Colin Harris

Cabinetmaker

©Nathalie Marquez Courtney

©Peter Love

Design vision for wooden furniture

Colin is an engineer and a craftsperson
Local sourcing and environmentally-aware methods are at the core of his work
He delights in revealing the natural beauty of wood

Colin Harris has a background in engineering, following on from which he studied furniture making at the renowned Parnham College in Dorset, England. He spent a number of years working in sustainable design for international furniture studios before returning to Ireland to set up his own studio in 2015. He combines a head for design with craft skills to create his furniture. He is passionate about using native hardwoods such as wild Irish ash, oak, birch and sycamore, which he sources from a local sawmill which produces using sustainable methods. From these materials he creates timeless pieces that tell a story of local and wild simplicity, showing off the exquisite beauty of wood.

Interview

©Nathalie Marquez Courtney

©Nathalie Marquez Courtney

Have you always had an interest in making?: From a young age I loved designing and creating. With my father I would spend hours in the garage designing, making and fixing things. My grandfather taught me furniture making and we set up a workshop in my parents’ garage when I was 13.
What principles guide your designs?: I believe in simplicity in the design process; revealing the material beauty. A key part of what I do is ensuring sustainability by sourcing local and low impact materials. Finally, I believe in fine craftsmanship to create pieces that resonate and become timeless.
What is special about the material you choose to work with?: The beauty in the wild Irish hardwoods comes from how they are free to grow naturally, twisting in the sun, bending with the wind. They have unique character, much more varied in pattern, texture and colour than commercially managed trees; grown for their uniformity.
Is there something about your work that surprises people?: Generally, I work to a client brief and often provide them with a 3D rendering of the piece in advance. Yet I find that they are always amazed by the real thing; when they are in the room with the object and are affected by its materiality.

Colin Harris is an expert artisan: he began his career in 1998