Bringing together two master craftsmen and two heritage materials, the Avington Chair marks a new collaboration between Bill Amberg Studio and rising British designer Joss Stoddart, and is made wholly in the UK using English oak and oak bark–tanned British leather.
The Avington Chair is quintessentially English in material, design, and construction. Designed and made entirely in the workshops of Joss Stoddart and Bill Amberg Studio, who, on meeting, established a shared passion for their materials and a collaborative project quickly evolved.
“Upon being introduced there was a clear shared set of principles to our work. Bill brought a tactile knowledge of leather and an extremely tailored eye for design that I deeply respect, and I brought my understanding of timber and proportions. Meeting in the middle required trust, patience, and a shared belief in beauty through simplicity. These chairs are the result of that quiet, careful relationship between materials and makers,” comments Joss Stoddart.
The design for the Avington Chair began with a sketch for an idea in an old notebook of Bill’s. Along the prototyping process the details were clarified through to the final, unique finish. An unusual hand-turned fluted dowel construction supports the leather slung seat and back, with turned solid brass caps providing the fixings and additional textures.
Bill Amberg comments, “from the start we recognised a shared passion for materials, an appreciation for detail and a true reverence for craft. Joss’s generosity, his patience, and the care we all took in developing the Avington have allowed us to create something practical, comfortable, beautifully unique and deeply rooted in craftsmanship. We worked through multiple samples together, making subtle but significant changes to evolve each detail.“
A material mix of English oak fumed to a dark tone and the softness of the oak bark tanned leather provide a classical colour palette. The hand finished shaping of the seat and back provide these supremely comfortable dining chairs their timeless quality.
The Avington Collection is available for purchase via the Bill Amberg Studio online shop – click here for the listing.
