In the heart of Swindon Town centre, housed in what was Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s railway works, there is a wonderful world of industry, craftsmanship and design.  Starting always with an amazing design, Tom Faulkner’s furniture creations are unique in so many ways. He has the ability to make finished steel forms appear almost liquid and organic, incredibly sleek and delicate or majestic with references to architectural structures. Founded in 1996, Tom Faulkner and his team have spent 26 years finessing their skills and creativity in metalwork and furniture manufacturing. The workshop is home to a team of exceptionally skilled and dedicated welders, finishers, painters, and cabinet makers, where every piece of furniture in the TF catalogue is handmade.

Commissioning a Bespoke Table

We commissioned our bespoke dining table from Tom earlier this year, and this week will see its installation in our client’s home. The beauty of working with artisans is that you can be totally bespoke with your requirements; we were looking for an oversized oval marble dining table with a base that allowed for a maximum number of chairs to cater for our client’s love of entertaining and hosting dinner parties.  The oval shape worked best, as it allowed a much more sociable and fluid movement around the room, especially when serving dinner to guests. A metal table base not only provides the much-needed strength to hold a marble top but also links to the locomotive theme in the metal tracks in the flooring.

We have been involved from the start, with discussions about the size, weight and finish of the piece, to selecting the specific slab of marble for the top. We were invited to visit the workshop mid-construction to better understand the many stages of production. It was fabulous to be able to meet the team of skilled craftsmen, including Nigel Bellamy who’s worked with Tom Faulkner since the start of his business. Watching Nigel apply his skill to the making of our client’s dining table is immensely satisfying for both of us as designers but more importantly, our client gets to know exactly where their table has originated, who has worked on it, and how it was made.

When you have an item in your home with a provenance or a connection with the person who made it for you, it’s so much more meaningful. 

The Many Stages of Hand-Making Furniture

As well as seeing our own bespoke Exe Dining Table being created, we were lucky enough to have a sneak peek into how many other items from Tom Faulkner are made. From the tiny Lily Handles being sanded and polished to perfection to a full-length Phoenix Mirror having its metallic paint finish hand-applied, every phase of the manufacturing process at Tom Faulkner is totally hand-done.

An Interior Designer’s Little Black Book

One of our favourite ways to help our clients is by finding unique pieces that really show their personality, and give their homes that individual, sanctuary feel for them and their families. Sometimes that key piece is an antique, hunted out by one of our trusted dealers, other times it’s a one-of-a-kind furniture piece or a bespoke built-in cabinet from a UK artisan craftsman. We love finding that special item and have spent many years collecting people who create beautiful things for our clients.

If you want to get to know more or are interested in having a home featuring items with provenance, and a story to tell, get in touch with us.

Here’s a sneak peek at the table in situ in our client’s dining room; we cant wait to show you the finished space!