MIGHTY OAK
“ He paid special attention to things like the turned feet and the shape of the table pedestals , as well as making sure the dresser tops were well proportioned ,” Lisa says . “ There are some lovely little details like really delicate grooves on the wood under the edges . In design everything has become very regular but we tried to go back to the way cabinet furniture was made in the past , paying attention to form and proportion rather than doing things in a standard way .”
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THE VIRTUES OF VENEER “ All our products are built to last ,” says Lewis High , who is our Head of Quality . “ We use the technique most suitable to the part and the product .”
Elkstone is made predominantly of solid oak . We use veneers in parts of the construction where using solid wood would cause quality issues . Veneers are a traditional and structurally sound aspect of furniture-making that can be traced back to Egyptian times , when the tombs of early Pharaohs were sometimes buried with objects that were adorned with African ebony veneer and ivory inlays .
“ Veneers are actually less prone to cracking or warping than solid wood , which is why we sometimes use them ,” explains Lewis . “ A large section of oak for the table top is vulnerable to splitting or warping . Whereas an oak veneer maintains the appearance of solid oak while giving a durable and trouble-free finish that will last for many years . For that reason we chose a veneer for the Elkstone Oak table top .”
Lewis works on the supply chain from the beginning of a product ’ s life – working on product design with the buying team – right to the moment it ’ s delivered to customers and starts a new stage in its journey . “ Quality is our watchword ,” he says . “ It ’ s one of the things that I love most about my job – the passionate friendly people I work with and the satisfaction that comes with bringing great quality products to customers .”
The appeal of wood is timeless . “ I love to work with wood . It ’ s beautiful , durable and renewable ,” says Lewis . “ There are so many types of timber and finishes available . Paint , wax , oil and lacquers all achieve different looks .” Part of Lewis ’ job is to work with the technical teams on drawing and teams in China and Vietnam – where traditional crafts like woodwork are still passed down through the generations – to get the best-quality furniture exactly to our specification .
“ For me it ’ s all about the details ,” says Lewis . “ Some of the range took three samples to get right . We had to explain to the manufacturers that we didn ’ t want perfection . We wanted to show the knots and the character of the tree it came from . We wanted to be able to feel the grain .” l
OUR PART IN PRESERVING THE PLANET
“ We are keen to play our part ,” says Lewis . “ Responsibly sourced timber is the most sustainable material for building furniture , and we make sure we trace all timber back to its forest of origin . Although this is a legal requirement , it is a moral one for us too .” Currently all of Cotswold Company MDF wood is responsibly sourced with 45 % certified by the Forest Stewardship Council ( FSC ) and by the end of 2022 , we are aiming to use 100 % FSC-certified MDF wood . “ We ’ re moving towards 100 % FSC-certified cardboard packaging and eliminating polystyrene packaging by then too .”
Elkstone Oak Small Sideboard 1057.009 £ 385 | Elkstone Oak Pedestal Dining Table 1057.004 £ 625 | Elkstone Oak Spindleback Dining Chair , sold as a pair 1056.008 £ 125 each | M . Gilmour Poppies Wall Art , 62x52cm 118.007 £ 75 | Water Carafe 928.117 £ 6 | Wool Rug , taupe , 120x180cm 926.202 £ 130
HOMELIFE