Handmade vernacular stick chairs

Traditionally, stick chairs were made by common folk, often with minimal training, to provide a place to sit in their own homes or to sell during the seasons when they couldn’t work their primary job.

They were made by hand with whatever wood was available, and were built simply, using hand tools and joinery methods that were strong and resilient. Stick chairs were often painted, but rarely decorated, unlike much of the furniture used by higher class members of society.

Hand split and hand carved

Chair legs and sticks are split directly out of the log, meaning they follow the grain of the wood – stronger than sawing. Carving them to size with a drawknife gives them a unique faceted, handmade look.

Local wood

My chairs are made with local woods, with most legs, sticks and arms being made out of birch and ash.

Old school joints

No screws here – these chairs are assembled using glued and wedged mortise and tenon joinery which has been proven to hold even after hundreds of years.

Embrace the wonkiness

I always try to utilize the natural curves of the wood and tool marks left behind to tell the story of how a chair was created. Colourful milk painted finishes bring it all together to create a unique, folksy and functional piece of furniture that will be sure to make a statement in your home.

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