A Visit to Sebastian Cox Studio
11th November 2021
Written by Joanna Simpson.
I have followed and loved the work of Sebastian Cox’s for a number of years, so when a friend offered to introduce us I jumped at the chance [thanks Penny!]. Finally this month we took a studio trip with the whole team, to meet Seb, learn more about his studio, and have a tour of his workshop.
Once I got over the huge workshop envy, I was consumed by the sheer passion and knowledge for what they do. All of the team are trained to identify any tree in a wood, which is clearly an immense talent, and invaluable for the projects they undertake working with clients own timber. Something I didn’t know and found really inspiring, the studio regularly works with clients own trees, which they mill and dry in house, allowing them to create the ultimate bespoke piece of furniture from a clients own felled trees.
Beyond the everyday craftsmanship, which clearly speaks for itself, the studios ethos and values are also hugely inspiring. Their focus on nature, sustainability and waste, have driven the studio to create a relationship with one of their main timber suppliers, who now collect the waste wood chips from the furniture production to use as biomass fuel back at the timber yard to power the kiln which dries the next yield of timber.
The studio also explores and experiments with techniques and new technology to expand the boundaries of British grown solid timber manufacture, and once all of their work is done, they donate offcuts to a local collage to allow trainee cabinet makers to work with high quality British timber.
A beautiful product and approach, addressing all aspects of design and manufacture, from the woodland to the final product.
Things I loved seeing in the flesh; the shake cabinet https://benchmarkfurniture.com/product/shake-cabinet/, with doors made from cleft chestnut shakes, which I long for for my house, the beautiful weave detail incorporated in a number of Seb pieces https://www.sebastiancox.co.uk/shop/p/bayleaf-settle, and a beautiful the leather shelf detail inside the Editions sycamore cabinet https://www.sebastiancox.co.uk/shop/p/rippled-sycamore-cabinet.
A huge thank you to Sebastian Cox and his team, and I hope we have the opportunity to explore some ideas and projects together in the future.
