Philip Koomen Furniture ~ Garden Furniture


workshop near Henley in oxfordshire for contemporary furniture design using mainly local timbers
Workshop & Studio

Seating


Tables


Desks

Cabinets


Interiors

Garden Furniture

the original pondlife bench made in cedar of lebanon
Original Pondlife bench

instead of using sweet chestnut thinnings as firewood we use them to create these wonderful reeds in combination with a cedar of lebanon seat

This very large Pondlife bench was made from sweet chestnut thinnings and cedar of Lebanon from Oxford University woodlands (Bagley Woods and Nuneham Courtenay University Arboretum). We developed a sustainable way of using thinnings which would otherwise have been destined as firewood

Three highly sculptural benches, pondlife, slither and sunrise or scallop

sculptural garden bench ~ sunburst or sunrise bench aka scallop bench
garden bench, an example of our often unusual garden furniture shapes. This is a detail of the sunrise or sunburst bench aka scallop bench

tactile sculptural bench to seat many people at the Hay Festival
sculptural yet functional bench providing seating for many at the Hay Festival
wave and splash bench in American tulipwood
Wave and Splash (a 20 ft sculptural bench in tulipwood) was the centre piece at the Guardian Hay Festival 2009
This is an example of how we create sculptural, yet functional, garden furniture
You can view the reception of this innovative application of tulipwood as a show wood at Hay, on this youtube clip.


Two U Robinsons bench  in European  oak

Two u bench in cedar of Lebanon

 

2 u bench

 

Two u bench in English oak

oak garden furniture in sculptural yet functional form; we call this the figure of 8 and was first exihbited at the Henley Festival
Figure of eight bench garden seating in oak

socalled plank chairs, sustainable way of fully using yew boards with waney edge
Plank chairs in yew


nine sided garden table in oak with parasol slot  in middle
Six sided oak garden table
refectory style garden table  made in local oxfordshire elm
Refectory style garden table in elm


Commissioning a Pondlife bench

the original pondlife bench made in cedar of lebanon

The original "Pondlife" bench (shown at the top of this page) was produced in 1998. It has been described by The Independent as "organic and wildly eccentric" and by Channel 4 as "absolutely beautiful". The Pondlife bench began as a one-off experimental flight of fancy, exploring the relationship between furniture and sculpture. The design aims to create an object that transcends its functional purpose, engaging the user and observer in an unusual aesthetic and tactile experience.
Pondlife benches are made from locally and regionally sourced timber. A semi-bespoke range means clients can usually commission a bench that meets their needs. One-off variations can also be produced.

Semi-bespoke range – a guide
• The semi-bespoke range is made from green sweet chestnut thinnings and air-dried cedar of Lebanon (for the seats)
• They are suitable for exterior use only
Size: different sizes are available: single seater (72cm wide), 2 seater (127cm wide), 2¼ seater (138cm wide), 2½ seater (150cm wide), 3 seater (190cm wide)
Durability: sweet chestnut and cedar of Lebanon have been selected for their natural durability
• Fixings: stainless steel 15cm coach screws
• Finish: the benches are finished in Tung oil, a natural durable finish that can be revived with subsequent coats of oil
• Patina: wood exposed to the elements will develop a grey patina, a self protective finish. Alternative finishes that preserve the natural wood colour may be an    option
• Individuality & uniqueness: the 'reeds' are hand-carved; each bench will therefore have its own character. Every bench is numbered
• Delivery: by carriers, at cost

Top
Some of the processes involved in producing a Pondlife bench

felling processes
Felling


Felled thinnings


Split banana thinnings

Band sawing

Reeds quartered and eighted

Spoke shaving the reeds

Shaped reeds

Sanding
processes shown for producing the reeds to make a pondlife bench
Shaped, sanded

Oiled reeds

Reeds are positioned and pre-drilled
large pondlife bench for henley festival
A finished Pondlife in situ
variation on a theme , a pondlife coffee table
Pondlife table

Back to back

Top
the original pondlife bench made in cedar of lebanon

Contact:
Philip Koomen . Wheelers Barn . Checkendon . South Oxfordshire . RG8 0NJ
Phone 01491 681122
Email Philip Koomen Furniture

Webpage by Esmyr Koomen
Last Updated 28 April 2010

 

2 u bench in european oak, beautifully crafted with a functional yet sculptural form
Back to the Home Page