I was recently very lucky to be invited to the home of Dovetail to explore their wonderful creative space in the middle of the woods in Hampshire; the perfect environment for ‘workers in wood’.
Awaiting a new straw-bale constructed studio which will feature a soundproof glass wall between the workshop and the office, the office is currently housed in a shipping container overlooking a trout pond, sadly not currently stocked.
And juxtaposed with these inspiring natural surroundings is the high-tech equipment used in the workshop to precision engineer the kitchens that Dovetail produces.
In a wonderful combination of old and new, not to mention glorious efficiency, the machinery includes an element that extracts sawdust from the workshop, where it is bagged and stored for the old wood burning stoves that heat the entire premises – and of course dry the wellies! (It’s also given as horse bedding to their next door neighbours!)
It was absolutely fascinating to see every stage of the process from trees to finished kitchens and easy to see where designer John Kirby gets his inspiration from. (Dovetail don’t actually fell their own trees – this one came down in a storm.)
Further reading for the especially geeky:
- All the photos on the confessions of a design geek Facebook Page
- http://www.dovetailkitchens.com/blog/2011/12/a-contemporary-oak-kitchen-in-west-sussex/
- http://www.advancedkd.co.uk/blog/whats-future-kitchen-design
- http://paulsellers.com/2011/12/contributing-to-the-real-woodworking-campaign/
- http://www.gocreate.com/articles/creative-space.htm
