A blog by Matthew Meyerhoff, a student at the Chippendale International School of Furniture
Born in Scotland, then brought up in Canada before moving to Dubai, Matthew Meyerhoff previously worked as a simulator pilot in Dubai for Serco. The work may sound exciting but it involved sitting down at a computer all day.
Matthew says that he chose to learn furniture making and woodworking because he doesn’t want to work in an office again:
“I’ve always been interested in building things, so I started looking for somewhere to learn the tricks of the trade. The other furniture making courses that I considered were 3 years long and I felt that was too slow to be enough of a challenge. The main attractions of The Chippendale School of Furniture to me were being able to do an intensive 30 week course and the large amount of practical bench time.
“I’ve found the furniture school amazing and have really enjoyed the work so far. A colossal amount of information is fired at us every day, but, if you happen to miss something, you can always go to the tutors for help.
“No-one here is taking the woodworking course lightly, everyone‘s here for a reason. The students are an eclectic bunch and, because of that, we have access to over twenty different styles, tastes, and opinions. You can feel the buzz when you come into the workshop in the morning; it’s a hive of activity.
“The external visits are great. Gosford House was above and beyond anything. At the Burrell Collection, we went down into the basement where we saw some phenomenal pieces of furniture. I’d have liked to spend all day down there!
“I’ve finished both term’s woodwork projects on time (thankfully!). The first one was a throne made of sweet chestnut. My second piece was a veneered corner table with an inverted arch as the body.
“I’m still developing my plans for the future. I’d like to have my own business as a furniture maker, and, because I enjoy building, may buy up and renovate old properties. I‘m looking forward to those challenges!”
