James Furniture

AT THREE METRES long, THIS particular COMMISSION STRETCHED OUR HAND-VENEERING CAPABILITIES SOMEWHAT. THE CLIENTS HAD A STRONG IDEA OF WHAT THEY WANTED TO ACHIEVE FROM THE OUTSET AND SO ONLY NEEDED SOME GUIDANCE AS TO WHAT TIMBER CHOICES WOULD BE AVAILABLE IN THAT LENGTH. BOTH THE ENGLISH CHERRY AND THE AMERICAN WALNUT ALLOWED US TO RUN THE GRAIN ACROSS ALL SIX DOORS - each respective timber was sourced FROM a single LOG. ACCESS TO THE HOUSE WAS LIMITED TO THE FRONT BAY WINDOW. WITH ABOUT TEN MILLIMETRES worth of room to spare, THE SIDEBOARD WAS LIFTED THROUGH, and ONCE IN POSITION, LOOKED AS THOUGH IT HAD BEEN THERE FORever. we live for moments like this.

OUR FIRST CHAIR WAS COMMISSIONED BY A CLIENT WHO HAD RECENTLY HAD HER DRESSING ROOM UPDATED BY JAMES FURNITURE. we had wanted to make the chair in either walnut or sycamore, both timbers having been used for the making of the original dressing room. unfortunately, AT THE TIME, they weren’t available, so we settled on STEAMED ENGLISH WALNUT. A fine COMPROMISe, when used in the dressing room, the riven chair brings out THE DARKER VEINS OF THE WALNUT and THE CREAMIER SHADES OF SYCAMORE. A more than HAPPY MEDIUM.

AN EXISTING CLIENT WAS DEVELOPING THEIR LOUNGE INTO A BIGGER SPACE. she NEEDED THE TELEVISION and other amenities AREA TO look and feel like A MORE TRADITIONAL BOOKSHELF – and to SERVE AS A WALL BETWEEN THE LOUNGE AND THE UTILITY ROOM. BIRCHPLY WAS USED FOR THE CABINET, WHICH WAS THEN HAND PAINTED, ALLOWING FOR THE GRAIN TO SHOW THROUGH. IT WAS EXCITING TO INCORPORATE SOME METAL WORK INTO THE piece, a development that has SINCE INSPIRED SOME FURTHER COMMISSIONS. FREESTANDING, THIS PIECE is highly scalable, and COULD BE DEVELOPED to fit a variety of spaces, large or small.

the twin table commission allowed james furniture to further develop our birchply sculptural series. these tables can very easily be utilised either separately as side tables or together as a coffee table. being hand crafted, each take on the table will render subtle differences in the undulating ply. as such the wood often leads the design, resulting in a uniquely finished product. a wonderfully fine balance between form and function.

WITH A BESPOKE JAMES FURNITURE KITCHEN RECENTLY INSTALLED, OUR CLIENTS COMMISSIONED A CUSTOM MADE SIDEBOARD TO BE SITUATED IN THE SAME ROOM. THEIR REQUEST WAS FOR THE DESIGN TO INCORPORATE A CANTEEN OF CUTLERY THAT HAD BEEN A WEDDING GIFT. SIMILAR HANDLES HELP LINK THE SIDEBOARD TO THE KITCHEN & AS A POINT OF INTEREST A PLAYFUL HOLLOW WAS SHAPED INTO THE TOP OF THE SIDEBOARD. LEGS SHAPED WITH THE NEGATIVE OF THE CURVED HANDLES HELP LIFT THE PIECE QUIETLY FROM THE NEWLY INSTRUCTED PARQUET FLOOR THAT RUNS THROUGH THE KITCHEN & THE DINING ROOM WITHIN WHICH THE SIDEBOARD IS LOCATED.

inspired by the furniture of probably america's most renowned contemporary furniture craftesman, sam maloof, the finch bed was conceived from a love of mid century modern furniture's clean lines, organic shapes and utility. english oak was a prerequisite for the client. the agreed design allowed us to happily employ various handtools - rasps, rifflers, spokeshaves and scrapers amoungst others - to achieve a fine honest balance between the aesthetic and the function.

ENGLISH WALNUT USED WITH PALE SYCAMORE TENDS TO WORK VERY WELL. AN EXISTING CLIENT WANTED TO REFURBISH HER DRESSING ROOM. HER ONLY REQUEST WAS THAT WE REPLACED THE OLD WITH NEW, PIECE BY PIECE.

THIS VERY OPEN BRIEF ALLOWED US TO PRODUCE FOUR FANTASTIC PIECES OF FURNITURE, EACH BRINGING OUT THE BEST IN OUR MAKING SKILLS. INCORPORATING A MIRROR WITH A DISCRETE LED LIGHT, THE DRESSING TABLE WAS ESPECIALLY INTERESTING, ITS RECESSED INFARED BUTTON NEEDING CAREFUL CONSIDERATION. MEANWHILE, THE CHEST OF DRAWERS INCLUDED TRADITIONAL DRAWER SLIPS, MUNTINGS AND CEDAR OF LEBANON FOR THE BASES.

thumb mould ROUNDED EDGES THROUGHOUT BROUGHT A SENSE OF COHESION TO THE COLLECTION, HELPING  PRODUCE SOME TRULY ELEGANT FURNITURE FOR A TRULY WONDERFUL CLIENT.

INITIALLY, A SHEET OF ONE INCH BIRCH PLYWOOD WAS MEASURED UP, ALLOWing FOR THE FIXING OF THE REVOLVING TOP PRIOR TO LAMINATING. THE DESIGN OF THE PIECE MEANT THAT THERE WOULD BE A GOOD DEAL OF CRAFTSMANSHIP - EYE TO HAND, EYE TO HAND - INVOLVED WITH THE SCULPTING OF BOTH STOOL SEAT AND SIDES.

EMPLOYING VARIOUS HAND AND POWER TOOLS REVEALED THE LAYERS OF THE LAMINATED PLYS. THESE WERE THEN EMPHASISED TO A POINT WHERE WE WERE AS HAPPY WITH HOW IT FELT AS WE WERE WITH HOW IT LOOKED. WORKING INTUITIVELY, THE PROCESS INVOLVED A DIFFERENT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP WITH THE material, ONE THAT IS AS MUCH ABOUT IMPULSE AS IT IS DESIGN.

THE STARTING POINT AND INSPIRATION FOR THIS KITCHEN WAS A SAMPLE OF 10MM CERAMIC WORKTOP MATERIAL. ITS COPPER TONES ALLOWED FOR THE USE OF BLACK WALNUT as a complementary MATERIAL FOR HANDLES, BREAKFAST BAR AND CUPBOARD DOORS.

LIGHT OAK ON THE FLOOR FRAMED AND GAVE BALANCE TO THE KITCHEN UNITS’ DARKER COLOURS. BIRCH PLYWOOD WAS INCLUDED FOR ALL THE INTERNAL CUPBOARDRY. FURNITURE LINO dresses ALL THE DRAWER BASES, ADDING AN EXTRA SOFTNESS AND DEPTH TO THE DESIGN. THE RESULT: A LARGE AND BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED FAMILY KITCHEN.

IT’S UNUSUAL TO BE ASKED TO DESIGN AND MAKE A PAIR OF BEDSIDE TABLES THAT WERE TO BE SECURED TO THE WALL. GIVEN THIS, IT MADE SENSE TO LOSE THE BACK LEGS. THE INCLUSION OF A DRAWER ALLOWED US TO HIDE ANY wall FIXINGS . WE WORKED IN SYCAMORE TO ACHIEVE A LIGHT RESULT, AND USED PEGGED TENON LEGS AND SOFT ROUNDED EDGES TO BRING BALANCE TO THE OTHERWISE MINIMALIST NATURE OF THESE PIECES.

WITH A MASTER BEDROOM THAT INCLUDED AN OPEN-PLAN ENSUITE BATHROOM, THE CLIENTS WERE KEEN TO ADD A ROOM DIVIDER THAT ALLOWED FOR PRIVACY WITHOUT LOSING EVERYTHING THAT GAVE THE ROOM ITS BIG-SPACE CHARACTER. THIS IN MIND, THE DESIGN NEEDED TO ALLOW FOR A BED, BEDSIDE TABLES, AND STORAGE SPACE WITHIN THE DIVIDER AND UNDER THE BED, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME COMPLEMENTING THE ROOM’S OAK WOODWORK AND SPRAY-FINISHED CUPBOARDERY.  

OUR SOLUTION WAS TO CREATE A DIVIDER SOFTENED BY AN EXPANDING WRAPAROUND SHROUD, AND WHICH GATHERED IN HEIGHT AS IT WENT INTO THE ROOM. LOW LEVEL LIGHTING SIDE LIGHTS AND SWITCHES WERE INCLUDED. PHONE CHARGING POINTS AND SOCKETS WERE BUILT INTO THE BEDSIDE TABLES. THE FOUR STORAGE RECESSES IN THE HEADBOARD ARE ADAPTABLE. THE CLIENT WAS DELIGHTED WITH A PIECE THAT CAUGHT THE EYE AND TOOK NOTHING AWAY FROM THE ROOM’S SENSE OF SPACE.

THE CLIENTS HAD RECENTLY HAD THEIR HOUSE developed IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE A NEW MASTER BEDROOM, BATHROOM AND DRESSING ROOM. WE WERE ASKED TO DESIGN AND MAKE THE DRESSING ROOM.  

OPEN TO A LESS TRADITIONAL INTERPRETATION OF A FITTED DRESSING ROOM, THE CLIENTS’ INTEREST IN SOMETHING BOTH DIFFERENT AND FUNCTIONAL ALLOWED FOR A MODULAR SYSTEM THAT SUITED INDIVIDUAL NEEDS AND SAT WELL WITH THE STYLE AND TONE OF THE REST OF THE ROOM. BIRCH PLYWOOD WAS USED THROUGHOUT, AND FINISHED IN A CLEAR OIL. BESPOKE HANGING RAILS, SHOE DRAWERS AND DRAWER DIVISIONS COMPLEMENTED THE MODULAR SYSTEM, WHICH CAN BE ADAPTED TO ANY PARTICULAR SPACE.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A SHAME TO COVER UP A NEWLY-LAID PARQUET FLOOR AND SUCH LOVELY CRAFTESMANSHIP. our SOLUTION WAS TO CANTERLEVER THE SHELVING OFF THE SUPPORTING WALLS with THE BIRCHPLYWOOD CARCASSING FASTENED TOGETHER AND SUPPORTED BY WAY OF FRENCH CLEATS. WITH SUCH HIGH CEILINGS, THERE WAS STILL AMPLE SPACE TO HANG THE WALNUT SHELVING, WHICH ALONG WITH THE CABINET FRONTS ARE DESIGNED NOT TO IMPOSE ON THE REST OF THE SPACE.

COMMISSIONED FOR A HOME OFFICE THAT ALSO SERVES AS A FAMILY DINING AREA, THIS LINKED CABINET WAS DESIGNED TO BE ADAPTED TO DIFFERENT NEEDS AND SPACES.

A MIXED-USE DESIGN, IT INCLUDES FILING CABINET DRAWERS, OPEN DRAWERS, AND STORAGE, AND FULFILLED ALL THE NEEDS OF THE OFFICE AS WELL PROVIDING EXTRA SPACE FOR GLASSWARE AND OTHER ARTEFACTS. SHOULD THE CLIENTS’ NEEDS CHANGE, THE FOUR LAYERS ARE DESIGNED TO SEPARATE INTO INDIVIDUAL UNITS, ALLOWING FOR GREATER FLEXIBILITY OVER TIME.  

THIS IS A MONSTER OF A TABLE. WE NEEDED TO MATCH THE TABLE TO THE DESIGN AND SIZE OF THE DESIGNATED SPACE. SPECIAL ATTENTION WITH REGARD TO CHOICE OF WOOD WOULD NEED TO BE PAID TO THE volume of glazing in the room AND TO THE UNDERFLOOR HEATING, THE FORMER EMPHASISING THE OVERWHELMING SIZE OF THE SPACE, THE LATTER CERTAIN TO AFFECT THE WOOD’S MOVEMENT OVER TIME.

OUR SOLUTION WAS TO GO BIG. FIVE SLABS OF AIR-DRIED ENGLISH OAK PLANKS WERE USED and jointed TO CREATE a 3 BY 1.5 METRE DINING TABLE ALONGSIDE BENCH SEATS AND THE KITCHEN WORKTOP. A RICH RUST PATINA COLOUR WAS APPLIED TO THE BOX STEEL SUPPORTING FRAME, WHICH TOGETHER WITH THE SOFTENED EDGES OF THE TABLE TOP ACHIEVES THE deSTRESSED LOOK THAT THE CLIENTS DESIRED.

THREE WARDROBES, TWO BEDSIDE TABLES, TWO CHEST OF DRAWERS,A FREE STANDING DRESS MIRROR AND TWO CUPBOARD DOORS IN OAK WAS THE FINAL ORDER FROM A CLIENT WHO WANTED TO REMODEL THEIR BEDROOM.

ALL THE CABINETS WERE LIPPED IN HARDWOOD AND THEN VENEERED IN CONSTRUCTIONAL EUROPEAN OAK. THE LEADING EDGES WERE THEN CUT BACK ATA 45 DEGREE ANGLE. WE FINISHED EVERYTHING IN A WHITE OIL, LIMING THE OAK AND RETAINING THE ORIGINAL COLOUR, AND THEN APPLIED SEVeRAL COATS OF CLEAR OIL-WAX. SOFT CLOSE HINGING AND MECHANICAL RUNNERS MADE THE OTHERWISE HEAVY DOORS AND DRAWERS EASY TO OPERATE. COMPLEMENTED AND SOFTENED BY HANDMADE HANDLES, THE PIECES FIT BEAUTIFULLY WITH THE REST OF THE ROOM.  

REMINICENT OF A RIVER’S MEETING WITH AN OCEAN, THE DELTA SIDEBOARD IS APTLY NAMED. A SPECULATIVE PIECE, IT ALLOWED US TO EXPERIMENT WITH SOME FREE FLOWING SHAPES, DESIGNING THE FINISHED PATTERN AS WE PAIRED BACK THE LAYERS OF LAMINATED BIRCH PLYWOOD TO REVEAL AND EXPRESS THE GLUE LINES INBETWEEN. WITH THE DOORS AND DRAWER FRONTS CUT FROM THE SAME SHEET OF PLYWOOD, THE LINES ARE DESIGNED TO FLOW SEAMLESSLY ACROSS THE FRONT OF THE SIDEBOARD, AND ARE COLOUR MATCHED BY THE PIECE’S HANDPAINTED INTERIOR.

LIBERTY OF LONDON COMMISSIONED THESE GRAPHIC BACKDROPS FOR THEIR SEASONAL WINDOWS. THE VENEERED SHEETS’ SUBDUED COLOURS KNIT TOGETHER AND INTERACT WITHOUT SUPERSEEDING THE MERCHANDISING.

IN KEEPING WITH THEIR EVER PLAYFUL AESTHETIC, HERMES ASKED US TO DESIGN AND BUILD THESE MINITURE HOUSES FOR THEIR BOND STREET LONDON SHOP WINDOWS.