Jacob Corradi from Banbury in Oxfordshire came on our professional course from a previous career as a birch canoe and log cabin builder.

He therefore had a grounding in woodwork, although boat building and fine furniture making require very different skills.

Jacob’s first project was an olive ash writing desk, with six curved legs and a solid oak top with a live edge.

It had two drawers and a cabinet section made from ammonia fumed oak.  A neat design flourish was that the desk’s legs appeared to rise up from the desktop.

The desk’s two drawers and cabinet were finished with steel handles.

It was a bold and ambitious project, accomplished with style and confidence.  It definitely possessed a real “wow” factor.

Underlining his skill and craftsmanship, Jacob sold his desk at our graduate exhibition in Edinburgh.

You can see a fly-through video of the exhibition here.

Jacob also brought that sense of drama to his monumental ebonised kitchen island in solid oak.

It was a statement piece that was also entirely functional.  It had large drawers, ample interior storage space, and a slate on the top for hot plates.

Jacob is now going to work with David Hall, another of our professional course graduating students.

They’e setting up The Whisky Barrel Furniture Company.

The plan is to work in partnership to design and make high-end furniture made with, or incorporating, wood from whisky barrels.

The intention is to make pieces that will be of interest to, for example, distillery visitor centres and whisky bars.

It’s a bold and ambitious idea, but one with enormous potential for Scottish buyers, or for anyone wanting to own a piece of Scotland.