Timber furniture repairs - why it just makes good sense

Lately we have have been completing a myriad of furniture repairs and our clients have been overwhelmingly delighted with the outcome !

Why ?

Because more often than not the items we are repairing are the most used

A classic example of this would be the humble kitchen chair - the workhorse of the home, often our clients think they are beyond repair but in most cases a good reglue undertaken by our professional team is all that it needs to bring these chairs back to excellent working order.

It doesnt end with the chair reglue.

Life happens and so do accidents and mishpas - broken table legs , chipped tables ,missing or crumbling veneers etc etc

But with professional repairs our adored existing timber furniture can be brought back to its original wonderful working order and go on for many years to come.

Good for the family and great for the planet - as existing furniture is given a new lease of life

The Retro restoration continues ...

You may remember our beautiful retro restoration a few years ago

Beautiful 1940 ,s era kitchen classics, for a little refresher head over to the blog post here

Well we have been able to restore a few more of these classic pieces.

These gorgeous kitchen chairs have seeen their fair share of wear and tea

Our gorgeous retro chairs in need of some tlc

We carefully restored where we needed to and that included the all important glue up - to cement their longevity

Then once all repairs were made , Stuart repolished using a perfect colour match to their original beauty and carefully encapulated all that fresh colour in a final clear coat

The end result is nothing short of stunning

Our beautiful restoration is complete on these wonderful iconic chairs

Its all in the detail

Our June Timber Masterclass

On a cold winters day ( well for Brisbane anyway ) we welcomed 5 new budding woodworkers into the workshop to enjoy a morning of learning , productivity and of course morning tea

Thats what our Masterclass is all about - a little taste into the wonderful world of woodworking, but its not just all cake and coffee our students learn fundamental skills during this time.

Integral skills such as shaping and sanding , using the drill press are all aspects of woodworking that our woodworkers learn and experience first hand .

Culminating in beautifully crafted timber salt and pepper shakers which our students take home with them.

Not bad for a blustery winter morning

Family vibes; Restoring Grandpa's table

A much loved , much used gorgeous round cedar table has been in the family for years and has seen many lunches play dates and craft endeavours , but it was not time for some care…

We repaired and repolished to bring back this highly sentimental family favourite back into the now, ready for many many years of play dates fun and good times

Baby you can drive my car ....

Classic never goes out of style

Timber possesses the remarkable ability to elevate a variety of surfaces.

Consider a classic automobile dashboard as an example

. Besides its functionality, timber contributes significantly to the atmosphere, charm, and unique appeal of any surface it adorns.

In the restoration of this vintage hot rod, our choice fell upon Zebrano timber, renowned for its exquisite aesthetic.

Meticulously crafting precise templates ensured a flawless fit for the dashboard cover

. Upon confirming its perfection, we intricately cut, shaped, and meticulously sanded the piece.

The final touch of a lustrous polish brought forth its beauty and elegance. The installation, skillfully carried out by Stuart, marked the exquisite culmination of this Hot Rod's construction journey.

Our Introduction to Woodworking Workshop

For the last two Saturdays , our eager students have been diligently working away - fine tuning their design skills and learning from the ground up - the fundamentlals of woodworking.

They have got their hands dirty and experiences life as a woodworker

Our enthusiastic team have made us proud - creating their beautiful tables , designed specfically for their own homes …

And the results speak for themselves

Congratulations to our graduates !!

Winter is a great time to make your Wooden Surfboard

With our beautiful sunny days and mild temperatures, Winter is the perfect time to make your own surfboard.

In our 4 day class July 18 - 21 inclusive you will master the art of creativity and be guided in all processes on making your board.

Whether this is your first foray into making a board or you are expanding your quiver - our classes factor in every possibility .

We have only a few spots left in this class - so best to act now and enrol to make the surfboard of your dreams.

And as for the end result - we will just leave these here…

But dont take our word for it …

Actions speak louder than words

Our July Wooden Surfboard Making Workshop is on July 18 and runs for four days , finishing on a high note of surboard completion on July 21

For all the good deets , contact us today

A fresh new look

A coat of paint can make all the difference

And our recent makevoer does all that and more

Our client loves their existing furniture but felt it left their home feeling a little dated and in need of a refresh

So we repolished or should we say repainted their favourite pieces in an “off white hue of our clients choosing and the results are nothing short of amazing …

A Beautiful fresh look with a repolish !

Cruising into the new week

We love when our Wooden Surfboard Students send us awesome footage when they are out in the waves having the best time

Shout out to Harry for this fab footage of him carving it up at the Sunshine Coast.

What a great way to start the week !

Here come the woodworkers

We are excited for our first Introduction to Woodworking class which begins this Saturday

For the next two weekends, our budding students will learn from the master craftsman (Stuart) .

They will learn the fundamentals of woodworking, increase their knowledge of timber species , hone in on their skills as a designer and create a beautiful piece of furniture for themselves.

There is nothing like hands on learning and for the next two Saturdays that is exactly what its all about…

We cannot wait

Modifying Furniture just makes good sense

Our furniture weaves its way into our lives - it becomes part of our story so naturally we form a strong attachment to it …

So when the circumstances or lifestyle changes , its reallly wonderful to be able to have those sentimental pieces with us

Besides the strong emotional attachment it just makes good sense to be able use what we already have -especially if we love it !!

Our recent modifcation of a dining table is a wonderful example of this

Lovely Blackbutt dining table

This elegant table is just too big for our clients now, it was taking up too much space and just didnt fit their lifestyle requirements …

So we modified this table and brought about a brand new smaller simply gorgeous table

We created the new table exactly to our clients required dimensions so it will fit seamlessly into the desired area

A beautiful brand new dining table out of an existing one

The end result is just beautiful - our client is so happy being able to utilise their existing table for a fresh new lifestyle

The elegance of a display cabinet

There’s something wonderfully elegant and old world glamour associated with traditional display cabinets and some but not all are fitted with beautiful stained glass.

More often than not these cabinets are in quite a state - sometimes they have been left in the gargage or under the house for a several years.

Oh the stories these wonderful old pieces could tell …

The veneers may often be broken or damaged , the beading broken and a crack in the glass.

The finish would have been worn and scratched and they are a long way away from their original beauty.

But we love a challenge and we pride ourselves on our craftsmanship when attending to restoration.

We respect the work of the craftspeople from yesteryear and endeavour to preserve their workmanship and keep the authenticity of the piece - this is such an integral part of the restoration process - we dont want a beautiful 100 year old piece looking new we want it looking as beautiful as the first day it was made..

Our team work diligently on each piece delicately restoring and restoring its longevity.

But back to our display cabinets..

We have had the honour of working on some beautful cabinets in the last few months and the final result has been nothing short of wonderful

Happy clients with their treasured heirlooms once again ready for years of living

The sophistication and elegance of traditional display cabinets

OUR APRIL WOODEN SURFBOARD WORKSHOP

What a wonderful 4 days …

Our budding woodworkers had an amazing time learning and developing new skills, making new friends and creating their very own wooden surfboard.

Prior to class our students chose the specifications of their board ie height and design - single fin, thruster pattern for the deck etc etc

There are many and varied considertations when it comes to making your own Surfboard.

A lot of these decisions are based on surfing experience, surf fitness and location of the surf hence each board is unique to the rider , thats what we love so much.

There is no cookie cutter board - the surfboard is made specifically for the rider (lucky them !!)

The end result on Sunday afternoon was a stunning array of hand crafted boards, made lovingly with the surfer’s own two hands

a testament to their love of the surf…

Our first Wooden Surfboard Workshop for 2024

We are excited !

Tomorrow heralds the beginning of our first Surfboard Making class for 2024

During the next 4 days our students will live and breathe woodworking and surfboards

They will be emersed in an atmoshpere of learning, fun, creativity and challenges.

Making new friends, discovering a new passion and basically forgetting that the outside world exists

We cant wait to share our passion and knowledge.

Be sure to keep up to date on our socials for all the fabulous footage as our amazing students create their own wonderful wooden surfboard.

Some happy snaps from previous Surfboard Making classes.

The Making of a special Hoop Pine Desk

Growing up, our client has countless memories of tree climbing adventures with the old hoop pine tree in the backyard,  sadly due to not one but two instances of lightening strikes the tree had to be cut down and consequently milled.

As a result we were able to create two beautiful hoop pine desks for the family home ( as well as provide timber to a wonderful recycled dining table project last month

Apart from their beautiful ambience these desks provide essential office space and storage for the home.

We have used steel legs as per our client request and finished off with a beautiful polish to bring out the wonderful patina of the grain.

A wonderful legacy to childhood memories continue

We were so pleased to be a part of this fantastic timber recycled iniative .

In prep for our first Woodworking class for 2024

We cannot wait !!

Our first class for woodworking will begin in earnest this Saturday !

Our timber masterclass , will see 6 eager students begin their journey of woodworking this weekend .

During the workshop our budding woodworkers will learn the fundamentals of woodworking .

They will become educated in timber and design , gain essential hands on knowledge in a professional workshop and craft their own timber salt and pepper shakers in a morning of fun and productivity

Restoring family heirlooms

The importance of preserving our history cannot be underestimated and it is for this reason that we impart so much pride and satisfaction in the process of restoration.

For a much loved family heirloom the role of restoration is an important one ; it gives the special piece longevity so that it is able to be kept in the family and passed on for generations and generations.

Our case in point is this lovely travel blanket box

A special piece that has seen many a mile and many a story

We repaired and restored this and kept the integrity and authenticity of the box to keep all the wonderful markings of time

Welcome to a new Season

Happy First day of Autumn.

In what feel like one of the longest ( if not most humid) summers for a long time, we can hopefully soon ( but now now - because well we are in Brisbane) turn the page on some beautiful days.

When the mornings will have just the tiniest bit of freshness about them.

When the days will become a little shorter and that glorious morning sun will rise a little later.

It will become one of the loveliest times of year…

When the seasons change …

When the morning light looks a little different

Mother Nature has a beautiful way of showing off

A very special Jewellery Box

With its rich dark chocolate hues, Ebony timber is a visual delight . An exotic hardwood that we have used for the top of our very special jewellery box.

Its beautiful patina and grain are the feature of the box lid making a wonderful first impression .

Coupled with rosewood, we have designed and made a classic keepsake

The beautiful richness of Ebony

A visual delight

With its many details our special Jewellery Box has a myriad of storage options for rings, necklaces , bracelets and other special tresures that will keep them safe and free from dust and other elements.

With its many and varied compartments, there is a place for every special keepsake.

Little things matter, our attention to detail is second to none

An exercise in craftsmanship our jewellery /keepsake box would be a beautiful addition to your home

Timber Master Class - a new Bywater Design woodworking workshop

We have been sharing our passion and knowledge of woodworking for well over 15 years in our classes.

Our introduction to Woodworking 2 Day Workshop is a popular option for many budding and experienced woodworkers, with coursed dotted through out the year.

This year we have added another class to our calendar

The Timber Homewares Masterclass

This little gem of a class is a half day event that packs a lot into the morning.

In this half day workshop, students will learn proper use of woodworking hand tools from master craftsman, gain knowledge and confidence in the woodworking workshop as well as hone in shaping skills - crafting their own timber salt and pepper shakers as well as be able to competently identity certain timber species - not bad for a few hours of learning and fun.

Once again we like to keep these classes small ( 6 students maximum) to ensure a productive yet relaxed learning environment.

Our March 23 class has sold out and so we are pleased to add an additional date to the 2024 calendar

Saturday June 22.

If you would like to dip your toes into the woodworking obsession journey, please email us for more information on this fabulous workshop

Hand crafted Salt and Pepper Shakers

there is nothing as wonderful the joy of creating something yourself