Rift table
“Another speculative piece, I
made this in American walnut
and English ash after being
inspired by seeing the remains
of earthquake damage in the
Ionian Islands. The top is 'rent
asunder' to provide a display
space, in this case filled with
spent urchin shells - from the
very seas that surround the
islands. The glass that covers
the display space is set at the
same height as the peaks of
the rippled V-grooves, thus
providing a stable surface for
placing display items.”
Epitaph to the elm
“The elm's towering glory was a constant companion in my youth.
Dutch elm disease nearly wiped them out, and they're dying out in
Scotland now, so I felt obliged to memorialise their sad disappearance
from our landscape with a series of pieces. Elm has a bad reputation,
because it's tough, difficult to work, blunts tools, and misbehaves a lot
during seasoning. But I love its rugged character, and couldn't resist
the challenge.
“The Canti-Two Hallway Table was originally designed and
speculatively made as an entrance or hallway piece, directing and
welcoming you into the home. Its surface is diagonally V-grooved to
enhance it and to demonstrate that solid timber is beautiful all the
way through. I also tried to impart a jewel-like quality, so as to
heighten people's perception of this precious material. The design
won the Master's Gold Award from the Worshipful Company of
Furniture Makers.
“The Finback Chairs are almost entirely handmade and require a
sophisticated level of skill to sculpt the sensual curves of the body. The
awkward, cussed elm I used certainly didn't give up its charm without
a fight! Two of these chairs were bought for the Permanent Collection
at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge 2005.”
Compass table
“Made in European and American walnut, I
wanted the top of this piece to show the journey
of life that a tree undergoes. I see wood as
recycled sunshine and rainwater, and I believe it's
a gift. We furnituremakers are a long way from
getting close to the amazing degree of natural
design in a tree; I want to create pieces that
demonstrate that intrinsic beauty.
“The table is made from 3mm thick workshopsawn
veneers, taken from 16 consecutive cuts
through a tree. The cuts were then laid out in a
radiating pattern, showing off its natural beauty
while exposing the fascinating way in which it
grows. When I displayed it at the Origin show [at
Somerset House in London], one onlooker
remarked that, “it was a credit to the tree”. I'm
not so sure, but I'm definitely proud of the piece.”
Expanding dining table
“Another table from European and American
walnut, there's more to it than meets the
eye. The client required a table that usually
seats eight, but could be expanded to seat
sixteen when required. I came up with a
plan to avoid the complicated solutions you
usually get with expanding circular tables. I
created a separate chest in which eight
crescents are stored, so that when
expanded, these are added to the table,
supported on eight pull-out rails. The
radiating pattern of sixteen mirror-matched
segments on the top of the table continues
out into the added crescents to provide a
spectacular pattern at both sizes.”
Dressing table
“I made this set in
European cherry. It was
originally designed and
made to help fund my
daughter's MA - I told
you we had debt
problems! It's part of an
expansive cantilevered
series, and like the
Canti-Two Hallway Table
above, I explored the
visual danger of balance.”
Key cabinet
“It might look like a simple object, but this piece is
perhaps my most successful design, and probably my
favourite. It's made from oak and oak-faced ply, and
came about for a couple of reasons. Back in the late
Eighties, I was going to a lot of shows and I once noticed
a furnituremaker standing gloomily by some antique
furniture. Next to him was a woman who made
cardigans, and she was making sale after sale,
pocketing buckets of money. I wanted to sell something
people could buy spontaneously too, and so the key
cabinet was born. Why a key cabinet? Well, my wife and
I always had a different idea of where the keys should
be kept, so I knew that if I made something stunning
enough we could come to a mutual agreement!
“For the design, I came up with an idea that joins
components in a novel manner, using a series of
grooves and wooden hinges. It's marketable, saleable
and easy to construct in numbers, while still being
aesthetically pleasing and functional.”
shabana khan
