Creating unique treasures out of wood

Creating treasures out of wood

by Angelica Blenich

Photo by Angelica Blenich

ROCKER’S DELIGHT. Stephen Sprague is all smiles as he strikes a pose in one of his handcrafted rocking chairs. Sprague is a woodworker with a studio located just outside Bracebridge. His furnishings will be on display during the Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour on September 27 and 28.

Autumn is just around the corner and Stephen Sprague is surprisingly calm. While a shift in seasons might not normally stress a person out, it could if you were gearing up for the 30th annual Muskoka Autumn Studio Tour scheduled to take place September 27 and 28.

But with less than two weeks to go before the show, Sprague appears both at ease and pleasant.

“When you’ve been doing the show for about 10 years you don’t get quite as anxious,” says Sprague reassuringly. “You just do the best you can.”

And that’s exactly what Sprague is doing.

Sprague is a designer and maker of fine furniture, with a studio located on the outskirts of Bracebridge. He has been working with wood for more than 30 years, enjoying both the creative and manual aspects to his job, a far cry from the science degree he earned back in the 1970s. But even as a woodworker, Sprague has incorporated his knowledge of biology and interest in the environment into his designs and creations.

“The other aspect of my life that I try to integrate in my work is a small environmental footprint,” says Sprague. “So what you see here is all material that I’ve found myself. I rarely buy commercially harvested timber. Instead, I look for unusual material or material that otherwise might have just gone to firewood, but was perfectly good to build furniture out of. I try to use primarily native hardwoods. Generally I think there is plenty of great material right in your own backyard. Every tree has some treasure.”

It is these treasures, says Sprague, that make for good furniture. Some of the things that can be found inside his studio include a variety of unique and distinct pieces, such as rocking chairs, desks and home accents, all crafted by hand using natural woods and finishes. Sprague believes it is these qualities that are showcased on the tour.

“It’s really nice to have people come in. I probably see more people in those two days than I do all year,” says Sprague referring to the studio tour. “It’s really encouraging to have them come and to see the work and to give me the kind of feedback they give me, and, of course, hopefully they’ll become customers. But that’s not the reason I do the tour. I’d rather have people come in and see how I work and see my shop space, and try to get an appreciation for custom furniture as opposed to going to Ikea or Leon’s, which have mass-produced industrial furniture.”

So far the tour has been a successful component in accomplishing this goal.

“A funny thing happened during one particular studio tour,” explains Sprague. “I met a fellow who worked at Lakehead University with one of my former professors, who is now the president of Lakehead.” After striking up a conversation with this man, Sprague was able to reconnect with his old professor, who in return ordered three rocking chairs and had them designated as alumni gifts given by the university.

But don’t expect Sprague to retire from woodworking any time soon, even with the amount of success he has had.

“Woodworking is my passion,” says Sprague. “I’ll continue doing it until it’s time to make a pine box for myself.”

Furnish Your Apartment Without Breaking The Bank

If you're sprucing up your property to sell, let or simply live in it, it doesn't have to cost a lot to look good. Nicole Swengley goes in search of chic at half the price

The credit crunch means that fewer of us are moving home or undertaking major refurbishments. But it's still possible to refresh your property's interior even on a restricted budget.

	Chic styles from Ikea

Anyone looking for high-style designs at minimal cost should check out the supermarkets' home ranges. Asda, for example, sells a glossy black mushroom lamp at £15 (above right) which wouldn't look out of place in a chic hotel, while Sainsbury's has attractive ceramic vases from as little as 75p.

"There's no reason to be out of fashion or compromise on style and design," says Simon Stevens, Sainsbury's head of home design. "Our in-house design team has put together four looks to revamp your home without breaking the bank - rich purples and gold for an opulent feel, monochrome black and white for a contemporary look, teals and inky blues to refresh your bathroom or bedroom and rustic greens and chocolate to snuggle up with downstairs."

Sainsbury's style-conscious designs include velvet cushions, in warm berry colours, at £5.99 each; chenille throws at £14.99; shaggy chenille cushions, £8.99; metal table lamps with red or black shades, £14.99; and tall metallic vases for £4.99. Black candle-holders with matching candles are just £3.99. An eye-catching mango wood sculpture costs £9.99 - the same price as a four-pack of champagne flutes.

Tesco has drawn inspiration from the fashion catwalks this autumn with dramatic purple vases, £4 to £10 each; tall glass vases in green, brown or amethyst, £8 each; and ceramic vases and bowls with a retro-looking orange/green glaze (above right) for £6 to £8. Its sophisticated lighting range includes an all-white table lamp for £45 and a table lamp with a circular smoky-glass base, £50.

Tesco vases

New accessories can refresh a room without going to the expense of changing an entire scheme. Asda has chic ceramic oval-based table lamps in black or red, £15 each, tall metallic vases, £7 each, and a £5 pack of three small ceramic vases. Cushions include a retro-style wave pattern for £4, cerise-coloured silk at £4 and a black cushion with dramatic gold flocked design for £6. Bed linen starts at £10 for a double duvet set and even a pair of leather chairs costs only £160.

For seriously low prices, check out discount stores such as Matalan, which has a range including scallop-edged mirrors, £10; hammered metal bowls, £10; and chenille cushions with Art Deco-inspired patterns, £8. A modern table lamp with adjustable stand and cream shade costs £20, while a patchwork bedspread is £30.

	Cushion from Sainsbury's

Clever storage ideas include a set of three wicker chests for £30 and a pair of storage trunks at £20. It also offers basics at rock-bottom prices - dinner plates are £2 each, four-packs of mugs £4, while four-packs of wine glasses cost £8.

Homesense, a value discounter that arrived in Britain earlier this year with stores in Gloucester, Northampton and Manchester, offers a huge range of homeware at very low prices. The stock at each store changes regularly so it's worth snapping up bargains when you see them.

On the high street, Marks & Spencer has a metallic teardrop lamp, £15; silk cushions at £9.50; tapered bud vases, £5; classic etched wine glasses are £5 each and Ruby china starts from £5 per plate.

More vases from Tesco

"A chic home doesn't have to break the bank - there are heaps of ways to decorate your home on a budget without compromising on quality and style," says Sally Bendelow, head of M&S home design. "The majority of our cushions are three for the price of two and our Furniture-to-go range has essential pieces from £119 which are delivered free to your door within two weeks."

If you want to replace a sofa or armchair, it's worth visiting Ikea, where the latest designs include the Karlstad two-seater for £269, while the armchair costs £189. Meanwhile the Lillberg sofa-bed costs a very reasonable £215. A matching sofa (two-seat, £120; three-seat, £165), rocking chair, £85, and armchair (left), £50, are available in this range.

But if you're after colourful modern dining or kitchen chairs then head over to Habitat and check out Verdi, £69, in fuchsia or dark green plywood; Zucco, £99, in red nylon, and Palocco, £129, in transparent red or amber polyester.

Back at Ikea, the £49 Majby rattan armchair will be available from October along with Henriksdal, a traditional upholstered dining chair for £65. A new textiles range at Ikea includes Jorun Lov, a bold floral curtain design, at £45 for a two-pack, and Jorun Stra, a swirly wave design at £11.99 for a two-pack. Cushions in the same range cost £4.99 and a square 90cm rug £18.99.

	Palocco dining chair at Habitat

It's also worth checking out the Argos furniture range, which includes a beech-finish coffee table, £19.99, and three-shelf pine-finish bookcases from £9.99. Good-value dining sets, such as a rectangular pine table with four matching chairs or a circular glass-topped table and four metal-framed chairs, cost £99.99 per set.

With the digital switchover already under way, it's a good time to check out Argos's low-priced television sets such as the Mikomi 15in digital LCD TV, £129.97, or Bush 15in HD-ready digital LCD TV, £169.99. Digital set-top boxes for adapting an old-style analogue television cost from £16.85.

As for kitchen electrical, Argos has cordless kettles from £4.92 goods, and toasters from £3.94. Now that's what I call a bargain.

Assembly Required.........

September 15th, 2008 Dawn Posted in Blessings Abound, Blog 365, Blog Stuff, Champagne Time!, Frankie, Julian, V-e-ntage, Work |

Today, my old desk got kicked to the curb. The hutch part fell over this morning, knocking everything off into a heap with a massive crash. Nice way to start a Monday morning.

Anyhooo….

I paid a visit to my BSF Best STORE Forever), Costco this afternoon and bought a shiny new one. It’s dark brown and matches our bedroom furniture and it’s lovely. There were two VERY heavy boxes and the label said “some assembly required”. Ha. More like “one million tiny bits to separate and try to put together”!

After Joe and I lugged those suckers upstairs and dragged the old desk pieces downstairs, I began my assembly…pffft. I got to step 2 (of 26) and lost my patience. I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how numbers 32 and 33 fit together. There was a diagram AND written instructions, but I just.couldn’t.get.it. Sigh. I looked at the clock and it was 2:45. Nice. Frankie would be home in 20 minutes. He ROCKS at this crap.

At 3:10, Nicholas comes in, sans Frankie. Crap. Cross Country tryouts started today. Frankie wouldn’t be home until 3:45. Crap. Crap. Crap.

I made a couple of business phone calls (from my office floor, with no desk) and FINALLY, Frankie arrived. I called him upstairs immediately. Poor kid didn’t even have a chance to grab a snack. Luckily, he advised me that he had no homework (except for Kumon) so I chained him to my bed asked him kindly to please help. He took one look at parts 32 and 33 and put them together. Little turd.

He then proceeded to put the desk together, methodically, piece by piece. That kid is amazing. He hardly even needed the instructions. We stopped at 5:30 for dinner and then he was back at it, this time with a little help from Joe…well, Joe just did what he was told by Frankie…and by 7:00, I was putting all my books and pens into my new cupboards and drawers.

Julian was extra-tired tonight because he woke from his single nap at 1:00…usually he either takes two naps or he goes down later for his one nap, but he was out and about with Joe and his Mom today, so I ran out of time to put stuff away…it’s just piled on my desk now. Sigh. Busy day tomorrow.

In other news, tomorrow is our School Council AGM…that means that it’s my last meeting as Chairperson. Praise.the.Lord. It has been really hard for me to deal with a baby, a full time job, two older boys AND being Chair of the School Council. I totally bit off more than I could chew with that! But, I think I made a difference. I did my best and I really think I did a pretty good job. Heck, at our school, stopping the parents on Council from killing each other is the main objective!!! So far, everyone is still alive and kicking…knock on wood.

Finally, this post is my 999th. Nine hundred and ninety-nine posts. Wow. That’s alot of blogging. I hope you have enjoyed them as much as I have enjoyed typing them. I also hope you will be here for my NEXT 999!

Toodles.

Compliments of www.mywhinecellar.com

EZ Assembly Entire House With IKEA For Under $4000!!!

EZ Furniture Assembly & Interior Innovations, LLC started of as one man, a few tools and a passion to make it a business. He quickly saw the need for his services, and decided to take it one step further and get licensed, insured, and certified by most of the major manufactures. He also did his own schooling in interior design and decoration which has allowed him to meet and make friends with the city's top interior designers. However, for over two years most of his work was Ikea assembly so he knew it inside and out. He did his first kitchen about six months after opening. " I was so amazed at how easy they made the installation. The best part is that many of the condos he works at in Brooklyn have walls that were recently built and are not structurally sound with studs sometimes being 36"-60" apart. However, Ikea's support brace allows me to find a stud and drill into it and if needed make a sister between the two to support the weight. " Anyway, Christopher took us to a house of a past customer's friend who was coming from the U.K. in 2 months and wanted a furnished apartment upon arrival. Money was no object, but me and my past customer decided to do the entire house in Ikea. We did everything from the kitchen cabinets to the wardrobes for under $4000.00. Oh yeah... that also included a plasma T.V. and an Apple Gmac. When he arrived he said I know you went over budget but it looks so great just tell me what I owe. He sent twenty thousand!!! He couldn't believe we only spent under $4000.00 for an entire house. Ikea can make dreams come true!!

IKEA Posted The Largest Sales Growth in The Retail Furniture Market!

Hello Everyone!

To nobody's surprise, well at least mine IKEA has posted the largest sales growth Nationally in 2007. IKEA Has not only taken a step back and corrected issues with their current furniture but made some serious changes for the future which are not linited to but include the use of organic ingredients in their food section. As the President of a Professional Furniture Assembly & Installation service I have seen the changes in their materials as well as the steps taken to correct issues that made assembly 10 times harder with the possibility of damaging the piece. When I first started this company I actually hated Ikea, but over the years have begun to love them compared to other small competitors you find in department stores that are for the most part JUNK!! It has came to the point with those department store bought furniture that unless it is a unique piece we tell the customer nicely we do not assemble these products. It actually boils down to basic math. Our industry n ormally charges 33.3% for assembly so if someone buys say a computer desk from ABC store and it cost $200.00 our charge would be about $66.00, but because the piece is so poorly made it takes the technician 4 hours to correct the mistakes, adjust the doors, drawers, and so forth so it is correct. So the technicians do not or will not do these jobs and the company doesn't make any money when and if they do. However, we rarelly see these issues with IKEA and that makes a big difference when we quote a price because we can look back on previous jobs to see how long it took John Doe to assemble this piece. There are better companies that sell RTA or Flatpack Furniture but 80% of our customers are IKEA customers. Here is a brief overview about the company that some of you might find intresteing,

How Swede it is. One of the world's top furniture retailers, IKEA International sells Scandinavian-style home furnishings and other housewares in about 270 stores in 35 countries. To cut transportation costs, IKEA uses flat packaging; customers assemble the products at home. The company designs its own furniture, which is made by about 1,300 suppliers in more than 50 countries. IKEA's stores feature playrooms for children and Swedish cuisine restaurants. It also sells by mail order and online. An acronym for founder Ingvar Kamprad and his boyhood home, Elmtaryd, Agunnaryd, IKEA began operating in Sweden in 1943. It is owned by Kamprad's Netherlands-based charitable foundation, Stichting Ingka.

REMEMBER: If you need professional furniture assembly or installation please contact EZ Furniture Assembly & Interior Innovation, LLC and one of our customer service representatives will help you with everything from choosing the right furniture to turning a few carboard boxes into your bedroom.



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