Making Workshops for one reason or another.

We heard, we listened and after many hours working away in the workshop we proudly introduce our new baby

Wooden Surfboards Australia.

The place for our new surfboard making DIY kits.

Our kits are just like our boards ( and our furniture ) made to our exceptionally high standard of craftmanship.

Now you can make one our beautiful boards in your own workshop.

The kits come with everything you need to make your own Bywater Surfboard.

The range is exactly what you choose from in our classroom situation except you get to make the board at home or in your workshop in your own time and at your own pace.

We bring it all to you, including Stuart’s wonderful video tuition to guide you along if you so wish.

We are very proud of our new endeavour , we have taken the time to carefully curate all the necessary componenents and elements to give you the smoothest DIY experience ever.

We happily ship all over Australia and use 100 % plantation Paulownia and Australian timbers.

If you have any questions at all please dont hesitate to drop us a line so we can answer any queries asap

See you in class :)

The things we leave behind ...

Our love of furniture restoration runs deep, the process of restoring, repairing and bringing back to life a treasured family heirloom is one of we find immensely rewarding.

The work is often labor intensive and intricate but we gladly face up to the challenge in the name of preserving beautiful furniture .

We were lucky enough to be involved in the restoration of this beautiful 1880’s inlaid box. Handed down through the generations it was time to restore what was needed , preserve and make original once again…

Complete with the original 1880 day stationary this box had beauty in the detail.

Cornered veneers in need of some TLC

Such a beautiful family heirloom

Complete with the 1880’s stationary

We carefully repaired the external veneers before reg re glueing any areas that were in need.

For the internal area, we restored and kept the original purple lining.

Beautiful details before restoration

Beautiful repairs on this family treasure

All in the detail

more glorious detail

A beautiful finished product …

Stuart finished the restoration with beautiful polishing … the icing on the cake.

A glorious end result for our lovely client, so that this treasure can be enjoyed and passed down through the generations just like it was meant to be

Our Wonderful Woodworking Student Projects

Our Monday and Thursday evening woodwork classes have been going in earnest for well over 15 years and every week we are just blown away by the creativity , craftmanship and dedication that our students continually show.

Each project is unique and the planning, the care that goes into each one is so admirable

Chair excellence from Peter

Monday night Student , Peter has diligently designed and created his exquisite dining chairs and the reading chair above is the perfect spot for Peter to relax and while away the hours. Made from Qld Maple and Jarrah , this stunning chair is testament to Peter’s skill and patience.

Gerry has always wanted to create his own cellar and during his woodworking classes he is doing just that.

Made from Kwila, this custom made cellar is heading in the right direction of perfection

The beginning of something wonderful !

Dining distinction

An extensive journey to source premium camphor laurel Mike has worked with the natural grain to create this magnificent dining table.

Elegant yet sturdy this table works beautifully with the dining chairs and is just ready for a fabulous dining table.
A wonderful example of student skill and tenacity.

Delightful details

Sally designed and made this specia momento box using Lemon Myrtle, Jacaranda and Red Cedar.
A beautiful box for a friend and including beautiful splines on the corners, false bottom and floating top.

Gorgeous detail and craftmanship Sally

A project of skill and thought

Considered detail

For the romantic

Chris from our Thursday night class , has gone above and beyond for this most beautiful present for his sister’s wedding.

A board games console complete with handcrafted markers and including beautiful detailed images this was definitely a labor of love.

A one of a kind wedding present that is now a cherished family heirloom.

We never tire of the amazing work our students create.

Their enthusiasm for their craft never ceases to amaze and delight us.

#lovewhatwedo