We’re having a look back at some of the fantastic pieces of furniture that our students made this year, showing how a professional course at the Chippendale school allows students to embark on a new career.
Chris Daborn, originally from Surrey, created a settle that doubles up as a table, a piece of functional art made from “cat’s paw” oak and sycamore.
It’s a delightful piece because most furniture is designed for one purpose, so it’s always exciting when a beautifully-constructed piece has multi-functionality built into it.
“Cat’s paw” oak, or pippy oak, is so named because of the small knots and knot clusters that cover the timber board and which resemble a cat’s paws.
Before coming to the school, Chris worked in IT for a major public sector organisation in Norfolk, with a speciality in geographic information systems.
His table-settle has both form and function, combining a double purpose with design flourishes that include laser engraving on the sycamore drawer bottoms.
Chris and his wife have now returned to Norfolk and have set up 4th Dimension Furniture.