Heather Jones from Los Angeles came on our professional course with some furniture design experience, but no woodworking skills.

She was previously an art director and graphic designer, and one of her hobbies was designing furniture.

She decided that it was time to acquire the necessary skills to turn her visual designs into completed realities.

Heather’s past career, which included work as a set and production designer in Hollywood, had given her real expertise in visual design.

That’s the first thing that all our professional course students learn because you can’t make fine furniture without a clear design and, therefore, precise dimensions.

In that respect, Heather had a head start on some of our other students.

Her signature piece was her Gertrude’s Cabinet of Cocktail Curiosities.  It demonstrated that, over the year, she certainly did add woodworking skills to design expertise.

It was a monumental piece of furniture made from stained sycamore, with hand-turned legs and carved doors.

Gin

Inside, it had two drawers ideal, so Heather said, “for love poems scribbled on napkins while sipping (too much) gin.”

The playful nature of her pieces is also evident in her Double “Oh James Darling, Get me a Cocktail” Table.

It was a lovely piece of work, with a Sapele veneer radial table top, fluted base and brass accent.

But it was her marketing acumen that earned Heather this year’s Marketing Award.

It may seem strange for a furniture school to have an annual marketing award, but it’s something we believe passionately in.

Our professional course teaches the basics of business planning, website design and marketing.  We also expect students to design and make their own marketing materials.

That holistic approach to the Chippendale’s course gives our graduates the best-possible start to their new careers.

Heather’s beautifully-designed brochure for her cabinet and table was fun, creative and eye-catching.

In other words, it demonstrated clearly that she understood the importance of marketing to business success.

Heather will be returning to the USA to set up Heather Jones Bespoke Furniture.