With the workshop closed to the public, but open to our professional members, we caught up with some of them to see what they have been working on lately.
DOMHNALL NOLAN
Domhnall Nolan is an interior & furniture designer working predominantly in steel with leather and fabric detailing.
He has worked on large scale residential developments as well as private residential and hospitality projects for a number of London design practices. He is currently doing an MA in Interior Design at the Royal College of Art, whilst working as part of the design team at Soho House.
His work explores the life & death of materials in objects – specifically focusing on the use of leather as a by-product. He is working towards creating a furniture collection that embodies the outcomes of this research.
DANIEL HIGGINS
Daniel Higgins is a furniture maker in wood and metalwork, with a background in sculpture. He is mostly self taught and has been using the workshop to make bespoke commissions for private clients. His recent work has included a lot of fitted pieces for small spaces, including boats and garden offices, that come with their own unique design challenges.
Since the pandemic he has been working on reducing his carbon footprint as a maker, by being more economical and precise in his designs. He creates new work with the leftover materials from projects. He says the ‘act of making has been a way to stave off any anxious thoughts’, throughout this challenging period.
He is also one half of homeware and design label November’s Children.
MICHAEL JEWITT
Michael Jewitt has been making these striking circular mirrors for clients throughout lockdown and says it’s his favourite design and make of 2020. Made in London Plane wood, some have quarter-sawn wood to show a lacewood pattern, and others are through-saw with burl effect. Michael is planning to sell more of these mirrors from his new website launching this year – watch this space!
ESSENTIALLY WOOD
Woodworker and furniture maker Anna Cornish runs Essentially Wood here at Blackhorse Workshop. After a successful career in the NHS, Anna retrained in Fine Furniture at Building Crafts College in East London before joining the workshop as a studio member.
Her first finished piece this year is this beautiful child’s chair made in Olive Ash with a woven seat of Seagrass. She aims to make footstools and stools in the same style to sell locally. She has also been selling a range of bespoke birdboxes for private clients, unique to bird breeds and nesting habits.
MYTHOLOGY INTERIORS
Sam and Anna run Mythology Interiors – a furniture and homeware brand based at the workshop. They strive to find the perfect harmony between form and function, colour and texture, and use beautiful hardwoods grown in and around London. For every piece of furniture sold they donate to Trees for Cities, planting new trees in urban environments.
When asked what inspires them they said, ‘The beautiful and diverse hardwoods that grow on our doorstep, which have become the central focus of our designs. There’s nothing more inspiring than running a piece of wood over the planer to reveal its unique beauty beneath the surface.’