The Final Stretch
With just a few weeks of the Three Term Designer Maker course remaining, the finish line is definitely in sight.
The big design decisions have largely been made, the joinery is coming together, and attention is turning to those countless little refinements that make the difference between a good piece and a truly exceptional one.
Head tutor Graham summed up the mood in the workshop perfectly today: “It’s a marathon and a sprint!”
There are still plenty of hours ahead, but everyone knows how quickly the final weeks disappear.
Dalton’s Drinks Cabinet with Straw Marquetry
Dalton has spent much of the last couple of weeks immersed in the fascinating process of straw marquetry.
In reality, most of the work so far hasn’t actually been making marquetry at all, but preparing the straw itself: flattening, burnishing and sorting hundreds of individual pieces before they can even begin to form a pattern.
He’s now started assembling the first panels, and they’re already showing the beautiful shimmer that makes straw marquetry such a special decorative technique. The current plan is to finish them simply with wax, allowing the natural lustre of the straw to do all the work.
For now, Dalton has taken a short break from the marquetry to continue work on other areas of the cabinet, but he’ll soon be back to it, and we’re excited to see those panels develop.
Jon’s Drinks Cabinet
Jon is currently focused on one of those stages that demands patience above all else.
He’s refining the fit of the laminated elm door frames that will form an elegant arched opening on the front of his drinks cabinet. Every component needs to align perfectly with the carcass, which means it’s very much a case of taking a shaving here… and another shaving there.
It’s these tiny adjustments that often take the longest, but they’re the details that really show in the finished piece.
Brian’s Danish-Inspired Lounge Chair
Brian’s lounge chair is looking absolutely stunning.
All of the joinery is now complete, the hand shaping has been finished, and he’s firmly into the final stages of preparing the piece for oil. Today’s job was sanding.. and more sanding.
Brian has opted for a bold orange seat cushion, which is currently being upholstered by Hillary at Westmorland Reupholstery – Instagram @westmorlandupholster – just across the Mill Yard here in Staveley.
There was a fair bit of good natured teasing about the colour choice, but we’re confident it’ll look fantastic. Against the warm tones of the oiled elm, it should be a beautiful combination and a real nod to classic Danish modern furniture.
12-Week Furniture Making Course In-Progress
Our latest 12-week Furniture Making students are also making fantastic progress.
Their chest-on-stand projects are moving along well, with subframes complete and dovetailed carcasses assembled.
The next major milestone is one of the most rewarding exercises on the course: making and fitting their first piston-fit drawer.
It’s an exercise that teaches precision unlike almost anything else. The process is wonderfully simple in principle, but demands patience, observation and careful refinement. Again, it’s a shaving here, a shaving there, and perhaps more importantly, understanding why that shaving needs to come off where it does.
New for 2026 – Mirror Making Course
We’re also excited to be launching a brand new 5-day Mirror Making Course, with the first course running 9th–11th November.
Designed by William Acland, this elegant wall mirror is much more than a beautiful finished piece. Over three days you’ll learn a range of key furniture making techniques, including lamination, precision jointing, hand shaping and finishing, making it an ideal course for anyone looking to build their skills while creating something to be proud of.
With a maximum of just five students, there’s plenty of one-to-one tuition throughout the course, and all tools, timber and materials are provided.
The response has been fantastic already, and there’s now just one place remaining on the inaugural course.
As always, members of our Complete Online Course receive 10% off all in-person short courses.
Upcoming Short Courses
We still have a small number of places available on upcoming courses:
- New 5-Day Mirror Making Course with laminating and profiling — Starts November 9th (only 1 place left!)
- Designer Maker Course (3-Term Programme) — Starting September — Fully booked
- One place remains on the 2-term / international course starting this September, which may suit international students and could align with a 26-week study visa (subject to current regulations).
- 1-Week Introduction to Fine Furniture | Mastering Tool Prep & Use – Next Available Course Starts September 14th
For enquiries, email Oliver Waters: school@watersandacland.co.uk
For full course details and booking:
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