I have been building hardwood furniture in Edinburgh since the early seventies and since 1980 my workshop has been at Gogar Church on the western edge of the city. It is readily found now as it sits adjacent to the Royal Bank of Scotland flyover at Gogarburn and is the only building left standing on the N. side of the Glasgow Road in that vicinity. I work mostly in native (and often very local) hardwoods which in practise means oak, elm, ash, beech, cherry and yew though the availability of quality material at any time might entail venturing further afield into, for example, European oak or N. American walnut. Explaining to a precocious 8 year old that I was a designer-maker (of furniture), I got the response that, yes, it would necessarily have to be that way round because obviously you cant make something until after you've designed it. I was forced to agree..... but...... trouble is, I suspect that for me the making (and the materials, the machines, the tools, the workshop) is what's really important and is what allows me to acheive any result. This they do by controlling and informing any design. I therefore decided to call myself a maker-designer. However, all that matters is the end product. Judge for yourself i.e. LOOK AT THE WORK (or, in the first instance, the pictures). All the rest (as Albert Finney says in "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning") is propaganda.

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Contact Details

1. Chris Holmes
2. Gogar cabinetworks
   194 Glasgow Road
3. Edinburgh
4. centraleast
5. Edinburgh
6. EH12 9BR
7.  
8. Tel: 01313177240
9. Mob:
10. Email: info@chrisholmes.co.uk
11. Web: www.chrisholmesblog.wordpress.com