Biological systems are complicated, often unpredictable, as are organisational ones. The Guardian reports a study from Sweden showing there is greater risk than previously thought of tipping points in biological systems being breached, because apparently separate events are often linked. Obvious when you think about it. My relentlessly SME (small manufacturing enterprise) focused brain jumps immediately to the theory of constraints and it’s preoccupation with identifying the primary constraint in any particular system. Like so much scientific endeavour, we tend to look for a single cause when in truth it is almost always a group of causes that needs to …
IN PRAISE OF addressing the real issue
We use a great big complicated German Biomass boiler for our heating. It runs on pellets which need to be just right to work properly. We just had a delivery that is completely unusable. Even in the lorry you can see the high proportion of dust and broken pellets. We take the delivery and God help us by the next morning the boiler has stopped. The sensors are coated with dust. I complain and from their MD arrives a copy of the certificate issued at the port of embarkation which proves that the pellets are perfect. So, it is not …
IN PRAISE OF 3D COMPUTER MODELLING
A 3-D model delivers truth. You the designer, you the maker, you the client, can all see immediately what it is that will be made. The elevations will be laid out accurately and the sections, in whatever plane and in however complicated a piece, will always be ……truthful. This is of enormous value in the making of prototypes, artworks and individual bespoke items. It de-risks them and the more complex they are the greater the de-risking is required. We all know rubbish in = rubbish out. The same applies, truth in = truth out. @William Garvey Furniture Makers, we only …
A total transformation for a six-storey Notting Hill townhouse
The kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms were all over-hauled in this impressive London property It’s not every day that a six-floor Notting Hill townhouse needs to be redesigned. The project saw the William Garvey team collaborate with leading architects Brian Ma Siy and ABA International Architects to make-over the property from top-to-toe, with everything from the master bedroom to the staff quarters given a fresh new look. The project in a nutshell Who lives here? A family with live-in staff The style: Modern and minimalist, with a family-friendly twist Architects: Brian Ma Siy and ABA International Architects Photography: Recent Spaces The …
Wood furniture helps relieve stress!
Did you know that wood is said to have positive effects on the emotional state of people? For example, wooden interiors are reported to promote: • Improvements to your emotional state and self-expression • Reduction in your stress levels • Decrease in high blood pressure and heart rate • Better air quality by controlling humidity • Helps to combat climate change Bringing you closer to nature, the effects of wooden rooms and furnishings really show that “wood is good”. You can also improve wellbeing through a selection of ergonomic furniture and accessories that offer you added comfort and posture support. …
Excellent communication is the key for producing bespoke kitchens
The William Garvey team have completed many stunning kitchens over the last 40+ years but this kitchen installation at a house in Berkshire has really set the bar high. Working closely with Lisa Mitchell at the Interior Style Studio, the end result shows the quality and finish that you would expect from a furniture company with over 40 years of experience, making and installing beautiful freestanding and fitted furniture. The concept design for the curved kitchen was by SplinterWorks, and employed detailed design development by WG with extensive use of William Garvey’s CNC machine to create the flowing curves, and challenged …
The height of luxury entertainment – literally!
Our client had recently been travelling on business to the far east and really appreciated the Airbus A380 business class in-flight bar, so much so that he decided that he would like one in his own home. William Garvey were asked to design this curved, leather wrapped, bronzed stripped bar to be the height of luxury entertainment, if not at 40,000 feet, then certainly at sea level. The semi circular walnut counter topped kitchen bar is nearly 3 metres long with a bar flap and back cabinet end panels all leather wrapped. The veneered flap matches the countertop which is …
Simplicity is key
Simplicity is the key in the bedroom, and as you can see William Garvey Ltd has achieved it beautifully in conjunction with Red Button Architects, the designers of this stunning apartment in Bath, Somerset. Stainless steel rods hold the timber slats of the bed together to create a seamless finish in this bedroom, with the bed being supported on a plinth and under lit. The effect of the timber slats joining directly into the headboard and wall behind produce a wonderfully calming effect bordering on minimalism.
Adding space to your guest bathroom
How to be creative in small bathroom areas. With a guest bathroom it’s often the case that space is at a premium and it’s useful to know how to create extra room without making your bathroom look cluttered. If you are putting in a teak shower grid, duck board or a teak bath and want somewhere to sit but the toilet is already taking up the space, a really useful way to create that extra seating area would be to put in a hinged teak duck board style seat that can be lifted when the toilet is needed, but when …
Why have a wooden bath?
I made the first teak bath over 30 years ago and they have stood the test of time being both functional and a stunning piece of bathroom furniture. In our workshop we have standard sized baths, but many clients ask us to make them to a size to fit their project. If you would like a one to be made to a different size or specification as we are happy to make them bespoke, please just ask. A William Garvey bath is made from a specialist marine ply core with a thick teak veneer. The bottoms of the baths, made …