Working from a rural workshop on the Sharpham estate on the banks of the river Dart, I have been making bespoke furniture since 1986. I undertake projects varying in size from the lectern at Dartington great hall to a fitted kitchen in English oak with thirty two drawers and thirty doors. I believe furniture needs to work on three levels. First is utility and structure, it must work well and be well made. It must fulfil the function it was designed for. Doors and drawers must open and close easily. A kitchen must have the sink, the drawers, the cooker, in the right place. Wardrobes need the right amount of shelves and rails. Second is proportion, it should look ‘right’, it should rest easily on the eye. A successful furniture maker must also be a good draftsman. The first stage of any piece of furniture is on paper, and it must work at this stage.
