A commission is usually made up of a meeting with the client from which ideas are exchanged, samples of timbers and finishes are shown, from which I will be able to sketch up some details and costs. On placing an order a deposit is required and delivery or fitting is always done by ourselves. I do also have a small showroom with pieces to view, country chairs and extensive portfolios. From the age of ten I started the art of fretwork using off-cuts of plywood my father would bring back from the packaging company he managed in Chiswick. From then on and through my teens, I was always in my father’s workshop as he was a keen wood turner and woodworker. I made several household pieces of furniture and also gained experience of boat building with my uncle who lived in Jersey in the Channel Islands. It was here where I went to school that my art and woodwork flourished winning several prizes in woodwork and various competitions in art. By the time I was eighteen I decided I wanted a career in something surrounding wood, furniture and design and in 1970 was lucky enough to gain a place at High Wycombe College. At this time High Wycombe was the centre of our furniture industry.