Sycamore Tallboy with Walnut Parquetry
A highly conceptual piece, this custom tallboy was designed to be part of an exhibition as part of the London Design Festival and London Craft Week. It is a study in high-quality craftmanship, with dovetail joinery, bent wooden handles and contrast parquetry throughout the piece. The frame is made from solid sycamore, with walnut legs, inlays, handles and lid.
The inspiration for this bespoke chest of drawers came whilst I was commuting weekly from London to the Lake District to complete my training in fine furniture making. I arrived home one weekend for my daughters birthday to a neatly stacked pile of birthday presents, with ribbons attached. The walnut parquetry flares out as it reaches the legs to give the illusion of a discrete stack.
The handles are crafted from walnut veneers, each a stack of 6 pieces individually steamed and bent before being glued back together. The final effect is that of a fluid ribbon bow but is entirely solid and durable. The drawers are hand dovetailed at the front and back as a sign of the craftsmanship inherent in this piece. The top section features a false drawer front - rather than opening forwards the lid lifts to reveal a layout suitable for jewellery, perfume and other small items.