Tuesday 14 February
The Floating Bench
Andy's first view of the bench
There’s something about oak that people like. If you lined up ten planks each made from a different type of wood most people would immediately pick out the oak one. This is an entirely unscientific statement that I just made up but I will stand by it nonetheless. I’ve just been to visit Alan Hayward joinery who are making a 5 metre long oak bench for the garden. The workshop is filled with tropical hardwoods and cedar, the smell of freshly sawn timber hangs in the air and all around beautifully crafted wooden things are being made. So far we’ve just got a few planed, mitred and chamfered bits of oak rather than a finished bench but there is something so special about that honey colour and the tightness of the grain that makes people want to reach out and touch it. The bench also has copper inserts and using metal details like this was a feature of Arts and Crafts furniture for interiors that I have borrowed for the garden.
I’m calling this a floating bench because it is cantilevered and the supports are hidden but I had a panic the other day that people would be able to see the metal framework underneath so I’ve tweaked the design a bit. I had a wobble about the stone today as well because I had to finally phone the quarry and place the order. I’ve been worrying for weeks that it is all a bit too pale because there is so much of it on the terracing, the walls and inside the pool and I’ve been nervous about the garden feeling too bright and possibly uninviting. I wasted at least 2 hours forcing everyone else in the studio to join me in my under confident world when they were all trying to work on other deadlines. And in the end I just ordered what I originally planned 4 months ago. Some people call that a ‘design process’ but I believe there are other terms for it.
Andy Sturgeon
M&G Garden 2012 designer
