Miscellaneous
A Family Tradition in Wood: Three Generations of 21st Birthday Chests
Some gifts are appreciated for a moment. Others are cherished for a lifetime. And then there are those special ones that become family traditions, passed down across generations. This story begins with a grandfather who wanted to give his son a meaningful 21st birthday gift. He chose a handcrafted wooden chest — something timeless, practical,…
Read MoreA Century of Memories: Our Family Cabinet
Some possessions carry more than just aesthetic value—they carry memories, love, and history. One such treasure in our family is a cabinet that once belonged to my grandparents. Gifted to them by the family for a wedding anniversary, it quickly became one of their most prized possessions. Over 100 years old, it has witnessed generations…
Read MoreRestoring a Victorian Games Table: A Piece of Leisure History
We recently had the pleasure of restoring a striking antique games table — a fine example of Victorian-era design that reflects the elegant traditions of parlour entertainment in the 19th century. This piece most likely dates from the mid-to-late 19th century (circa 1850–1880). Games tables like this one were designed with multi-game surfaces, most…
Read MoreA Significant Sea Chest
Lex, from Okuti Valley shared the history of his restored sea chest as follows: The trunk appears to have been made of North American Pine. It was brought to NZ 174 years ago by my great-great grandfather Angus McMillan, his first wife Margaret, and his sister Janet. Having lived on a small croft at Heatherlea,…
Read MorePreserving Memories
Jennifer bought in a Karl Hamburg grand piano that was made in 1874. She clearly remembers the joy of getting it for her eighth birthday. Jennifer’s parents had purchased it from a lecturer at Aberdeen University, Scotland, that they had known during their time living there prior to emigrating to New Zealand. Jennifer wanted to…
Read MoreThe People Who Breathe New Life Into Old
By Pattie Pegler 17:00, Apr 07 2022 ALDEN WILLIAMS/STUFF “Things often have really sentimental meaning and people are so grateful that they live again,” says professional furniture designer and repairer Paul Harding-Browne. Tables and chairs are the most common item through the door for Paul Harding-Browne. Some have legs that have been chewed by…
Read MoreThe Log Chair Puzzle
It is not unusual for a piece of furniture to be made out of a log. However, Richard Parker, Brionny Hooper and the team from Scion (The NZ Forest Research Institute) wanted a kit set chair that would fit back inside the log that it was cut from. Inspiration for this idea came from a…
Read MoreA Pyramid Table
While in Christchurch one day, Alistair dropped in looking for a dining table that was ‘different.’ He spotted Paul’s recently made walnut pyramid side table Inspiration struck and Alistair, who enjoyed making models as a child, came back with a small scale model explaining that he would like a black dining table built like…
Read MoreAll is Not Lost
In 1959, Garry House of South New Brighton was 10 years old and helping his dad’s second cousin move into a retirement village. The elderly lady entrusted Garry with her beloved gramophone and records and asked him to look after it and keep it in the family. For about 20 years, Garry played the gramophone,…
Read MoreA New Staff Member
If you spot a new face around the workshop, it may be our eldest daughter Brie. Brie is a uni student and decided that she would like to work with her dad part-time. Brie and her sister have actually been doing paid work and learning skills with Paul for years, so it’s not that much…
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