S. F. Furniture

S. F. Furniture is a partnership of two well – matched makers. Ian Heseltine, the more serious of the two, and Declan O’Donoghue, the irrepressibly optimistic Irishman. They work successfully either together or alone as the mood takes them or as their clients demand. They come at design problems from opposite perspectives: Declan’s approach is more conceptual, starting with the form and impact of the finished piece, using more than one variety of timber, assuming always that the piece can be built. Ian’s approach is more technical beginning with the function of the piece, how it will work and the making process, introducing the aesthetics as the design progresses, rarely mixing woods. Thus, two disparate elements that combine to make a unified whole.

‘Meander’ An occasional table in laminated limed oak, patinated brass, maple and glass. 400 x 1500 x 560mm /16 x 59 x 22 in.

Collectors stereo cabinet

Ebony, burr vavona and satinwood,

1000 x 600 x 600mm / 39 x 24 x 24 in.

Occasional table

Bubinga with pearwood panels

500 x 900 x 900mm / 20 x 36 x 36 in.

Dining chair

Innbuia, wenge and kevasingo.

Circular dining table

Brown oak.

2000mm diameter / 79 in.

Double Bed Quilted maple and bubinga.

‘Riverdance’ Foyer table in olivewood, recycled oak and glass. 600 x 2l 00 x 600mm / 24 x 84 x 20 in.

Bedroom chest

English elm, burr elm panels and handles. 700 x 1000 x 460mm / 28 x 39 x 18 in.

Sectional boardroom table To seat thirty-five. Ripple maple, burr oak and aluminium.

‘Plateau’

Public seating in Kilkenny limestone and oak.

2000mm radius / 79 in.

‘Facet’

Public seating in polished and hand chiselled limestone and elm.

4000mm / 13ft 2 in.

‘Zenith’

Bench in weathered oak. 1800mm/ 71 in.

‘Tangent’ Convex and concave public seating in oak and limestone. 2500mm / 98 in.

Winning prizes for arts and crafts subjects at school encouraged Mark Boddington to take up a career in furniture making rather than following his father into the family business. Apart from a future in politics, one of Mark’s goals is to make limited edition furniture which will make his work available to a wider audience, as he acknowledges that fine design and craftsmanship can be very expensive. In the meantime, his enjoyment at securing a commission from a difficult client is surpassed only by the return of a client for more work, be it in twelve months or twelve years.

Music cabinet Burr and straight grained walnut. 790 x 1570 x 500mm 31 x 62×20 in.

Maltese low table Ebony and sterling silver. 450 x 610 x 610mnn 18 x 24 x 24 in.

‘Golden Sun’

Low table in amboyna with 9ct gold inlay. 610×61 Omm / 24 x 24 in.

Sun Burst table

Walnut, satinwood and ebony. 720 x 1370mm diameter / 28 x 54 in

Hall table

Ebonised mahogany.

720 x 1200mm diameter / 28 x 47 in.

‘Lunar’ side table (and detail) Kingwood and sterling silver 710 x 610 x 280mm / 28 x 24 x 11 in.

Paris club chair

Amboyna with hand woven chenilie fabric.

760 x 760 x 760mm / 30 x 30 x 30 in.

‘Wishbone’ dining chairs

Cherry and sycamore.

990 x 510 x 510mm / 39 x 20 x 20 in.