Journal & ideas
Notes from the workshop.
Practical writing on specifying made-to-measure furniture — what it costs, which materials last, and how a commission moves from floor plan to installation.
United Kingdom
Indoor and outdoor ideas for British homes, gardens and terraces.
guidesHow to choose solid wood furniture that will last
A practical checklist for judging timber, construction, finish and proportions before choosing a lasting piece of furniture.
3 October 2026
guidesNorth American ash: a guide for furniture buyers
Why ash is valued for strength, expressive grain and finishing flexibility, plus what to consider before choosing it.
2 October 2026
guidesA seasonal care guide for solid wood furniture
Simple weekly and seasonal routines that protect solid wood from moisture, heat, sunlight and everyday wear.
1 October 2026
ideasFurniture joinery explained: what makes a strong piece
A plain-language guide to mortise-and-tenon, dovetail and frame-and-panel construction, and where each method works best.
29 September 2026
guidesOil, hardwax oil or lacquer? Choosing a wood finish
Compare the look, protection and repairability of common furniture finishes before deciding what suits your room.
28 September 2026
guidesIndoor and outdoor timber furniture are not the same
Why outdoor furniture needs different timber, construction, drainage and maintenance from furniture kept inside.
25 September 2026
ideasDesigning furniture for repair and a longer life
Replaceable parts, accessible fixings and refinishable surfaces can keep a well-made piece useful as homes and needs change.
23 September 2026
guidesHow much does bespoke furniture cost in the UK?
What drives the price of a made-to-measure sofa, dining table or terrace set — and how to brief a project so the quotation holds.
6 August 2026ideasWalnut or oak? Choosing timber for made-to-measure furniture
A practical comparison of American black walnut and European oak for dining tables, sideboards and joinery-matched rooms.
6 August 2026
ideasOutdoor furniture that survives a UK winter
Materials, drainage and covers for roof terraces, courtyards and poolsides that stay outside all year.
6 August 2026
guidesBalcony furniture for UK new-build apartments
Weight limits, wind, and a floor two metres deep. Balconies need furniture drawn to the millimetre.
28 July 2026
projectsA covered pergola lounge: using the garden nine months a year
Put a roof over outdoor furniture in the UK and the season stretches from June to March.
27 July 2026
ideasFurnishing a small UK courtyard garden
Four metres by five, walls on three sides. The smallest gardens reward bespoke furniture the most.
26 July 2026ideasA garden dining set for a changeable British summer
You get perhaps thirty usable evenings a year. The furniture should take under a minute to be ready for them.
25 July 2026
guidesTerrace furniture that survives a British winter
Damp, not cold, is what destroys outdoor furniture in the UK. Here is the specification that lasts.
24 July 2026guidesBoot rooms and hallway storage built for British weather
Wet coats, muddy boots and a bicycle. A hallway in the UK has a harder job than a hallway anywhere else.
23 July 2026ideasWarming a north-facing UK living room with timber and texture
Britain's north-facing rooms get flat, blue light for most of the year. Material choice does more than paint colour to fix it.
22 July 2026
projectsLoft conversions: beds, eaves storage and the awkward slope
The metre of floor under a coombed ceiling is unusable for standing but perfect for drawers. A worked example from Milton Keynes.
21 July 2026
guidesHow to seat eight in a narrow London dining room
A 2.4m-wide back room can host a proper dinner party — if the table, the bench and the door swing are drawn together.
20 July 2026ideasAlcove joinery for a Victorian chimney breast
The two recesses either side of a British fireplace are the most wasted square metres in the house. Here is how we plan them.
19 July 2026Hong Kong
Space-saving interiors and weather-ready outdoor furniture for Hong Kong flats, village houses and podium terraces.
guidesWood movement, humidity and well-made furniture
Why solid timber expands and contracts, and how good design helps furniture cope with changing indoor humidity.
30 September 2026
guidesHow to measure a room for bespoke furniture
What to record before commissioning a table, cabinet or bed, from skirting boards and sockets to delivery access.
27 September 2026
ideasDesigning solid wood storage around real belongings
How shelf spans, drawer depth and adjustable interiors turn a beautiful cabinet into storage that works every day.
26 September 2026
ideasA Sai Kung village house garden, furnished for year-round use
Sea air, subtropical planting and a garden you can genuinely use from October to May.
7 August 2026
projectsClubhouse and poolside seating for Hong Kong developments
Furniture used by two hundred households has to survive chlorine, sunscreen and constant rearrangement.
6 August 2026
ideasBalcony dining for two in a Hong Kong flat
Thirty square feet, a drying rack and an air-conditioner condenser. It can still be the best seat in the flat.
5 August 2026
ideasRooftop lounging on a Kowloon walk-up
An old rooftop is Hong Kong's best-value outdoor room — once you solve access, weight and wind.
4 August 2026
guidesPodium terraces in Hong Kong: designing for sun and typhoon
Intense UV, salt air and a signal 8 twice a summer. Hong Kong outdoor furniture is a different specification entirely.
3 August 2026
ideasA children's room in Hong Kong: bed, desk and floor to play on
When a child's bedroom is 70 square feet, the bed and the desk have to share.
2 August 2026projectsVillage-house staircases: three floors of unused storage
New Territories village houses have a staircase on every level. Under each one is a room-sized volume nobody uses.
1 August 2026guidesTimber that stays flat in Hong Kong humidity
Between the March fog and a summer typhoon, a Hong Kong flat can swing thirty points of relative humidity in a week.
31 July 2026ideasFitting a real dining table into a Hong Kong open-plan kitchen
The developer's island is rarely the right height, depth or shape. A bespoke extension solves all three.
30 July 2026guidesConvertible furniture for a 450 sq ft Hong Kong flat
When a flat has to be a dining room, an office and a bedroom in the same hour, every piece needs a second job.
29 July 2026Acoustic panels
How to reduce echo and improve comfort using timber slats, felt and integrated joinery.
ideasSlat acoustic walls for open-plan flats
A slatted timber wall absorbs sound and reads as joinery rather than treatment.
7 August 2026
ideasAcoustic panels for a home office or study
How to reduce echo without making a room look like a recording studio.
7 August 2026
guidesCeiling acoustic panels for dining rooms
Why the ceiling is often the best place to control echo in a dining area.
7 August 2026Lighting knowledge
Layered light, LED profiles and the right colour temperature for timber and upholstery.
ideasLayered lighting built into bespoke furniture
Task, ambient and accent light should come from more than one ceiling fitting.
7 August 2026ideasLighting that shows walnut timber at its best
Dark timber needs deliberate light. Here is how to plan it.
7 August 2026
guidesLED profiles for shelves, headboards and cabinetry
The practical way to add warm light without visible cables or hotspots.
7 August 2026