One of the most rewarding things about designing furniture for churches is the collaborative nature of these projects. We really do get the chance to work with some wonderful people and their passion and commitment to the end goal is always hugely inspiring for everyone in the Dovetailors workshop.
A great example of this was our work with Wakefield Cathedral to design some new vestry wardrobes. Before we could begin our design work we spent time with the team at Wakefield to understand how they use and store their garments so we could create something that would fit seamlessly into the cathedral’s daily life and church calendar. We also added some extra special touches like cubby holes for keeping personal belongings. Read more about our vestry wardrobe project.
Some of our church furniture projects really challenge our creativity and this was certainly true of our work with Mirfield monastery when they commissioned us to make a 2.5 metre high Paschal Candle. They had heard about our work with Wakefield Cathedral and Christ the King Church and realised we could work with them to turn their dream into reality.
Most recently we have been involved in a lovely project with Liverpool Parish Church which has brought together several makers, each with different talents, to create something very special, a beautiful and very unique baptismal font, which is now being used to welcome new arrivals into the life of the church. Often these kinds of projects involve complex engineering and we enjoy being able to dedicate time and talent to every stage of the making process, from initial design to delivery. We pride ourselves on our attention to detail and our ability to listen carefully to the needs of the church and its community.
It is this role that churches play in local communities that inspires us and drives the creative process. There are so many different perspectives to consider, all of them hugely important. These include the architectural setting, the modern demands of those using the space and the vision and purpose of the team we are working with. Read our blog on creating church furniture to serve local communities to find out more about this fantastic design adventure and why we enjoy it so much.