Campbell Suite
Andrew grew up sick of straight lines and modernism, leading to lead singer of No.1 reggae act UB40 commissioning a very special personalized dining-room suite made from old Irish Oak rescued from giant vats. The wood was suggested by Andrew for its age and colour due to whiskey staining. It also meant that the new furniture was made with 300-year-old Irish Oak when seasoned, it was possibly 300 years older before it was felled for the vats.After a series of meetings and drawings (cost included in the overall package), the final drawings were approved and motifs suggested to personalize the furniture completely. A contemporary Gothic style was selected to suit the Gothic manor residence, and carving was used sparingly but crisply to reflect Ali's Scottish heritage. One motif was the thistle, carved onto the table legs. Boars heads were suggested and carved on Ali's carvers' arms, the motif taken from the Campbell coat of arms.
All together, client extremely happy, now has wonderful quirky furniture to pass on to his children with a great story attached. Very special furniture needs a huge concentration of imaginative and skillful endeavour, experience, almost photographic memory from study of good design through the ages to take a concept through from origination to sensitive realization. This in essence, is what real commissioning is about to Andrew and Acanthus.
