WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
If the thought of generic flatpack furniture makes you cringe...
If you're looking for something with a little more personality to furnish your home...
Or perhaps you’re searching for all of the quirk of HomeSense without the hefty price tag...
Welcome :) You're in good company!
I was in the same position when I bought my wonky house. Bored of ‘typical’, and wanting furnishings that reflected more of who I am rather than a replica of page 37 of the Ikea catalogue, I allowed myself to get sucked into the deep hole of Pinterest. I wanted to put my own stamp on the place, with limited funds and an ambition to only use upcycled materials rather than playing a role in the endless mass production of new items.
And so, in 2015, I made my first coffee table. A full drum design, with rods to store the magazines and books in my small and not-too-square living room.
Fast forward a nearly year, and after receiving endless requests as to which shop I'd bought my table from, I decided to make some more. Dad's garage quickly became taken over as 'The Workshop, and experimentations with new designs progressed. Fast forward another 4 years, and in 2020 I found myself in John Lewis as part of The Great British Exchange. Not bad for someone who just picked up some salvaged wood and 'borrowed' Dad's pretty standard DIY tools to just 'give it a go'!
Bookcases, coffee tables, mirrors, wine racks, clocks, bed side tables… I make them all by reclaiming and recycling existing materials. Electric cable reels, pallets and scaffolding boards: every piece is sanded and treated, waxed or oiled to retain as many of the original characteristics as possible. Each one is totally unique; be it the size, shape, wax colour, scars and dents from its previous life; or the addition of different bases or other parts salvaged from antique / charity shops, or existing items in the home that need a new lease of life.
Items can be designed in collaboration with customers to ensure the final bespoke pieces are perfect for the space and function they are intended for. Unique, high quality and tailor-made, but without that hefty price tag.
Affordable quirkiness.
Welcome to the WonkyDonk way.
From the scrap yard to the living room - here's the process of a complete piece.
Looking to get a bespoke piece developed? Here's how to go about it.
Inspiration can come from anywhere. Check out these past projects to see just how much can be done with a simple cable reel.