The turn of the socle

Originally conceived as a commission from a much-respected client, the socle table has come to encapsulate our intentions as both furniture makers and as a company.

The socle table provides the workshop with an opportunity to pass on the skills of hand-turning to younger generations. This humble yet skilled process enables the making of a wide variety of objects and has many useful and practical applications; like the making of chair legs and spindles. The base is completely hand-turned from single-log timber, ensuring a satisfying consistency in colour throughout the socle base. While the wood-turner takes the virtuoso bow here, thorough preparation of the timber is completely essential in creating a centrepiece that will stand strong for generations. Kiln-dried FSC timber is prepared slowly to maintain the strength and form of the timber. A socle is a relatively obscure word for a pedestal for an urn or column and usually, the socle plays second fiddle to the object it is holding up, but here the base is arguably the star of the show.

Invariably, the quality of materials and the way we finish them is important to us and here the generous use of oak in the sculptural design of the socle table places the timber literally and figuratively at the centre of everything, whether it be in a rich and dark fumed oak or a pale and biscuity raw finish. Although the table was not specifically conceived for effective carbon capture, like all our tables, the substantial use of timber locks up a significant amount of carbon and in the case of a 1500mm table the socle table sequesters approximately 80 kilos of carbon after transport has been accounted for.

Even the way in which the socle table evolved represents our highly collaborative process with our clients. Where there is a meeting of minds and clarity around the intention for a piece, creative sparks can really fly. Receiving clear inspiration references, photographs of the space and insights into the couple commissioning the table made it possible to create a piece that not only delighted our clients but also felt so much like a representation of what we do that we were compelled to include it permanently in our collection. Even the socle table’s name hides a subtle and respectful nod to our very own client to whom we’re very grateful.