“Devil Amongst the Tailors”. ph. Angus Thomas, Wallpaper* Handmade, AHEC

Dare Studio is an award winning British Design Company producing contemporary furniture for luxury domestic interiors and high specification contract environments.  The family-run studio was established in 2009 by Sean Dare and has become known for style, quality, and fine craftsmanship, setting a benchmark for the very best in contemporary design.  Dare Studio offers mass produced solutions to the industry as well as bespoke commissions to cater for the individual. ?
The Studio’s most recent success is the Spline chair, which was launched at Clerkenwell Design Week 2012. The chair is available in solid American black walnut and American white oak with a formed veneered seat panel.  American oak and walnut are regularly used by the studio.  According to Sean, “both species have stunning characteristics and the light and dark timbers contrast beautifully.”??The Spline chair was developed through the experimentation of various chair footprints. With function being as high on the agenda as beauty, the chair was designed with careful thought and consideration for how and where it will be used. Sean wanted to create a chair that did not have the standard leg in each corner but still offered great stability and comfort.  This resulted in the refined and narrow back leg composition.

• Spline Oak
• Spline Walnut
• Spline Oak
• Spline Oak
• Spline Oak
• Spline Walnut
• Spline Walnut

The reduced footprint of the chair takes up less space and is ideal for restaurants and other confined spaces. This distinguished design was recognised by the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers and was awarded the Design Guild Mark for excellence in design.??Dare Studio is proud of its environmental policy.  Their furniture is predominantly manufactured and assembled by hand using sustainable hardwoods.

AHEC
The American Hardwood Export Council is in the process of finalising its Life Cycle Analysis Study carried out by sustainability experts, PE International.  The study will result in Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for American hardwood lumber exported to Europe.  Manufacturers such as Dare Studios will shortly be able to use this data to access the Life Cycle Impact for all their products.

American white oak
American white oak has creamy coloured sapwood and a light to dark brown heartwood. White oak is mostly straight grained with a medium to coarse texture, with longer rays than red oak, producing a distinctive and attractive grain pattern. This species is widely available and is a popular choice in export markets around the world for many furniture, flooring and joinery manufacturers due to its colour consistency and the high volume of square edged lumber production, and veneer availability. The wood is hard and heavy, with medium bending and crushing strength.

American black walnut
American black walnut shares this creamy white sapwood characteristic, while the heartwood is light brown to dark chocolate brown, occasionally with a purplish cast and darker streaks. The wood is generally straight grained, but sometimes with a wavy or curly grain. This species is very fashionable for use in furniture, cabinet making, architectural interiors and high class joinery. Walnut is a tough, hard timber of medium density, with moderate bending and crushing strengths and low stiffness.

Photography: Peter J Morgan