{"id":2607,"date":"2016-08-10T10:10:06","date_gmt":"2016-08-10T00:10:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.handkrafted.com/blog\/?p=2607"},"modified":"2016-08-10T22:11:39","modified_gmt":"2016-08-10T12:11:39","slug":"walnut-whisky-cabinet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.handkrafted.com/blog\/walnut-whisky-cabinet\/","title":{"rendered":"Jane & Roger’s Whisky Cabinet"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hand Crafted. Hand Delivered. Timothy Hall speaks with client Jane and makers Luke & Veronica of Christopher Blank to share the story behind this treasured\u00a0commission.<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

A lot of furniture designers say they\u2019ll go the extra mile for their clients. Luke Atkins, one half of Christopher Blank, actually went 450 miles (or 724 kilometres) for one of his.<\/p>\n

The client was Adelaide-based Jane, who had an idea for a 15th wedding anniversary gift for husband, Roger. At the time, Jane realised that the particular whisky cabinet she had in mind hadn\u2019t yet been made.<\/p>\n

\"WalnutMany doodles later, Jane posted a written brief for her anniversary project on Handkrafted.\u00a0 Melbourne design team Luke Atkins and his life and business partner Veronica Paiva, who together run Christopher Blank<\/a> out of a factory in Carrum Downs, ended up with the commission.<\/p>\n

Veronica took Jane\u2019s initial call, the first of many conversations the two women were to have. Jane wasn\u2019t sure how to assess furniture designers, but her chemistry right off the bat with Veronica made her feel she\u2019d found hers.<\/p>\n

Veronica explains: \u2018It\u2019s not often you get commissioned to make something so personal and full of meaning\u2026. I felt honoured and inspired.\u2019<\/p>\n

Over the next few weeks they exchanged and refined design ideas.<\/p>\n

\u2018Jane wanted something elegant yet sturdy.\u2019 Veronica remembers. \u2018 Clean lines, nothing ornate\u2026 and practical \u2013 able to accommodate the tallest whisky bottle from her husband\u2019s collection, with a serving area at just the right height. Also, with young children around, it had to be lockable\u2019.<\/p>\n

Veronica\u2019s solution to including such details was to hide them. \u2018The serving tray, inlaid with marble, retracts into a slot at Roger\u2019s waist height. Locks are ugly, so we concealed ours behind a cabinet handle.\u2019<\/p>\n

The handles themselves are an example of how a bespoke design can grow organically.\u00a0 <\/span>Veronica researched antique whisky decanters, which became the inspiration for their design.<\/p>\n

\"Walnut\"Walnut \"Walnut<\/p>\n

Meanwhile Luke had sourced the perfect timber for the project: some richly coloured slabs of walnut. \u2018It\u2019s Jane\u2019s favourite wood\u2026 if you commission a piece, you should be able to have exactly what you want. For once, you don\u2019t have to compromise.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another bespoke detail was Jane\u2019s romantic gesture of having engraved on the inside doors her and Roger\u2019s original wedding date and their 15th anniversary date.<\/p>\n

But that date was looming, and even though Luke normally doesn\u2019t deliver himself, he decided this was one special occasion that required him to make an exception.<\/p>\n

\u2018The delivery date had to be met, it was non-negotiable,\u2019 says Veronica.<\/p>\n

After eight hours driving, Luke pulled up at Jane\u2019s house in Adelaide the morning before her anniversary.<\/p>\n

\u2018I called her on her mobile and said the courier was outside her place. She went to check and found me. She was bowled over\u2019.<\/p>\n

Jane remembers seeing the finished cabinet for the first time. \u2018The workmanship was everything I hoped for\u2026simply beautiful\u2019 says Jane. \u2018 It\u2019s something we will always treasure\u2019.<\/p>\n

Veronica and Jane have remained firm friends, exchanging presents, ideas and baby advice.<\/p>\n

\u2018That\u2019s the joy of bespoke designing\u2019 says Veronica.\u00a0 <\/span>\u2018You never know what you\u2019ll make next\u2026even friendships.\u2019<\/p>\n

As well as one happy whisky connoisseur in Roger.<\/p>\n

\"Walnut<\/p>\n

Written by Timothy Hall<\/p>\n

Visit the Handkrafted profile of Christopher Blank<\/a> to explore\u00a0more of their work.<\/p>\n

\n

About Handkrafted:<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Handkrafted<\/em><\/a> <\/em>is a community marketplace connecting people with passionate makers to commission custom goods. We have brought together hundreds of Australian independent, bespoke craftspeople and artisans who specialise in producing high quality, sustainably made pieces.<\/em><\/p>\n

Our makers can help you realise your own idea or collaborate with you on a new design. Many also feature a range of original designs that can be made to order or customised to suit your specific needs. Whichever option you choose, we\u2019re here to help make it happen. Support local makers and <\/em>kick-start<\/em><\/a><\/em> your own project today. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Sign up<\/a> for our newsletter to receive all of the\u00a0latest updates\u2026 and a bit of fun.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hand Crafted. Hand Delivered. Timothy Hall speaks with client Jane and makers Luke & Veronica of Christopher Blank to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":2611,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2607","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-client-story","category-featured"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t