Oak dining bench

This project came about because my customer was using an old slatted bench in her kitchen to sit and read next to the log burner. She wanted something that would fit with the smart-rustic feel of her holiday cottage on the isle of Raasay (off the west coast of Scotland).

I love it when a customer says “please use timber with as much grain and colour as possible” – it gives me an excuse to spend some time picking through the timber racks at the local woodyard. I found another nice plank from the same stock as I’d used for another similar style bench I made last year – I couldn’t believe my luck that no-one else had picked it up!

I used draw bored mortise and tenon joints on the end trestles just for the traditional look, and single wedged through tenons for the stretcher.

-- www.jemfox.co.uk