Handmade Furniture

Busy Festive Period

2012-01-11T02:43:00.000-08:00

At Wheathills we've just had time to draw breath after the hectic Christmas schedule. With Wheathills Marquetry Boxes and Promise Boxes flying the length and breadth of the country, and as far afield as America and Australia it was certainly all hands to the pump to ensure everything arrived on time. The boss, Nigel, was still out delivering on Christmas Eve.

The Promise Boxes, an entirely new concept, appeared to be very well received; basically the Promise Box is a small, handmade wooden box with marquetry work on the outer lid(including initials of the person for whom the box is for, and a marquetry image of one of their loves or passions), and inside is the actual(handmade) key of the Memory Box that will arrive at a later date. The cost of the Promise Box is deducted from the final price of the Memory Box.

A Promise Box

We're getting back into the swing of things at Wheathills after the Christmas Break, we have quite a few beautiful antique items in for restoration and also a full schedule of Wheathills Keepsake Boxes to complete.

Struggling For That Gift For The Person With Everything?

2011-10-20T03:05:00.001-07:00

Wheathills have introduced a new concept - The Promise Box.

The ideal Xmas present starts with a Promise in the beautiful form of a Promise Box, marking the initial exciting steps of a creative and emotional journey.

The handmade box is a promise of a Wheathills Marquetry Memory / Keepsake Box to be delivered in the New Year (normally a six week delivery time), and the upholstered interior of the Promise Box holds the actual handmade key for the Memory Box. On the exterior of the promise box are marquetry initials and a marquetry representation of the recipent's passion or achievement.

In the New Year the person who received the gift starts their own journey of transforming their life stories and achievements into an exquisite memory box with marquetry depictions of these images. They are kept up to date with the progress of their box with a personal and secure 'Under Lock & Key' page where they can view videos of the Wheathills craftsmen working on the different stages of the box.

Click here for more information.

Wheathills on TV

2011-09-09T01:55:00.000-07:00

Wheathills Memory Boxes were recently featured on a BBC news programme:

The video is also shown on Wheathills home page at www.wheathills.com

Stunning Memory Box - Pantheon Theatre

2011-08-12T01:57:00.000-07:00

The box itself represents a classic Pantheon Theatre, and inside a stage opens out revealing Dickensian street scenes and galleries of famous spectators all recreated in amazing marquetry work.

Over 10,000 pieces of marquetry were hand laid, the box took over 2,300 hours to create and the traditional French Polishing alone took over 300 hours (no spray or lacquer was used).

The resulting Memory Box is a stunning statement of the Cabinet Makers' art, for further information and images of the box:
http://www.wheathills.com/pages/Pantheon-Theatre-Memory-Box.aspx

Handmade Designer Sideboard

2011-01-18T04:34:00.001-08:00

Above is a handmade piece of furniture Wheathills made for a client.
To fit in with the clients' decor the piece was a "Designer" style sideboard constructed from Flame Oak and Walnut.

Creating Dovetail Joints For The Drawers

Turning The Handles

Starting To French Polish

The finished piece can be seen in the Handcrafted Designer Sideboard section of Wheathills Handmade Furniture.

Reasons For A Memory Box

2011-01-04T05:04:00.000-08:00

There are many and diverse reasons to commission a Memory Box from Wheathills; these boxes are not only to remember a loved one with, but also to celebrate a birthday, or special achievement or occasion, a new baby or a wedding.

After all what do you get for the person who has everything?

What To Get The Person Who Has Everything

2010-12-17T01:31:00.000-08:00

It's the thought that counts, as the story goes, but just where do we find that wonderful gift.

Well, according to Lee Bunker, a Wheathills Cabinet Maker, the gift is within the heart and memories, just waiting for the right moment to be given.

When an off the shelf gift simply will not do, a Wheathills Memory Box is the solution to the age old problem of what do you buy the person who has everything?

How people use these unique Boxes is the diverse practical element of the gift, but the true beauty is found in the symbolism and hidden meanings within the marquetry designs, guaranteeing exclusivity to the tone of - the only one of its kind in the world.

Every gift is bespoke and is focused on the personality of the giver and receiver of the Box. Fascinating life stories are captured and intertwined with special moments, family history and aspirations for the future. They are created to an exquisite standard ensuring longevity, true value and a sense of that precious family heirloom.

The construction and finish of each Box is reversible, meaning that new stories can be celebrated and added to the design as time moves on.

Wheathills have found their clients have many uses for their boxes, from the simple but elegant place to keep safe family mementoes, to grand Humidors and Watch Winders to Gun Cases, Purdey Display Strong Boxes, Jewellery Cases, Wedding Keepsake Boxes, Birthdays, Christenings and the list goes on.

The defining qualities shared by these gifts are the unique life stories adorning each Box. The effort and immense thought invested by the giver, proof indeed of genuine love and affection for the receiver, which in itself is the ultimate gift for the Person Who Has Everything.

When off the shelf simply will not do, see Wheathills Memory Boxes.

News Of Our Latest Marquetry Memory Boxes

2010-12-07T03:52:00.001-08:00

We have just updated exquisitememorybox.com with a series of our latest Marquetry Memory Boxes, and enhanced the ranges of boxes.

These Memory Boxes are remarkable and very different from the normal expectation of a Memory Box inasmuch that they are a thing of beauty, a work of art, a highly personalised artefact and an heirloom all rolled into one. Each box has a story of yof the client's loves, life and passions inlaid in breathtaking marquetry on both the outside and inside of the box.

No two boxes are the same and each is 100& handmade in our Derbyshire workshops (with the exception of brassware or silverware).

Below is a Wedding Memory Box commissioned for a couple who are lifelong Liverpool supporters:

Here a couple whose love for opera and fine music inspired them to have a Memory Box created for their baby daughter, who no doubt will use the box for storing keepsakes and mementos.

A lady whose Alma Mater was Clare College Cambridge commissioned this memory box to celebrate her time there:

All of these boxes and a lot more are on show at http://www.exquisitememorybox.com

Wheathills Web Site

2010-09-10T03:03:00.000-07:00

We've just given the custom made furniture section of our website a revamp.
The above image was taken in the old Servants' Quarters at Wheathills (recently transformed into the craftsmen's rest room), and the photographer has captured the mood and scene perfectly - well done Kieran. There are also other examples of our custom made furniture on show.
The handmade furniture section also utilises the lightbox system of displaying images.

Creating Marquetry on our Memory Boxes

2010-08-06T03:36:00.000-07:00

Wheathills Memory Boxes are renowned for their beautiful marquetry images. But what is marquetry and how is it created?

To answer that we have written an article on how to create marquetry in the Features section of our site, but here is a taster.
For a 21st Birthday present we were commissioned to create a Memory Box incorporating a marquetry image of a steam locomotive (an old road locomotive). After consultations and sketches passing to and fro our artists and Cabinet Makers got to work.

One of the Cabinet Makers is carefully cutting out the area from the main sheet of Walnut where the marquetry piece will be inlaid.

The part finished Marquetry work is held in place by special veneer tape, awaiting the time when it is firmly secured to the box's surface.

The steam locomotive's marquetry wheel is painstakingly built up piece by piece.

Upholstery In Designer Fabric

2010-07-28T03:03:00.000-07:00

Wheathills have always excelled in restoration work, that is how the company, Kedleston French Polishers, started. It is only recently however that we have brought in the upholstery and re-upholstery service in Designer Fabrics.

We now offer upholstery services using designer fabrics from the cream of English Design Houses, eg William Morris, Sanderson, Romo, GP & J Baker fabrics to name a few.

This beautiful period settee has been re-upholstered by our traditional upholsterers in the workshops of Wheathills - our 18th Century Country House.

The upholstery service offered not only covers your favourite old armchair but it can be extended to one of the period chairs or settees that Wheathills have for sale.

Memory Boxes from Wheathills at The Shrewsbury Flower Show

2010-07-12T02:35:00.000-07:00

Wheathills will be displaying a selection of beautiful handmade Memory Boxes at the world's longest running horticultural event - The Shrewsbury Flower Show. Thousands of visitors from around the world visit this event annually.

For more details of Memory Boxes at the Shrewsbury Flower Show

Wheathills at CLA Game Fair

2010-07-02T01:43:00.000-07:00

Wheathills will be displaying their beautiful, handmade Memory Boxes at the CLA Game Fair held at Ragley Hall in Warkwickshire between Friday 23rd July and Sunday 25th July, 2010.

For more details on our Memory Boxes at CLA Game Fair

Memory Box - A Beautiful Example

2010-06-07T06:07:00.000-07:00

I've never seen such beautiful Memory Boxes as these. They are handmade to order and have images relating to the owner's life story inlaid in different timbers into the surface of the box, making each one not just a box to hold memories or keepsakes in, but have the major events and passions in a lifetime built into the box.

This one is amazing:

The owner of this box must have had some life, judging by all of the different images and associated stories.

This is what makes these Memory Boxes different from any others that I've seen, they are all individual, and made for the individual with all of these lovely personal touches that no shop-bought item could compare with.

Wheathills Web Site Facelift

2010-05-27T04:15:00.000-07:00

We have given the Wheathills web site a facelift. Gone are the greens, yellow and reds, and we have replaced them with a new look and new colours.

Take a look and tell us what you think

Our Site On Woodweb

2010-04-13T01:37:00.001-07:00

Wheathills site on Woodweb:
http://www.woodindustry.com/woodworkers/Master/9619.html

Wheathills On Wikipedia

2010-03-31T03:39:00.000-07:00

The History Of Wheathills is now on Wikipedia

Keep Up To Date With Wheathills

2010-03-30T04:12:00.000-07:00

Just to enable you to keep up with Wheathills here are some of our social networking sites:

Wheathills On Twitter

Wheathills On Facebook

Wheathills On Squidoo

Please visit us and join in.

Memory Boxes - Designing and Choosing

2010-03-25T04:17:00.000-07:00

Like buying any product there is a question of balance between cost and end result, rarely do we find that we have got the best of both worlds. Some buys though are worth the extra investment, especially when they are for personal reasons.

A good example of a personal purchase is a Memory Box; again like a lot of products there are Memory Boxes and there are Memory Boxes. Off the shelf boxes and cheap pine boxes have their place and uses, however if you truly want a personally designed box then surely Wheathills is the place to acquire them.

Memory Box - Personally Designed For A Rolls Royce Engineer

When a limited edition simply will not do, then at Wheathills you can personally commission a beautiful, exquisitely designed Memory Box with breathtaking Marquetry work.
You are giving part of yourself to someone whom you love, so you get to choose the size, colour and design that truly represent the memory of its creation.

Why settle for anything but the best?

Memory Box - Ballerina

2009-12-01T05:24:00.000-08:00

This most beautiful box was made recently by Wheathills.

It was commissioned by parents and a grandparent for their new baby daughter (grand daughter)

The Memory Box incorporates the loves and passions of those giving the gift, which will always be treasured by the girl for all of her life.

The Mother is a ballet tutor.

The Father is an engineer, hence the exquisite dovetails.

Grandmother is a passionate Rose Gardener.

Wheathills' Memory Boxes are each handmade and completely personal to the clients who commission them. No two boxes are alike and they will become themselves, treasured family heirlooms

Memory Boxes By Wheathills

2009-07-31T07:23:00.000-07:00

Wheathills' exquisite Memory Boxes are the ultimate in English Craftsmanship and are specifically designed to reflect the personality and passions of those involved in the gift giving and receiving of a Memory Box.

The box on the left is a Christening Memory Box made from Burr Tiger Oak, and commissioned by Grandparents for their grand daughter.

The grand daughter can keep mementoes and their associated precious memories in the box, and the Memory Box itself becomes a family heirloom that can be handed down from generation to generation.

We have made Memory Boxes for customers all over the world and whilst it is easier for clients to visit Wheathills and our design centre, where we have boxes and timber examples on show, we have acomplished many, many successful commissions via email, post and image sharing sites.

A rethink on Antiques and Handmade Furniture

2009-06-26T03:25:00.000-07:00

With the demise of antiques, especially Victorian Brown Furniture, antique and period furniture are at an all time low pricewise. With raw material prices currently high and with ethical sourcing in mind there is a view coming out to recycle antique furniture with a more personalized twist, to have handmade furniture made from the remnants of antiques which are perhaps beyond economical repair, or do not 'fit' in your home, either style or sizewise.

With the price of some antique furniture so low, and the obvious quality of the timbers used in antiques it seems an ideal time to grace your home with a quality personalized piece of furniture.

Handmade Furniture at Wheathills

2009-06-18T03:41:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt at a blog so here goes:

Wheathills is not only the name of the company but also the name of the Georgian Country House where I work. It was restored to its former glory in 2002/2003 after it had been turned into a number of flats and had basically been ripped apart. Nigel, the boss, did amazing work on the house, and when completed the company moved here from its previously cramped city centre location.

Wheathills is a high quality antique sales, antique restoration, period property restoration and handmade furniture company. We have three teams of professional artisans - French Polishers, Cabinet Makers and Traditional Upholsterers, each having dedicated workshops that have large viewing windows so that visitors to Wheathills can see the chaps at work. Shown above is (Upholsterer) John. Below are Marcus, a Cabinet Maker, and Harold a French Polisher.

Our work is split between services (antique furniture restoration), site work (period property interior restoration), stock (restoring our items for sale) or creating bespoke handmade furniture for clients.

My job is mainly to make the tea, in between that I look after the website and create our internal computer systems. Having a mainly IT background and I am constantly in awe of the amazing craftsmanship I see every day that these guys take for granted;

but then again I have got ten left thumbs on my hands!

I hope to bring some insight into our work here at Wheathills in the near future.