Chippendale News

Last week was all about making Windsor chairs. Students worked in teams of four to complete their Windsor chairs, under the expert guidance of Tom Thackray and Stephen Langton. Tom has been making Windsor chairs, and teaching others how to make them, for some 50 years and, together with son-in-law Stephen, they are a renowned […]

Gianluca Caregnato, from near Milan in northern Italy, first came to the Chippendale school last April on one of our introductory courses. These one week courses give keen hobbyists a new range of skills to take their hobby to another level, but also give others the chance to consider whether a long-term career in woodworking

Gilding is a technique that was invented by the ancient Egyptians 5,000 years ago and reached a zenith in the European Renaissance. In the early millennia, the technique was used to gild gold onto sarcophagi and statues, and then illuminated religious texts. In the Middle Ages it was used on sacred paintings, particularly to illuminate features such as

Tom Fraser, deputy principal, Chippendale school, who will contribute a regular column to our website.  The Chippendale school is, first and last, a furniture design school teaching all aspects of fine furniture design and making. But we also try and instil some business skills in our students, including the need to have a well-presented website

Every year we bring in specialist tutors to teach our students how to make that most iconic of English chairs, the Windsor chair. So we’re privileged this week to welcome Tom Thackray and Stephen Langton who are master craftsmen in Windsor chair making. The reason for teaching this form of furniture making is, says Tom,

It‘s a beautiful art nouveau-inspired mantle clock that will always remind Vanessa Johnston of her grandmother who kept a similar clock on her mantelpiece. Vanessa, from Seattle, is making all her pieces, including the clock, from wych elm and olive ash, two timber species that aren’t native to the USA. The case of the clock