Renovation Project In Northern France

In a small village called Oeuf en Ternois in France, I spent a year renovating and restoring an old villa.

It was a significant undertaking. There was plenty of variety of work on this project which for instance, entailed covering all the walls in the house with fabric. 

A labour intensive but effective way to create a certain atmosphere and ambiance.

Fireplaces were restored, ceilings replaced and brick walls were repointed. The bricks for the house had been sourced from clay found on the property and fired in a kiln onsite. 

One incident I remember vividly, in the dining area there was a small hole in the ceiling. We used a broom stick to poke around to see how bad things were only to find half the ceiling falling on top of us!

Restoring a house that is over 120 years old can certainly have its challenges .

I took time to explore this part of France and visit the many picturesque villages in the area.

We had a lot of fun exploring castles which were often being renovated or were in such a state that they were beyond saving.

This sculpture was made from discarded old tools and other found metal objects.

Welded together in some random fashion it takes on a life of its own.

I always relish learning a new skill, in this case welding and treatment of metal.

This little project opened a door into a new creative expression for me.

The Visiteur Project

The Visiteur Project chair has been an exercise to make myself familiar with the work of the French designer Jean Prouve.

Its iconic shape and timeless design is very comfortable.

The work of Jaen Prouve has an enormous following.

He is well known for his furniture but also his endeavours in architecture.

An overview of his work can be found at Patrick Seguin.

Rene enjoys the creative aspect of furniture making. Apart from his established product lines, he also takes on custom projects to suit a client's specific brief or space. Some examples of such projects are below. A seasoned designer, Rene excels at providing the right design solution for each project.

  • A couple from Kumeu visited our studio enquiring about a table for their newly renovated home. They were looking for clean lines in a light coloured timber. We made this oak table with square legs and skirting for them. They were happy with the end result, proving simplicity can go hand in hand with elegant proportions.

  • We produce an outdoor furniture range in Macrocarpa that is locally sourced and milled.

    The table in the image above is in the size 2200 x 750. As with all our furniture we can do this design in any size to suit your outdoor environment.

  • Small dining or occasional table in oak with laminate inserts and tubular frame.

    Size 940 x 940 x 770

    This table with its colourful credentials feels at home in a variety of settings. It is large enough to seat six people. Size and configuration can be suited to your requirements.

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